Spreading Like a Virus: Conceptual Integration and Discourse Viewpoint in Internet Memes about the Covid-19 Pandemic
This paper analyzes internet memes pertaining to Covid-19. We analyzed more than 200 memes over nine months. By utilizing Blending Theory and Discourse Viewpoint, we attempt to explain the creative inner workings of memes as well as how meaning is negotiated on the internet. We were clearly able to...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Bosnian |
| Published: |
University of Tuzla, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Društvene i Humanističke Studije |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dhs.ff.untz.ba/index.php/home/article/view/12118 |
| _version_ | 1797341275874131968 |
|---|---|
| author | Adi Maslo Sofia Kefalidou |
| author_facet | Adi Maslo Sofia Kefalidou |
| author_sort | Adi Maslo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper analyzes internet memes pertaining to Covid-19. We analyzed more than 200 memes over nine months. By utilizing Blending Theory and Discourse Viewpoint, we attempt to explain the creative inner workings of memes as well as how meaning is negotiated on the internet. We were clearly able to detect memes synchronously following the actual development of Covid-19. We show that meme makers use visuals metonymically to address the current state of Covid-19 while the overall message of memes is driven by simile. As much as memes draw on the concept of Covid-19, they also feed back to it in a loop of self-reference. Along with their underlying metaphoric nature, memes convey a feels-like attitude with two main phases emerging from their usage, i.e., the Observer Phase and the Experiencer Phase. The former showed memes at a stage where Covid-19 was not yet a pandemic (but perceived through media coverage from elsewhere) while the latter, the Experiencer Phase, clearly showed that meme creators had experienced the virus themselves. As for the timeframe covered, however, we conclude that memes do not show full conceptual integration as Covid-19 was not yet fully entrenched. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:16:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-55eb635a509b42c1a7ed32a632e42e17 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2490-3604 2490-3647 |
| language | Bosnian |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:16:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | University of Tuzla, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Društvene i Humanističke Studije |
| spelling | doaj.art-55eb635a509b42c1a7ed32a632e42e172024-01-28T15:36:55ZbosUniversity of Tuzla, Faculty of Humanities and Social SciencesDruštvene i Humanističke Studije2490-36042490-36472023-12-0183(24)23125810.51558/2490-3647.2023.8.3.231797Spreading Like a Virus: Conceptual Integration and Discourse Viewpoint in Internet Memes about the Covid-19 PandemicAdi Maslo0Sofia Kefalidou1Džemal Bijedić University of MostarAristotle University of ThessalonikiThis paper analyzes internet memes pertaining to Covid-19. We analyzed more than 200 memes over nine months. By utilizing Blending Theory and Discourse Viewpoint, we attempt to explain the creative inner workings of memes as well as how meaning is negotiated on the internet. We were clearly able to detect memes synchronously following the actual development of Covid-19. We show that meme makers use visuals metonymically to address the current state of Covid-19 while the overall message of memes is driven by simile. As much as memes draw on the concept of Covid-19, they also feed back to it in a loop of self-reference. Along with their underlying metaphoric nature, memes convey a feels-like attitude with two main phases emerging from their usage, i.e., the Observer Phase and the Experiencer Phase. The former showed memes at a stage where Covid-19 was not yet a pandemic (but perceived through media coverage from elsewhere) while the latter, the Experiencer Phase, clearly showed that meme creators had experienced the virus themselves. As for the timeframe covered, however, we conclude that memes do not show full conceptual integration as Covid-19 was not yet fully entrenched.http://dhs.ff.untz.ba/index.php/home/article/view/12118covid-19conceptual integrationdiscourse viewpointmemescognitive linguistics |
| spellingShingle | Adi Maslo Sofia Kefalidou Spreading Like a Virus: Conceptual Integration and Discourse Viewpoint in Internet Memes about the Covid-19 Pandemic Društvene i Humanističke Studije covid-19 conceptual integration discourse viewpoint memes cognitive linguistics |
| title | Spreading Like a Virus: Conceptual Integration and Discourse Viewpoint in Internet Memes about the Covid-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | Spreading Like a Virus: Conceptual Integration and Discourse Viewpoint in Internet Memes about the Covid-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Spreading Like a Virus: Conceptual Integration and Discourse Viewpoint in Internet Memes about the Covid-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spreading Like a Virus: Conceptual Integration and Discourse Viewpoint in Internet Memes about the Covid-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | Spreading Like a Virus: Conceptual Integration and Discourse Viewpoint in Internet Memes about the Covid-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | spreading like a virus conceptual integration and discourse viewpoint in internet memes about the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | covid-19 conceptual integration discourse viewpoint memes cognitive linguistics |
| url | http://dhs.ff.untz.ba/index.php/home/article/view/12118 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT adimaslo spreadinglikeavirusconceptualintegrationanddiscourseviewpointininternetmemesaboutthecovid19pandemic AT sofiakefalidou spreadinglikeavirusconceptualintegrationanddiscourseviewpointininternetmemesaboutthecovid19pandemic |