Study On Multimodal Construction Of China's Economic Image Based On The Illustrated Articles In The Economist—A Systemic-Functional Linguistics Perspective

Traditionally,discourse analysis is largely restricted to analysis of verbal semiotic mode,namely language itself while other semiotic modes including sound,color,image,and gestures are neglected.However,in modern society,advanced communication technology and expanded employment of mass media have made communication modes multimodal that integrate language with color,sound,image,etc.In an age of visual literacy,publications including books and magazines as well as social network such as micro-blog and Wechat are adorned with a great many of pictorial elements.It is undeniable that images,colors and sound are playing an increasingly important role in communication among people.According to Lim(2004),“we live in a multimodal society,which makes meaning through the coemployment of semiotic resources".As a result,“it is now no longer possible to understand language and its uses without understanding the effect of all modes of communication that are co-present in any text”(Kress,2001).The trend is inevitable that research orientation in discourse analysis will change from mono-modality to multimodality.Over the past decades,a body of work has been built up to research into Chinese national image from pure linguistic perspective,while that from multimodal discourse analysis is indeed underrepresented.Compared to linguistic mode,visual mode also has a big stake in shaping China's national image since the latter provides graphic images to readers.China's rise in international community has attracted a great amount of attention from the rest of the world,especially from the western countries who is keen to report on China in great depth.To uncover the construed image of China in western media as well as its constructing pattern is conducive for China to take appropriate adjustments to national image strategy.Meanwhile,a rational analysis of the underlying reasons of western media's construction of China's image is essential to understand how to objectively and authentically shape China's national image.This study narrows down to China's economic image since economic development has a determinative effect on China's international status and has been most discussed.China's economic image is a great part of its integrated national image.Within the framework of Systemic-Functional Linguistics and Visual Grammar,the study conducts a multimodal discourse analysis of 80 articles in the English magazine The Economist issued from 2012 to 2015,all of which are illustrated multimodal texts themed with such topics as China's macro-economy,financial market,housing market and multinationals policy.The research findings show that the verbal and visual modes in these articles complement each other in constructing and consolidating China's economic image form four perspectives.First,China's economic development is overly dependent on investment,leading to inefficient growth.Meanwhile,China's economic reforms are weak in momentum and often discontinuous.Second,China's housing market is inflated with bubbles due to speculative house-buying.Third,China's finance market needs to be more regulated and liberalized.Fourth,Chinese market is depicted as overly restrictive and unfavorable for foreign companies.In response to this image construction,we need to hold rational and objective attitude.For western media,they need to step out of their ideology to understand the characteristics of China's economy when evaluating and providing suggestions to its economic development.For China,we should reflect on why western media considers China's economy in this way and take responsive measures to alleviate their biased attitude by upgrading our economic structure and improving national image publicity strategy.