Chunlei Chen
College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Sichuan University
Different from traditional discourse analysis, multimodal discourse analysis (MDA), a systematic analysis of different semiotic modes, utilizing language, images, sounds in a discourse, emphasizes the coordination of both dynamic and static semiotic resources. This study presents the status quo and development trend of the research field through an objective, systematic, and comprehensive review of relevant publications available from the Web of Science Core Collection. Analysis techniques including a descriptive statistical method and a bibliometric method are used. The study quantitatively analyzes the publications in terms of general characteristics, geographical distribution, high-cited representatives, and topic discovery and distribution to illustrate the development and trend of MDA. The research findings are as follows: (1) In the past 10 years or so, international MDA research has presented a significant growth trend, with flourishing research output, interest and diversification of presented subjects; (2) New topics are constantly emerging, with research topics mainly focusing on the development of visual grammar, gesture, digital technologies, conference presentations, metonymy and metaphor, etc.; (3) Research focuses mainly on multimodality, semiotics, conversation analysis, critical discourse analysis etc.; (4) The article also listed a series of important and highly influential literature, countries, journals and authors on MDA during different periods. It is hoped that this paper can provide a reference for the further study of MDA.
Baldry AP and Thibault PJ (2006) Multimodal Transcription and Text Analysis: A Multimedia Toolkit and Coursebook. London: Equinox.
Bateman JA (2014) Text and Image: A Critical Introduction to the Visual/Verbal Divide. London and New York: Routledge.
Bateman JA and Wildfeuer J (2014) A multimodal discourse theory of visual narrative. Journal of Pragmatics 74: 180–208.
Bateman JA, Wildfeuer J and Hiippala T (2017) Multimodality. Walter de Gruyter GmbH.
Bednarek M and Caple H (2014) Why do news values matter? Towards a new methodological framework for analyzing news discourse in Critical Discourse Analysis and beyond. Discourse & Society 25(2): 135–158.
Belmonte JL, Segura-Robles A, Moreno-Guerrero AJ, et al. (2020) Machine learning and big data in the impact literature. A bibliometric review with scientific mapping in web of science. Symmetry-Basel 12(4).
Blom JN and Hansen KR (2015) Click bait: Forward-reference as lure in online news headlines. Journal of Pragmatics 76: 87–100.
Cameron D and Panović I (2014) Multimodal discourse analysis. In: Working with Written Discourse. 55 City Road, London: SAGE Publications, Ltd., pp.97–111.
Chen C, et al. (2010) The structure and dynamics of cocitation clusters: A multiple-perspective cocitation analysis. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 61(7): 1386–1409.
Mondada L (2009) Emergent focused interactions in public places: A systematic analysis of the multimodal achievement of a common interactional space. Journal of Pragmatics 41:1977–1997.
Fang G (2016) Trends and foci of multimodal discourse analysis: A bibliometric study. Foreign Languages and Their Teaching 3: 58–66.
Halliday MAK (1978) Language as Social Semiotic. Hodder Arnold.
Halliday MAK and Matthiessen C (2004) An Introduction to Functional Grammar (3rd ed.). Hodder Arnold.
Huan C and Guan X (2020) Sketching landscapes in discourse analysis (1978–2018): A bibliometric study. Discourse Studies 1–23.
Wang H and Yan X (2019) Visualizing the knowledge domain of embodied language cognition: A bibliometric review. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities 34(1): 21–31.
Hu C and Shen C (2015) A bibliometric study on mobile English learning literature in China (2004-2014). Distance Education in China 10: 15–20, 79.
Jewitt C, Bezemer J and O’Halloran K (2016) Introducing Multimodality. London: Routledge.
Jing X, Ghosh R, Sun Z, et al. (2020) Mapping global research related to international students: A scientometric review. Higher Education 80: 415–433.
Jones RH (2012) Multimodal discourse analysis. In: Chapelle CA (ed) The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics.
Kress G (2003) Literacy in the New Media Age. London: Routledge.
Kress G and van Leeuwen T (2001) Multimodal Discourse: The Modes and Media of Contemporary Communication. London: Edward Arnold.
Ledin P and Machin D (2019) Doing critical discourse studies with multimodality: From metafunctions to materiality. Critical Discourse Studies 16(5): 497–513.
Li Y and Jiang Y (2020) A WOS-based analysis of mapping knowledge domain of ecolinguistics. TEFLE 191: 95–103, 14.
O’Halloran KL (ed) (2004) Multimodal Discourse Analysis: Systemic Functional Perspectives. London: Continuum.
O’Halloran KL and Smith BA (2011) Multimodal Studies: Exploring Issues and Domains. London: Routledge.
Scollon R and Levine P (2004) Multimodal discourse analysis as the confluence of discourse and technology. In: Levine P and Scollon R (eds) Discourse and Technology: Multimodal Discourse Analysis. Washington D. C.: Georgetown University Press.
van Leeuwen T (2011) Multimodality. In: Simpson J (ed) The Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics. New York: Routledge.
Wang H, Yan X and Guo H (2019) Visualizing the knowledge domain of embodied language cognition: A bibliometric review. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities 34(1): 21–31.
Web of Science Group (2019) Web of Science Core Collection. Available at: https://clarivate.com/products/web-of-science/web-science-form/web-science-core-collection/.
Zappavigna M (2016) Social media photography: Construing subjectivity in Instagram images. Visual Communication 15(3): 271–292.
Copyright © 2020 Chunlei Chen
This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
