Name: Ayandiswa

Surname: April
Student Number: 3873388
Tutor Name: Euland
Group Number: 19

LCS 111 Major Report 2020

Declaration

I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is to use another’s work and pretend that it is one’s
own. Therefore each significant contribution to, and quotation in this essay that I have taken
from the work of other people has been attributed, cited and referenced. I therefore declare
that this essay is my own work and I have not and will not allow anyone to copy my work with
intention of passing it off as his or her own work.

Signed: ………… A.A ………………..………………. Date: …06 June 2020………..…………..……………

The digital world has taken communication to new heights. It has birthed new ways of
communication, and has made it possible for the traditional modes of communication to still
exist. It is not uncommon for internet users today to convey a message using different modes
communication. Needless to say, successful communication on the internet requires that internet
users possess sufficient knowledge of the various ways of communication found in the digital
world today. The importance of internet users’ general knowledge to the successful
communication in the digital world also has to be acknowledged. This report attempts to provide
a better understanding of how five concepts – i) cultural context, ii) multimodality, iii)
multilingualism, iv) Pierce 3 typology of signage and v) intertextuality - contribute to a better
understanding of the digital world. In this report, one meme is analyzed according to the five
concepts mentioned above.

Defining a meme

A meme is one of the most popular ways of communication in the digital world. A huge number
of memes is shared amongst internet users every day. The term “meme” was coined by Richard
Dawkins in 1976 “to define the birth of a culture with the assumption that culture is the
formation of many replicators” (Dewi et. Al., 2017: 191). The definition of this term has
evolved. Mauricio and Díaz (2013: 83) say “finding a formal definition of Internet meme is not
easy. Theorists have not defined it or characterized the concept of [internet meme] in an official
manner that can be used and excerpted by academics”. In their 2013 (97) study, this definition of
an internet meme is give:
“An internet meme is a unit of information (idea, concept or belief), which replicates by passing
on via Internet (e-mail, chat, forum, social networks, etc.) in the shape of a hyper-link, video,
image, or phrase. It can be passed on as an exact copy or can change and evolve. The mutation on
the replication can be by meaning, keeping the structure of the meme or vice versa. The mutation

occurs by chance, addition or parody, and its form is not relevant. An [internet meme] depends
both on a carrier and a social context where the transporter acts as a filter and decides what can be
passed on”.

Dewi et. Al. (2017: 191) defines memes as “ideas, styles, or actions that widely spread through
the internet in the form of mimicry”. Normally, memes are made by combining texts and (still or
moving) pictures and/or videos to communicate a message. The text, in a meme, usually needs
the image and/or video to make sense and vice versa. Memes usually “make use of humour in
order to spread its meaning and/or structure” (Mauricio and Díaz, 2013: 96). Despite their
humorous nature and their “spread on a micro basis, their impact is on the macro level: memes
shape the mindsets, forms of behavior, and actions of social groups” (Shifman, 2014: 18). An
example of a meme can be seen below:

The meme shown above will be analyzed using five concepts, namely: cultural context,
multimodality, multilingualism, Pierce 3 typology of signage and intertextuality, as mentioned in
the introduction section of this report. It is perhaps a great idea to briefly discuss the five
concepts, in the same order they are listed above, before using them to analyze the meme.

Cultural context

The first concept is cultural context. Song (2010: 877) defined cultural context as “the culture,
customs and background of epoch in language communities in which the speakers participate”. It
refers to “shared values and norms (or ways of thinking, speaking, writing, interacting, behaving)
that are considered normal and acceptable in any given socio-cultural context” (Bock; Mheta,
2014: 540). Examples of this include the response “bless you” to someone sneezing, knocking on
the door before entering, and greeting a person before proceeding to talk to them. Culture
influences how people think, feel, behave, and communicate with others. Cultures are fluid. The
digital world has made it possible and easy for people from different back to be part of
subcultures. In these subcultures too, there are ways of thinking, feeling, behaving and
communicating that are considered normal by members.

