On propositional structures in a multimodal humorous text

Abstract

The present paper is devoted to the issue of a comic effect implementation in multimodal humorous texts at the proposition and surface levels of its semantics. The representative material of the study includes multimodal texts of two types: static (internet-memes) and dynamic (short comic videos). The article considers distinguishing features of multimodal texts per se, their status in modern Internet communication. The paper provides analytical review of the term “proposition”, the main semantic roles of predicate actants that have been studied in contemporary linguistics (agent, patient, experiencer, temporal and others) and outlines the results of the representative material analysis. These results allowed us to establish the fact that the comic effect is implemented at both semantic levels of multimodal texts: the proposition structure at the deep level contains opposing elements involved in creating a contrast, which, in its turn, becomes the basis for creating a comic effect (oppositions, metaphor, pun). The surface level contains elements of different modes that are used for representing proposition meanings and achieving a comic effect. The paper outlines possible directions of further research: exploration of semantic roles, ways of representing them and other means of creating a comic effect in a multimodal text, as well as the study of cognitive mechanisms that constitute the bedrock for producing and perceiving a multimodal text meanings.