Lecture 3: How to say things with pictures SB

Lecture 3: How to say things with pictures

Lecture Link: https://youtu.be/gTC15TSFfcA

Task 1
In interpreting pictures, one often relies on intertextuality: The connection between one
particular text with other texts and how such connection contributes to shaping the meaning
of the text in question. Can you discuss the role played by intertextuality in the image above?
Be prepared to present your ideas in class.

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Lecture 3: How to say things with pictures SB

Task 2
Discuss how the textual, interpersonal and ideational metafunctions are realized in the
following picture by answering the questions below.

Textual Metafunction

1. In which order would you read the different elements appearing in the picture? What do
you focus on first, second, third and so on?

Interpersonal Metafunction

1. What kind of interaction is taking place in the picture? Are the participants addressing the
viewer or is it the viewer the one who initiates the interaction?

2. How does the viewer engage with the elements in the picture?

 The viewer contemplates a scene, as a silent witness.

 The viewer asks a question, as an active participant.
 The viewer orders something, as an active participant.

3. The angle chosen in the picture is top-down. That means the viewer is contemplating the
scene from “above”. The frame chosen is a “close” one. How do you interpret this in
connection with the interpersonal metafunction? Choose the best two options.

 The top-down angle places the viewer in a less powerful position, as a subordinate
witness of the scene.
 The top-down angle places the viewer in a more powerful position, as a privileged
witness of the scene.
 The close frame places the viewer as an intimate observer of the scene.
 The close frame places the viewer as a distant observer of the scene.

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Lecture 3: How to say things with pictures SB

Ideational metafunction

1. What kind of image is it? What does that mean in terms of objectivity?
 A black and white cartoon.
 A coloured cartoon.
 A black and white photo.
 A coloured photo.

2. Using the order of things discussed in the analysis of the textual metafunction, describe
now what is going on in the scene and who is doing what by filling in the blanks. Fill in the
blanks in the text below (ONE word per blank).

A little boy is …lying………… on a beach being washed by the waves. Our world
knowledge tells us that he has probably …drown………….., as part of his face is under water
when a wave comes. In the background we can see a group of sea creatures (a whale, a star
fish, a shark, a fish, an octopus, a tortoise and a crab). They are standing, looking at the boy
and …crying…………... The creatures are presented as a group, not as individuals (i.e. not
every viewer may stop to figure out what kind of animals they are). The sea creatures are not
…behaving………….. like animals (animals do not stand, they do not cry when they look at
children).

The last participant we see is a man wearing an …uniform………... Our world knowledge
tells us that people wearing …uniforms………….. may be working for organizations such as
…government………….., NGOs or private firms. The man is looking down at the drowned
child and ……writing……….. down something on a notebook. Our world knowledge tells us
that what the man is doing may be typical of government …bureaucrats…………... One does
not take notes when seeing a child dead on a beach! In contrast, the sea creatures are
behaving in a far more …normal………….. way in the face of the tragedy they are
witnessing.

All in all, the cartoon needs to be interpreted in connection with the story of a young Syrian
boy who accidentally drowned on a Turkish beach when trying to reach the coast of Europe
on a boat full of refugees. The cartoon can be interpreted as a form of denunciation of the
…………….. of many governments who do not really address the problem of thousands of
immigrants and refugees dying in the sea these days.

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Lecture 3: How to say things with pictures SB

Task 3
Discuss how the textual, interpersonal and ideational metafunctions are realized in the
following image. Be prepared to present your ideas in class.

1. What is the communicative purpose of the ad?

2. Why is the textual metafunction so important in communicating the message in the ad?

3. How does the interplay between the printed words and the picture work to enhance the
effectiveness of the message?

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Lecture 3: How to say things with pictures SB

Task 4
Many things go terribly wrong during the following video interview. Choose how the
interviewee responds to ONE of the questions below and analyse her response in terms of
how the interpersonal and/or ideational metafunctions are realized. Be prepared to present
your ideas in class.

www.facebook.com/BBCOne/videos/2714113945474647/

Interview questions

1. So, let’s get straight to it. What do you think you could bring to this job?
- Some tea and cakes

2. The team you would be heading are good but they are young. So they do need a lot of
motivation. Is that something you think you could bring to the table?
-Splatter this table with motivation

3. A lot of our products are for children, young families. Do you have kids?

4. So, is there anything you would like to ask us?

Interpersonal metafunction

1. what kind of interaction is taking place?

2. Are the participants in the interaction equal or are there participants more powerful
than others?
3. What is the purpose of communicating during a job interview? Are the participants
achieving their communication purpose(s) in how they interact with each other in this
video?

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4. Are the participants constructing their identities and managing the power relations in
expected or unexpected ways?

Ideational metafunction

1. Examine the word choices made by Miranda in ONE of her responses. Does she make any
sense to you?

Preparing for Assignment 3

Task 5
Discuss how the textual, interpersonal and ideational metafunctions are realized in a picture
of your choice. You can consider using that picture in Assignment 3: Group Presentation and
Meeting. Be prepared to present your ideas in class.