PURPOSIVE

COMMUNICATION

WEEK 7
AGENDA:
Multimodal Text
Cultural Sensitivity in Multimodal Text
WHAT IS A MULTIMODAL TEXT?
 Multimodal Texts

are texts where meaning is communicated through combinations of two or more modes or
semiotic systems. Modes include written language, spoken language, and patterns of
meaning that are visual, audio, gestural, tactile and spatial.
PICTURE
BOOKS
MANGA
WEBSITE
LIVE PERFORMANCE
SEMIOTIC A way of thinking of communication and language is a
system of signs and symbols that are used to convey meaning
SYSTEMS which are called semiotic systems.
FIVE SEMIOTIC SYSTEMS
 FIVE Written or Linguistic meaning:

SEMIOTIC for spoken and written language through the use of

SYSTEMS vocabulary, generic structure and grammar
 FIVE Audio meaning:

SEMIOTIC for music, sound effects, noises, ambient noise, and silence,
SYSTEMS through use of volume, pitch and rhythm
 Visual meaning:
FIVE
for still and moving images through the use of color, saliency,
SEMIOTIC page layouts, vectors, viewpoint, screen formats, visual
SYSTEMS symbols; shot framing, subject distance and angle; camera
movement, subject movement
 Gestural meaning:
FIVE
SEMIOTIC for movement of body, hands and eyes; facial expression,
demeanors, and body language, and use of rhythm, speed,
SYSTEMS stillness and angles
 Spatial meaning:
FIVE
SEMIOTIC for environmental and architectural spaces and use of
proximity, direction, layout, position of and organization of
SYSTEMS objects in space.
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY IN MULTIMODAL TEXT
 Sony Corporation promoted a Black-
against-white ad in their multi-vignette
PlayStation Portable campaign in
2006.

The ad featured a strong-looking white

woman, dressed in all white, clawing
and dominating a subordinate black
woman.

The ad was constructed to promote

their new ceramic white PSP. It
depicted racism for the black.
The film "Hollywood Buddha" showed a complete lack of cultural
sensitivity by causing outrage and protest on the streets of Sri
Lanka, Malaysia and Burma when the designer of the film's poster
decided to show the lead actor sitting on the Buddha's head, an act
of clear degradation against something holy.
 Pepsodent tried to sell its toothpaste in South East Asia
by emphasizing that it "whitens your teeth." They found
out that the local natives chew betel nuts to blacken their
teeth which they find attractive.
When the US firm Gerber started selling baby food in
Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US, i.e.
with a picture of a baby on the label. Sales flopped and
they soon realized that in Africa, companies typically
place pictures of contents on their labels.
T ha n k You !
L l am ad o , L P T
u ric A .
James E U n iv e r si t y
o f F a t im a
Our Lady c ie nc e s
o f A r ts a n d S
College

@ fa ti ma. edu .p h
jall amad o