Multi-modal Discourse: Theory And Practice

Multi-modal discourse analysis, based on the theory of systematic functional grammar, is a new discourse analysis method. It is widely applied and also injects new vitality into discourse analysis. While visual poetry is a special style with both pictures and words, and it has the characteristics of multi-mode. This paper utilizes the theory of multi-modal discourse analysis and the grammar of visual design which was created by Kress & van Leeuwen as the theoretical framework to study Chinese and western visual poems. It will do research into visual poems in multi-layers and multi-interpretations from the perspectives of forms and significances respectively. The research shows that using the theory of multi-modal discourse analysis to study visual poems not only can improve the influence of the theory and its dominated ability, but also can help readers understand more deeply these poems'value of literature and aesthetics. At the same time, it also provides a new perspective to research visual poems. Meanwhile, enlightenment is acquired that it is great meaningful to put the theory of multi-modal discourse analysis into foreign vocabulary and literature teaching, and it also has practical influences on the enrichment of teaching methods and the improvement of the teaching effect.