A Cognitive Study Of The Multimodal Metaphors And Metonymies In Mengwa Series Of Public Service Advertisements

Advertising is the earliest and most noticeable multimodal genre in research on multimodal metaphor and metonymy,but we find that few scholars have studied the influence of multimodal metaphors,metonymies and their interactions on the meaning construction of the theme of Mengwa series of public service advertisements(PSAs for short),which is designed to promote the core values of the socialism with Chinese characteristics.Accordingly,this thesis explores the following three research questions:(1)What are the types of multimodal metaphors and metonymies employed in Mengwa series of PSAs?(2)How do the multimodal metaphors and metonymies in Mengwa series of PSAs construct their target meanings?(3)How do multimodal metaphors and metonymies interact with each other in Mengwa series of PSAs to convey the core values of the socialism?This thesis refers to Forceville's three standards for a multimodal metaphor to classify multimodal metaphors and metonymies in Mengwa series of PSAs,and it illustrates the target meaning construction of multimodal metaphors and metonymies and explains how the core values of the socialism are conveyed in the process of multimodal metaphors-metonymies interactions in Mengwa series of PSAs.Through analysis and discussion,this thesis has the following major research findings:Firstly,the multimodal metaphors in Mengwa series of PSAs can be divided into eight basic types:(1)the “gestures + music + written signs--pictorial signs” metaphor;(2)the “pictorial signs + gestures +sounds + music--written signs” metaphor;(3)the “pictorial signs +gestures + sounds--written signs” metaphor;(4)the “pictorial signs +written signs+ music--written signs” metaphor;(5)the “gestures +music--pictorial signs” metaphor;(6)the “pictorial signs+ written signs +music + sound--pictorial signs” metaphor;(7)the “sounds + pictorial signs + written signs + gesture--sounds” metaphor;(8)the “sounds +pictorial signs + gestures--gestures” metaphor.The multimodal metonymies in Mengwa series of PSAs consist of PART-PART pattern and PART-WHOLE/WHOLE-PART pattern.The PART-PART pattern contains:(1)THE ACTION FOR THE AGENT INVOLVED IN THE ACTION;(2)ACTION FOR STATE;(3)MANNER OF AN ACTION FOR THE ACTION.The PART-WHOLE/WHOLE-PART pattern includes:(1)LANDMARK BUILDING OF THIS ERA FOR THE ERA;(2)ETHNIC MINORITY COSTUMES FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES;(3)LANDMARK BUILDING FOR MOTHERLAND;(4)THE NUMBER2015 FOR THE YEAR 2015 etc.Secondly,the construction of the target meaning of multimodalmetaphors lies in the conflict of different meanings that are constructed within various modes.The construction of the target meaning of multimodal metonymies lies in the same ICM which is constructed with multimodes,and some part-part,whole-part and part-whole relations are profiled.Thirdly,the interactions between multimodal metaphors and metonymies mainly include metonymic expansion in target and motivation of metaphor and metonymic reduction of metaphorical correspondences between different domains.The multimodal metaphors and metonymies in the Mengwa series of PSAs convey the core values of the socialism like prosperity,harmony,freedom,equality,justice,patriotism and dedication through the above two ways of interactions.