Германские языки | Филологический аспект №04 (108) Апрель 2024

Rhetorical irony as a means of manipulative influence

Воронова София Игоревна
Ассистент кафедры, Институт мировой экономики и бизнеса, Российский университет дружбы народов, РФ, г. Москва, sofia.voronova01@gmail.com

Аннотация: Появление Интернета повлекло за собой множество изменений во всех аспектах жизни людей. Общение не является исключением. Технический прогресс привел к формированию особого вида взаимодействия между людьми. Этот новый тип общения характеризуется мультимодальным характером, так как включает в себя множество паралингвистических знаков. Данное исследования является рассматривает междисциплинарную коммуникацию в Интернете в рамках мультимодального типа коммуникации путем анализа текстовых, голосовых сообщений и постов в социальных сетях. Материалом исследования являются все формы интернет-коммуникации, а именно: устное общение (голосовые сообщения), письменное общение (тексты, посты, групповые чаты и т. д.), графическое общение (мемы, смайлы). Исследование проводилось с использованием таких методов, как интернет-анализ (поиск и анализ информации, доступной в Интернете), контент-анализ, нарративный и семантический анализ. В ходе исследования установлено, что в связи с тем, что интернет-коммуникация сочетает в себе устную, изобразительную и письменную формы общения, ее можно рассматривать как мультимодальный вид общения, поскольку термин «мультимодальный текст» определяется как текст, в котором коммуникативная ситуация представлена с использование различных способов восприятия, в частности зрения и слуха. А интернет-мем, в свою очередь, выступает как результат процесса интернет-коммуникации, юмористическая составляющая которого зачастую строится на подтексте, аллегории, т. е. на риторической иронии. Этот культурный феномен также обладает манипулятивной функцией, что расширяет границы использования мемов и обуславливает их использование в таких сферах как маркетинг и политика.
Ключевые слова: интернет-коммуникация, мультимодальность, виртуальная реальность, лингвистика, интернет-язык, лингвистический код, интернет-мем, риторическая ирония.

Voronova Sofia Igorevna
Department assistant, Institute of World Economy and Business, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Russia, Moscow

Abstract: The appearance of the internet has caused lots of changes in all aspects of people’s life. Communication is not an exception. Technological progress has led to the formation of a special type of communication. This new communication type is characterized by a multimodal nature, as it includes a lot of paralinguistic signs. This study examines interdisciplinary communication on the Internet within the framework of a multimodal type of communication by analyzing text, voice messages and posts on social networks. The research material is all forms of Internet communication, namely: oral communication (voice massages), written communication (texts, posts, group chats etc.), graphic communication (memes, emojis). The research was carried out using methods such as Internet analysis (searching and analyzing information available on the Internet), content analysis, narrative and semantic analysis. During the study it was established that due to the fact that internet communication combines oral, graphic and written forms of communication it can be considered as a multimodal type of communication as the term multimodal text is defined as a text where communicative situation is presented with the use of different modes of perception, in particular sight and hearing. And the Internet meme, in turn, acts as a result of the process of Internet communication, the humorous component of which is often built on subtext, allegory, i.e. on rhetorical irony. This cultural phenomenon also has a manipulative function, which expands the boundaries of the use of memes and determines their use in such areas as marketing and politics.
Keywords: Internet communication, multimodality, virtual reality, linguistics, internet language, linguistic code, internet meme, rhetorical irony.

Introduction

The purpose of the article is to consider the functioning of Internet memes as effective manipulative tools of English-language media discourse.

The relevance of considering memes as a means of expressing irony is due to its widespread use in the media and the need to identify it and understand the mechanism of its influence on the mass reader.

For the first time, the research is carried out on current empirical material - a corpus of memes on the topic of business and business life for the period 2020-2024 has been collected. – what determines the novelty of this work.

The research methodology included semantic and statistical analysis, continuous sampling method and functional-pragmatic analysis.

As a result of the study, the author intends to get answers to the following questions:

How the technique of irony is presented in a multimodal form of speech expression: An Internet meme;

How one of the types of irony – rhetorical irony – is actualized in media discourse;

What is the mechanism of the hidden (manipulative) influence of an Internet meme?

Part I

Irony as a means of expression

In the 20th century, irony became an important way of perceiving the world. The possibilities for expressing an ironic attitude towards events and phenomena have become more diverse, since various systems of symbols are involved in ironic dialogue. Oddly enough, now in the context of irony we can consider not only texts, but also fashion trends, culinary creations, music, photographs, sculptures and architectural structures.

Irony associated with sign systems other than natural language is analyzed using methods of semiotic analysis, which study how people create and exchange meaning.

There are many ways to express irony in various fields of art. For example, in painting and music, irony can arise from the combination of incompatible signs into a single image. This approach allows artists to express their critical attitude towards the objects with which their work is associated.

