Synergy Of Different Modes In Dynamic Multimodal Discourse

Under the rapid development of science and technology, there is an increasing awareness that meaning is rarely made with language alone. The media and modes for communication have been changed greatly. The communication process can be conducted through several modes, such as space, gestures, gaze, posture, motion, and sound, tone of voice, music, three-dimensional objects, spoken language, written language, images, tables, diagrams, pictures, and etc., which can be defined as multimodal discourse. And multimodal discourse has been turned into an irreplaceable part of our daily life.Nowadays, great numbers of scholars from all over the world have done initiative and creative researches in the field of Dynamic Multimodal Discourse Analysis – Halliday`s Systemic-Functional Linguistics and Social Semiotics. Since 1990 s, the systemic functional theory has focused on the synergy of the multimodal discourse and the grammar consolidation; however, the enriched research lacks systemic framework and mostly concerns the static resources. Thus, the present research plays significant roles in the development of theoretical framework of the dynamic multimodal discourse analysis.The theoretical framework for present research is on the foundation of Zhang Delu's Synthetic Theoretical Framework for Dynamic Multimodal Discourse Analysis and the current research investigates the dynamic discourse based on the level of content and expression. The present study randomly selects 32 pieces of monologue from the American TV Series House of Cards as the dynamic multimodal discourse research data and intends to analyze the synergy of different modes in dynamic multimodal discourse. Firstly, the present research investigates the theoretical framework for dynamic multimodal discourse, then transcribes and analyzes the 32 pieces of monologue. Based on the research, the major findings are: 1) The auditory mode is the main mode in communication; 2) the relation between auditory mode and visual mode is complementary, includes complementary relation of reinforcement and complementary relation of non-reinforcement; 3) When the synergies between the auditory mode and the visual mode is in the complementary relations of reinforcement, either the bodily media of the visual mode or the non-bodily media of the visual mode are in the foreground; when the synergies between the auditory mode and the visual mode are in the complementary relations of non-reinforcement, both the bodily media of the visual mode and the non-bodily media of the visual mode are in the foreground.All in all, the present research further clarifies the feasibility and practicality of Dynamic Multimodal Discourse Analysis Theoretical Framework in Television Series; and then develops a relatively new perspective for dynamic multimodal discourse analysis. In the practical sense, the current research provides channels and solutions to better understand and appreciate American Political Series – House of Cards.