Making Ideas Highly visible: A Multimodal Analysis of the Strategies in TED Speeches文献综述

 2022-09-09 03:09

1. Previous Studies of MDA

In the last decade, multimodality is widely used by semioticians and linguists in social semiotic fields both abroad and at home. In order to better understand MDA, first of all, here is a n explanation of the word “multimodality”. Seeing it from the literal perspective, the word consists of two parts: they are prefix “multi-” and word “modality”. “Multi-” whose opposite prefix is “mono-” that means “alone, sole, and single” is a prefix which means “many or much”. As for “modality”, it suggests a kind of semiotic resources. That is, multimodality refers to the interaction process or interaction product of different semiotic resources. Though multimodalities have been widely used in loads of discourses, and it has become a more popular topic in the semiotic fields, till now, its definition is still not given by those scholars and linguists yet. And next paragraphs will briefly introduce the previous studies abroad and at home. First is its definition. Since multimodality is firstly put forward in west, its description abroad is illustrated as follows.

Kress (2000) defines multimodality as “the idea that communication and representation always draw on a multiplicity of semiotic modes of which language may be one”. And van Leeuwen (2005) states that multimodality is “the combination of different semiotic modes in a communicative artifact or event”. While according to Baldry and Thibault (2006: 24), multimodality means “the diverse ways in which a number of distinct semiotic systems are both code deployed and contextualized in the making of a text-specific meaning”. Additionally, they consider multimodality as describing the grammar of visual communication used by image designers. It illustrates the principles and rules that allows readers to comprehend the potential meaning of relative position of elements, salience, framing, proximity, styles of typeface, color saturations, etc.

From the foregoing, it multimodality can be defined as the study of inner relationship and interaction among assorted communicative semiotic modes, no matter they are visual symbols or auditory symbols, i.e. using multimodality is a method to express the meaning of a discourse made up of different semiotic modes.

The publication of Reading Images written by Kress amp; van Leeuwen in 1996 is generally deemed as The beginning of MDA. With the combination with Hallidayrsquo;s Systematic Functional Grammar, Reading Images has offered some guides in detail for people to study in conducting multimodal discourse analysis, what is more, this book is considered as the milestone in MDA this field. From then on, MDA has become a subject that was paid more attention to. In addition, Kress amp; van Leeuwen (2001) propose a new theory about multimodal discourse communication in this brand new multimedia era, that is: the Modes and Media of Contemporary Communication. Another scholar Rose (2003) puts forward some instructive suggestions and guidance for studying the potential meanings and effects of visual images. In Discourse and Technology: Multimodal Discourse Analysis, Levine amp; Scollon (2004) state that it has drew a discussion about influence of new communication technologies on the way that discourse data are collected, transcribed and analyzed, as well as on social interactions and discourses themselves. Another scholar, Baldry amp; Thibault (2006), based on their research discovery on multimodal text analysis, they propose a creative method to analyze the meaning and functions of multimodal symbols. In New Directions in the Analysis of Multimodal Discourse, Royce amp; Bowcher (2007) offer a comprehensive theoretical framework of multimodal discourse and predict a tendency for studying and applying in this booming field.

Comparing with those western countries, it can not be denied that MDA research in China “falls behind” a lot (Zhu Yongsheng, 2007), and the first person who firstly introduces MDA to China is a famous linguist named Li Zhanzi (2003). However, from then on, MDA is widely applied by scholars in many sorts of research subjects and linguistic field. For example, Hu Zhuanglin amp; Dong Jia (2006) explore the methods applied in a PowerPoint presentation contest and the principles by which the meaning can be well constructed and transmitted. In “Theory and Methodology of Multimodal Discourse”, Zhu Yongsheng (2007) makes a discussion of the definition, theoretical basis, methodology and significance of multimodal discourse analysis. Xin Zhiying (2008) in his “Multimodal Discourse Analysis—a New Development in Discourse Analysis” states that it is a mistaken view that discourse analysis only consists of text analysis, but it should also should take assorted semiotic modes into consideration. Zhang Delursquo;s “On a Synthetic Theoretical Framework for Multimodal Discourse Analysis” (2009) tries to establish a theoretical framework for MDA on the basis of systemic functional linguistics. In the filed of application, Wang Hongyang (2007)does a research on how the these different symbols co-construct to form interactive meaning through studying the case of multimodal advertising discourse. As for another scholars, Wang Lifei amp; Wen Yan (2008) make an introduction of EUDICO Linguistic Annotator (ELAN) software and its main functions of multimodal analysis of discourses. And Zheng Haicui amp; Zhang Maizeng (2008) analyze multiple semiotic resources applied in the Beijing Olympic emblem to build a harmony concept in the sight of MDA and critical social semiotics.

Recently, people have realized the great significance of MDA, and have made loads of analysis of advertisement, international conference speech, academic text, hypertext, film poster from the perspective of multimodal discourse analysis. For example, In the Poster Session at the 11th International Pragmatics Association Conference at Gothernburg, Sweden, GuYueguo (2007) sets up the Spoken Chinese Corpus of Situated Discourse (SCCSD) as an assistant methodology applied in the study of MDA. Besides, multimodal discourse analysis has become more and more popular in the teaching field since multi-semiotic modes have been proved beneficial to guidance and support for teaching. For example, Zhang Delu and Wang Lursquo;s “The Synergy of Different Modes in Multimodal Discourse and Their Realization”(2010), and Chen Yumin and Wang Hongyangrsquo;s “Ideational Meaning of Image and Text-image Relations” (2008).

2. Previous Studies on the Public Speech

Public speaking (sometimes termed oratory or oration) is the process or act of performing presentation (a speech) focused around an individual directly speaking to a live audience in a structured, deliberate manner in order to inform, influence, or entertain them. Public speaking is commonly understood as the formal, face-to-face talking of a single person to a group of listeners. It is closely allied to 'presenting', although the latter is more often associated with commercial activity. Most of the time, public speaking is to persuade the audience.

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