Semiotic analysis allows us to classify different types of irony depending on the sign system used. Irony can manifest itself not only in words, but also in the visual arts, music and other areas. For example, French composer Maurice Ravel used music to express irony by combining different musical styles and the influence of Eastern influences on Western music.

The presence of irony in twentieth-century art and music is often seen as a positive phenomenon, indicating an unexpected turn of events or a violation of the viewer's or listener's expectations.

If we think globally, then irony can be divided into two main types:

1. Hidden irony. Irony, in which the mind prevails over the emotions, is expedient and delicate, adhering to a specific context, sometimes difficult to understand and with only a hint of true meaning.
2. Explicit/explicit irony. Irony, in which emotions prevail over reason. Such irony goes beyond a certain context; there is also an open evaluative opinion, condemnation with sarcastic overtones. It is an open form of irony that encourages discussion and reflection.

Types of irony vary in the degree to which their underlying meaning is expressed. In hidden irony, the speaker hides his negative assessment, but it is revealed with the help of context, although the hint in this case is quite subtle, i.e. recognizing the true meaning is quite problematic. In explicit or open irony, on the contrary, a negative assessment is expressed in detail and is revealed through an explicit context, even if the statement itself may contradict this assessment. Both types of irony have types and subtypes.

Hidden irony includes a humorous subtype of irony, and this subtype of irony is the most typical example of hidden irony, where social criticism is often hidden behind compliments and recognition.

But the most common subtype of open irony is rhetorical irony. This type is not addressed to a specific object of irony, but rather expresses surprise at some contradiction, inconsistency, paradox, and is also mostly theatrical.

Part II

Internet discourse as a multimodal type of communication

The appearance of the internet has caused changes in lots of different spheres of people’s lives. Internet has also affected such scientific fields as sociology, linguistics anthropology, philosophy, cultural studies etc. The one sphere that was influenced the most is communication.

Internet communication nowadays is becoming a new sociocultural layer. Due to this, internet relations are a subject of study of different scientists. Web communication is based on written language. With the scientific and technological progress, it endures big changes at an ever-fast rate. Internet affects spatiotemporal settings by connecting people from different corners of the planet. Thereby creating a new form of reality – virtual.

Virtual communication is characterized by the absence of temporal, spatial and social boundaries. At this point, the Internet space is forming its own time, space and laws. Thus, communication participants simultaneously exist in several communicative acts. Virtual communication is also characterized by the physical absence of the addressee and addressee, as well as the inaccessibility of verified/complete information about the communicant. Anonymity allows communication participants to build a virtual image. To create this image, text and language are used, therefore, “Internet communication becomes a “mask” of a virtual personality.” [6, p. 3]

Many scholars conclude that online communication is essentially a mixture of spoken and written language. According to the method of recording, virtual communication is written, but in many characteristics, it is oral. Written virtual communication contains a visual and audio component, which in many ways distinguishes it from recording speech on paper.

In this article, the issue of Internet communications will be considered from the point of multimodality. Multimodality is the formation of meanings with the help of different semiotic means - modes (writing, speech, image) - corresponding sociocultural conventions. Multimodality is understood as a description of the general laws and rules of interaction in the communicative act of verbal and non-verbal signs, connection of different information presentation codes. According to the theory of communication, a code is an element of the basic model of communication, that makes sense. In general, communicative codes can be divided into several groups [7, p.2-4]:

Table 1 [3, p. 38-63]

Currently, there's a pressing need to elucidate the concept of internet communication and its constituent elements. Scholars delineate several facets of internet communication:

• Textual Nature: It predominantly involves textual exchanges, occurring in real-time online mode and characterized by interactive dynamics. These interactions can range from brief messages to more extensive conversations.
• Forms of Expression: Internet communication encompasses oral (voice messages), written, and graphic forms, providing users with diverse channels for expression and interaction.
• Types of Interaction: Depending on the nature of interaction, it includes communication with real partners, engagement with virtual entities, and interactions with imagined counterparts, reflecting the complexity and versatility of online exchanges.

Internet communication exhibits diversity and is characterized by its scale, temporal constraints, forms (oral and written), indirect modes of engagement, and the distinction between actual and virtual channels of information transmission. It represents a novel form of communication, integrating various existing modes and adapting to technological advancements.

Consequently, speaking more generally, the multimodality of Internet communication is due to the combination of both verbal and nonverbal aspects of communication.

