Evaluating Messages 2023

And Images of
Different Text Types
 PART 01
EVALUATING MESSAGES AND/OR IMAGES OF
DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEXTS
REFLECTING DIFFERENT CULTURES
01

As discussed in Lesson 1, the advancements in digital

technology paved the way to innovative modes and
platforms of communication. The massive and rapid
developments in digital communications ushered in a new
era of communication that does not simply rely on words,
but also on images and other semiotics of the channel used
to convey the message.
02
The effects of cultural and global issues to
communication were highlighted in previous
discussions, as well as the impact of effective
communication to society and the world. This has
highlighted the importance of exploring the
concept of World Englishes, or as defined by Celce
Murcia (2014), the regionally distinct varieties
of English that have arisen in parts of the world
where there is a long and often colonial history
of English being used in education, commerce
and government.
03

 There is no debate that the English language has become the

most widely used language for most purposes of
communication in international diplomacy, business,science,
education and entertainment.

 Over time, this widespread use of English –spoken side by

side with local languages – has given rise to local varieties
of English with their own standards.
04

One major issue that has been raised with respect to

these established varieties is that they are often not fully
intelligible to users of other varieties of English.
05

Kirkpatrick (2007) proposes a scale with two extremes that characterize this problem:

• Extreme 1: The goal of national or regional identity. People use a regional variety of
English with its specific grammar, structure and vocabulary to affirm their own
national or ethnic identity .

• Extreme 2: The goal of intelligibility. Users of a regional variety should ideally still be
readily understood by users of English everywhere else in the world to fully
participate in the use of English as an international language.
06

The challenge is to find a good balance between the identity-

intelligibility extremes.Hence, speakers of the English language
may resort to code-switching (i.e., using English and another
language in the same statement). For example, Filipinos may use
a strongly local version of Filipino English to communicate with
fellow Filipinos using English as medium, but they should use a
weaker and more formal version when communicating with users
of other varieties of English, especially when international
intelligibility is necessary.
 PART 02
The Power of Words and Images
01

Five Key Questions:

1. What is the message?

2. What is the purpose of the message?

3. How is the message conveyed (by the text and/or

image)?

4. Who is the target audience of the message?

5. What other ways of presenting the message are there?

PART 03
Multimodality
• Multimodality is a fairly new concept in the general
academic setting, but can be a very powerful tool in
light of digital and multicultural communication.

• A text or output is considered multimodal if it uses

two or more communication modes to make meaning.

• It shows different ways of knowledge representations

and meaning-making, and investigates contributions
of semiotic resources (language, gestures, images) that
are co-deployed across various modalities (visual,
aural, somatic, etc.).
• Multimodality highlights the significance of
interaction and integration in constructing a coherent
text
04

A multimodal text can either be one of the following:

•  Paper

•  Digital

•  Live

• Transmedia

The creation of multimodal texts and outputs requires a creative design concept that orchestrates the purposive
combination of text, color, photo, sound, spatial design,language, gestures, animations and other semiotics, all
with the unitary goal of bringing meaning to life.
 • This is a poster entitled “Run for Rio”, a run-for-a-cause
03
event organized for the benefit of the Philippine
International Volunteers for the 2013 World Youth Day
which was held in Rio de Janeiro Brazil.

• The inclusion of the multi-colored bird, the official mascot

of that year’s World Youth Day, is crucial in juxtaposing it
with the actual text on top of the photo. Since Blue is used as
the poster’s dominant color, the multi-colored symbol is
highlighted that even if the onlooker fails to read the text, the
purpose of the event will still be obvious.

• The same reason goes with the use of the silhouette of a man
running (suggestive of the nature of the event) and the Christ
the Redeemer statue on top of mountain (the symbolic
representation of Rio de Janeiro.)

• The use of Red in the text for the amount aand the running
distance puts attention to the event details without
overshadowing the other details. The inclusion of the biblical
quote and the cross also add to the religious motive of the
event, thus making it coherent.
05
• The poster is titled “Concert for Kids”, which is fund-raising
concert for the New Jersey (NJ) Kids Foundation in the U.S.

• The dominant photo is that of a guitar, suggesting the music-

inclined nature of the event. The use of candies is suggestive
of the concert’s beneficiaries, who are kids with special
needs. The use of various colors adds to the notion on the
playful nature of kids.

• The font used is also playful rather than sharp, and the
dominant color of light blue is light on the eyes, as well as
the other color palettes used in the poster.

• Both posters, Run for Rio and Concert for Kids, demonstrate
purposive use of semiotics to forward a specific message.
These are successful in meaning making through the
interplay of various elements.
06
In creating a multimodal text, the Purpose, Audience, Context must all be considered.

• As to purpose, the creator of the text must be clear on the message and the reason(s) why the message has to
be delivered.

• As to audience, the nature, interests and sensitivities of the target audience must be considered so the text
will not be offensive and hurt people’s sensibilities.

• As to context, the message should be clearly delivered through various semiotic resources, and in
consideration of the various situations where and how the text will be read by different people having
different cultural backgrounds.
Thank You
Very Much

T
2023