Meme lovers who are also movies are more likely to understand the meme. The character in the
meme above is known as the Joker. The Joker is a well known antagonist in Batman movies. The
joker is dark and twisted as stated in the meme but dark and twisted is normal in the movie
culture. Movie fans expect there to be antagonists committing despicable crimes and murders,
especially in action movies, because these actions and behaviours make movies better. As dark
and twisted as joker is, he is loved so much that there is a movie about his life and it was among
the most watched movies in 2019. He is considered funny and entertaining. It is for this reason
that responding to this meme with laughter is considered normal by those who are familiar with
the Joker.

What the rainbow (i.e. happiness, peace and a start of a beautiful day or period, an end to dark
times etc.) and the heart emojis (i.e. love) symbolize does not suit the Joker’s character. It is
understandable why people would see this as humorous. Also, clowns are normally funny and
entertaining. It is culturally understandable to laugh at a clown and view his bad behavior as
entertainment. The joker’s bad clown make-up symbolizes his twisted side.

The way of writing in this meme is popular and perhaps unique to the meme culture. This way of
writing sorts of announces that this is a joke and conditions the viewer to receive the message as
such. The writing is only half of the entire message; the other half is the picture. The text alone
does not make sense without the picture. The writing is also informal which is normal in the
meme culture.

Multimodality

The second concept is multimodality. Multimodality is defined as “the combination of different

“Each of these resources, or modes, has specific affordances and potentials for making meaning.
When combined in actual representations and interactions, each mode has a different functional
load. Hence to describe and explain meaning in all instances of communication, we need to attend
equally to the function played by each semiotic resource, and, chiefly, to the meaning made
through the relations of different modes combined together in a communicative event or artifact”.

The message in the above is communicated through a combination of different semiotic modes.
The meme is made up of the text, an image and emojis. All these modes complete one message.
The first part of the text, i.e. “when you’re kinda dark and twisted”, refers to the Joker’s
character/personality. And the second part of the text, i.e. “but still able to brighten up
everyone’s day”, refers to the rainbow and the heart emojis. The rainbow symbolizes happiness,
peace and a start of a beautiful day (or period), an end to dark times etc. The heart emojis are
symbols of love. The combination of the different modes successfully communicates one
message.

Multilingualism

The third concept is multilingualism. Multilingualism refers to the use of two or more languages.
Okal (2014: 223) explains:

“The term multilingualism which is the focus of this article is derived from two Latin words
namely “multi” that means many and “lingua” that means language. Thus multilingualism is
referred to as the ability of a speaker to express himself or herself in several languages with equal
and native like proficiency”.

Multilingualism does not only refer to people’s ability to use language. The term multilingualism
can also be used to refer to the “co-existence of several languages within a society” (Okal, 2014:
223).

In the meme, the text is written in formal and informal English (the use of “kinda”). The joker’s
body language cannot be ignored. In the meme, the Joker can be seen presenting a bright day.
This message is communicated via his body language. His facial expression in a bad clown
make-up represent his nonchalant, dark and twisted personality but he has opened his arms to
express love and brighten everybody’s day.

Pierce’s 3 typology of signage

The fourth concept is Pierce 3 typology of signage. Pierce’s model consists of these three
elements of Semiotics: the representamen, the interpretant and the object. Pierce (1931) defines
and explains their relationships:
“A sign, or representamen, is something which stands to somebody for something in some respect
or capacity. It addresses somebody, that is, creates in the mind of that person an equivalent sign, or
perhaps a more developed sign. That sign which it creates I call the Interpretant of the first sign.
The sign stands for something, its object. It stands for that object, not in all respects, but in
reference to a sort of idea, which I have sometimes called the ground of the Representamen.”
(Peirce, 1931b)

It is obvious from Pierce’s explanation that the three elements depend on each other to make the
same meaning. Even though this is true, the elements are not equally important in the
interpretation of a sign. Pierce believes that “it is not the sign as a whole that signifies an object
but those elements most crucial to its functioning as a signifier” (Atkin, 2010: 56).

