Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Pictorial Depictions of Nigerian Socio-Political Issues on Facebook.

Abstract

AbstractThis study applies Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) to explore how pictures are used to depict social and political issues on Facebook. To achieve this aim, the study identifies the multi modal resources contained in the selected data with a view to examining how information is configured through the selection of modal resources; explore the functionality of the modal resources in the selected texts; and investigate how visual modes or pictures are used to enhance visual representations of messages. The analysis shows that multi modal discourse on Facebook embodies various resources or modes including language, image, and colour. In terms of functionality, the various modes work together as multirnodal ensembles to identify participants, phenomena and circumstances in the social issues depicted. Visual images are used without the spoken form of language to convey messages. The study concludes that exploration of meaning in multimodal texts requires a consideration of both language and semiotic resources. Key Words: Semiotic resources, multi modal discourse analysis, ensembles, Facebook.