The concept of verbal communication, in turn, implies that in the process of communication, information is transmitted through language, focusing directly on the transmission of this information, and not on the emotional aspects. Additionally, messages are exchanged to achieve specific goals, so it is important to consider the context. In verbal communication, important aspects are the choice of words, the order in which information is conveyed, argumentation and other factors. In the process of verbal communication, it is important to convey content that can be expressed in different ways. Depending on the methods used to express the content, the essence may be perceived in a different way. In view of this, it is important to pay attention to the linguistic side of the expression of thoughts. Effective verbal influence requires considering the rules of communication in a particular situation, the communicants themselves, as well as the conditions and goals of communication. The norms of speech etiquette and culture are important aspects of verbal communication, which helps maintain communicative balance. In the process of verbal communication, it is important to adhere to the rules of conflict-free communication, including active interaction with the interlocutor, emphasizing his importance, as well as showing politeness and respect in accordance with social norms. [2, p. 174-183] The content of communication includes the rules for choosing the topic of conversation and the method of discussing it, for example, preference for positive information, minimization of negativity, the ability to express an opinion without instructions, the use of arguments and examples from life for persuasiveness. Language design includes rules for the choice of words and their variety, the use of figurative words and specifics, as well as a variety of intonation and tempo of speech to ensure understanding and interest of the interlocutor. The communication style involves the manifestation of participation, friendliness, sincerity, moderate emotionality and physical mobility for effective contact and the establishment of a positive attitude.

An example of ordinary verbal communication on the Internet is correspondence in various instant messengers and social networks (img.1)

Image 1

However, research shows that when there is a conflict between nonverbal and verbal cues, people are more likely to trust the nonverbal information. For example, if a person shows aggression through gestures, but expresses through words a desire to cooperate and reach agreement, the public tends to doubt his sincerity due to the discrepancy between gestures and words. Nonverbal cues, like words, can have different meanings depending on the context. For example, the gesture of "nodding the head" can express agreement, attention, greeting or gratitude, depending on the circumstances. Non-verbal communication reaches its highest level of activity in children and young people, its activity gradually decreases as they grow older. Social psychological research has identified various types of nonverbal communication, including body movements, voice intonations, tactile signals and the organization of space. The most important of these are kinesics, which include facial expressions, posture, gaze and gait. Facial expressions, expressed by facial movements, play a special role in transmitting information.

An example of nonverbal communication can be called emoji. It is important to note that emoji, originally Japanese "picture symbols", have quickly spread due to their ability to visualize human emotions and objects. Such a phenomenon may indicate the evolution of human communication methods. Researchers are studying various aspects of emoji, including their visual features and ability to express emotions separately from text and images. They are interested in the popularity and attractiveness of emoji for users, optimization of computer systems, analysis of user content, and even the possibility of using emoji in legal processes. The widespread use of emoji in online communication is due to their ability to convey emotion and frame of mind, helping to improve understanding of messages in settings where nonverbal cues such as tone of voice and body language are absent (img.2). Emoji perform nonverbal functions, helping to interpret the emotional context of messages and increasing the effectiveness of communication.

Image 2

It is important to note the need to use emoji to fill gaps in new forms of communication, especially online dialogues. They not only help convey emotions and establish rapport, but also perform a number of other functions, such as punctuation and conveying the pragmatic parameters of messages (img.3)

Image 3

A variety of emojis allow you to more accurately express emotions and support effective communication in the digital space.

In text messages and advertising materials, emoji act as a replacement for words or their addition, which gives the text additional meaning and expressiveness (img.4) They are also used to create metaphors and decorate messages, especially in greeting texts, chat replies, and promotional emails. The analysis shows that using emoji in advertising can attract audience attention and enhance the emotional impact of the message.

Image 4

Emoji play an important role in electronic communication, helping people express their emotions and complement text messages. They combine words and images, which activate different parts of the brain and have a persuasive effect on the recipient of the message. In the modern digital world, multimodal texts with emoji are becoming an integral part of interpersonal communication, enriching it with a variety of means of expression and impact.

Due to the rapid and daily technological development, in the process of Internet communication such non-verbal aspects as intonation, tone, etc. can be expressed and perceived. (Via voice messages) (img.5).

Image 5

Even such kinetic properties as facial expressions, gaze, posture, etc. are now available to Internet users. For example, using circles in telegrams (img.6)

Image 6

It is worth noting that internet communication is an absolutely new type of communication, that has no equivalents and that combines different types of communication that already exist. Internet communication is a new and really complicated field for researchers. It develops every day; technological progress doesn’t stand still. Accordingly, the study of Internet communication is relevant and requires detailed research. Going back to the definition of the term multimodality, we have already found out that multimodality defines communication in terms of textual, linguistic, paralinguistic, auditory, spatial and visual modes used to carry out interaction. It is also proved above that internet communication combines literally all of these modes which allows us to conclude that internet communication is a multimodal type of communication.

Part III

Internet meme as a way of expressing rhetorical irony

Internet communication is a completely new type of interaction between people, within which new ways of transmitting information arise. One such way is to use Internet memes. An Internet meme can be any idea, joke, symbol, image that tends to instantly spread from user to user.