There are several representamen in the above meme: Joker, Joker’s clown make-up, the rainbow,
and the heart emojis. In the meme, the joker represents a bad character. The Joker’s bad clown
make-up represents his “twisted” personality and behaviour. The rainbow represents a beautiful
day. The heart emojis represent love. It has to be said that these signs do not represent the same
things to all people. Different people have different interpretants of these. To many, the rainbow
may represent hope, peace, an end to a bad period etc. Clowns may represent fun and
entertainment etc. In the meme; love, bad character, and a bright day are symbols of the signs
mentioned above. The elements discussed in Pierce’s model are interdependent in this meme too.
To understand the message of the meme, one has to understand and interpret the signs and know
know what they stand for (to him/her).
Intertextuality

The last concept is intertextuality. The concept of intertextuality was first used by Julia Kristeva.
According Alfaro (1996: 268), “the concept of intertextuality that she initiated proposes the text
as a dynamic site in which relational processes and practices are the focus of analysis instead of
static structures and products”. Kristeva (1980, 66) argues that "each word (text) is an inter
section of other words (texts) where at least one other word (text) can be read”. Alfaro (1996:
268) explains:

“There are always other words in a word, other texts in a text. The concept of intertex- tuality
requires, therefore, that we understand texts not as self-contained systems but as differential and
historical, as traces and tracings of otherness, since they are shaped by the repetition and
transformation of other textual structures. Rejecting the New Critical principle of textual
autonomy, the theory of intertextuality insists that a text cannot exist as a self-sufficient whole,
and so, that it does not function as a closed system”.

The concept of intertextuality has evolved the decades. Intertextuality is the shaping of a text’s
meaning by another text. There are seven types of intertextuality, divided into three categories.
In category one, there are the following types: revision, translation, quotation, and sources. In the
second category, there are the following types: conventions and configurations, and genres. In
the third category, there is one type: paralogues.

The message of this meme is shaped by what people know about the joker; their perceptions of
the rainbow, clowns and love emojis. Its message does not make sense without people’s
background knowledge of these things. This meme is a revision of the Joker movies and a
translation of the joker behaviours and character. The movies and background knowledge or
perceptions of rainbows and heart emojis provide plot, character, idea, language, or style for this
meme. The meme presents the joker in a different scenario. This meme is an appropriation and
adaptation of the joker character.

Conclusion

Memes are messages communicated in different modes. Cultural context plays an important role
in how these messages are communicated and received. Though the different modalities
normally used in memes are not equally important pierces, they are nonetheless important
pierces of the message that is communicated. The message can be communicated in multiple
languages. Memes also have three elements: the sign, the interpretant and the object. And the
messages in memes are shaped by other resources.

References

Adami, E. 2017. Multimodality and Superdiversity: Evidence for a Research Agenda. Tilburg
Papers in Culture Studies, no. 177: 1–28.

Atkin, A. 2010. Peirce’s Theory of Signs. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Edward N.
Zalta (ed.). Accessed December 27, 2012.

Bock, Z. & Mheta, G. (2014) Language, society and communication : an introduction . Pretoria:

Dewi, R. S., Abdullah, A., Maryani, E., & Suganda, D. 2017. Internet Memes: Representation of
Indonesian Political Culture in Jakarta Gubernatorial Election 2017. AEBMR International
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10.2991/icas-17.2017.45

Kristeva, Julia. 1980. Word, Dialogue, and Novel. Desire in Language: A Semiotic Approach to
Literature and Art . Ed. Leon S. Roudiez. Trans. Thomas Gora et al. New York: Columbia U. P.
64-91.

Mauricio, C., & Díaz, C. 2013. Defining and characterizing the concept of Internet Meme, Rev.
CES Psikologia, vol. 6, pp. 82–104.

Okal, B. O. 2014. The benefits of multilingualism in education. Universal Journal of Educational

Shifman, L. 2014. Memes in Digital Culture. The United States of America: The MIT Press
Essential Knowledge series.

Van Leeuwen, T. 2005. Introducing social semiotics. London: Routledge.

Appendix