Yeah, but normally when you sign something its because you intend to ratify it in short order.

Not true. Plenty of UN treaties have been signed but stalled on ratification.

True, but there is still a general expectation that if you sign you intend to make a good faith effort to ratify. There being plenty of exceptions (a country not engaging with int law in good faith! How shocking) doesnt change that i think most of the time signers do try to ratify.