Main functions of Internet memes:

1. Information

2. Integration function

3. Entertaining

But the main one among them is still the entertainment function. Let's look at a few examples of the use of memes. [9, p. 8-11]

Flex tape meme

The first thing I would like to mention is the duct tape meme called “Flex tape”. There is an American brand that produces adhesive products called Flex Seal. This company was founded in February 2011 in Weston, Florida. It has about a hundred employees. The official representative and, concurrently, the general director of the company is Phil Swift. In 2017, the company released a new product - ultra-strong adhesive tape "flex tape". Flex Seal published a video advertising a new product on Youtube, the main character of which was the company representative Phil Swift. In this video, Flex Seal's CEO demonstrates the capabilities of the company's new product. Phil Swift uses duct tape to seal a major leak in a huge cylinder of water. Despite the size of the leak, heavy-duty adhesive tape easily copes with the problem and stops a large flow of water (img.7) This video instantly went viral and gained a huge number of views, and the energetic and charismatic CEO of the company, Phil Swift, became a real Internet sensation and even a pop culture icon. The promotional video became a meme, spawned a huge number of jokes among Internet users, and remains popular to this day.

Image 7

The incredible popularity and virality of this Internet meme is due to the fact that a kind of analogy can be drawn between this advertising video for the adhesive tape “flex tape” and an earlier version of this idea - treating a broken leg using the Band Aid patch. It is quite obvious that treating a fracture with a plaster is absolutely pointless, because the plaster is not able to provide any help to a broken leg. Simply put, the meaning behind this Internet meme is quite simple - it is an ironic ridicule of the idea mentioned above. Internet users associate this meme with ridiculous ways to solve problems. That is, this meme is a reference to life situations in which, for example, people who have absolutely no idea about the problem give advice on how to solve it.

Marketers, in turn, did not ignore this pop culture phenomenon. A website called TheAudiencers published a newsletter called “The Renaissance of WhatsApp & the launch of The Audiencers’ Community.” This newsletter covered the WhatsApp renaissance, how DN used gamification, and content worth adding to your reading list. This article uses the above meme. Here you can see an ironic ridicule of the frequency of use of the phrase “it depends,” which, in fact, does not help in any way and does not answer any questions (img.8) In this case, irony is a way of saying in other words that search engine optimization often does not help.

Image 8

Kurtis Albers, account sales manager at Red Bull, posted this meme on Linkedin (img.9) In the post, he talked about the need for any brand to be clearly positioned in the minds of the consumer, and also that without a clear positioning, using any marketing strategies makes no sense. It is this idea that is ironically emphasized in the above meme.

Image 9

Star Wars meme

The basis of the next meme is the movie "Star Wars". In one of the parts of the film the phrase is heard: “Are you winning, son?” Internet users were amused by this phrase, and they created a meme ironizing the statement (img.10). To enhance the effect, the meme is accompanied by a picture with a still from the film and an image of a drawn man - already a favorite character of many Internet memes.

Image 10

“There is no money left, but hold on” meme

On May 23, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, visited Crimea. Answering a question from pensioners about raising pensions, Medvedev said that there was no money for recalculation in the Russian budget, and wished them to “hold on” and “all the best.” "Good mood and health." The phrase politician has become a meme on the Internet.

Social media users recognized the statement as universal, as it can be applied to many life situations, and can also be integrated as a marketing strategy for different brands and companies. Some businesses have even taken advantage of this. For example, Alfa Bank posted a standard image of a girl at an ATM with quotes from Medvedev (img.11) The company even released a T-shirt with the viral phrase.

The choice to use certain political topics depends on the company's image on social networks. The popularity of discussing politicians, in turn, leads to ironic comments from Internet users on social networks. Posts ridiculing the phrases of politicians and ironizing the actions and expressions of officials receive hundreds of likes and reposts. This is precisely what is illustrated by the example of Alfa Bank’s advertising with statements from the Prime Minister: this marketing ploy received a great positive response from the audience.

This also allowed Alfa Bank to show its closeness to the people and increase audience loyalty to its brand through the use of an ironic Internet meme.

Image 11

Thus, the main humorous component of Internet memes is rhetorical irony.

Part IV

Conclusion

Having analyzed the above-mentioned memes, we can conclude that irony in Internet memes is achieved through a funny image accompanied by text that contains a hidden subtext that has a humorous overtone.

Using the example of the studied memes, one can see that this particular cultural phenomenon is used in the Internet space to express all types of irony: rhetorical, post-irony, meta-irony, pre-irony, etc.

And finally, based on this research work, we can conclude that the Internet meme is currently a cultural phenomenon, and its use is typical of young people. The use, knowledge and ability to make references to certain memes allows one to be classified as a member of a certain social group. This, in turn, allows companies, websites, applications and some Internet users to use Internet memes as a manipulative tool to attract attention or promote certain goods and services.

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