Representation of cause-and-effect relationships in polycode texts of conflict nature

Abstract

Today, polycodeness and polymodality have become characteristic features of communication in the virtual space, which provides a wide range of opportunities for communicators in choosing codes and means of presenting information. Graphic-verbal and other types of polycode texts, which structurally include verbal and iconic elements, have become widespread. The content of polycode texts actualizes various types of logical-semantic relations between individual semantic components of transmitted messages — these components can be expressed both verbally and iconically. This paper examines the actualization of the cause-and-effect logical-semantic relationship in memes and demotivators having conflict content. As the texts under consideration have a polycode nature and semantic specificity, the actualization of the cause-and-effect relationship in their content space has a number of features. This is associated with their suggestive potential and the specificity of their impact on the potential addressee. Of particular importance in this regard is the fact that the message in these texts is constructed correlation between semantic components associated with cause and effect, and the features of verbal and iconic representation of such components. It is shown that the cause-and-effect relationship in conflict polycode texts can be both a part of the verbal component and expressed implicitly (i.e., implied from the context). Semantic components expressing cause and effect can be represented verbally, iconically or implicitly depending on the specifics of the situation modeled by the. Their actualization is largely conditioned by the construction of the message within the framework of the UsThem dichotomy, the conflict nature of the content, and the specifics of the ascribed situational roles. The considers the intentionality associated with the actualization of the cause-and-effect relationship in these texts. The cause-and-effect relationship in conflict polycode texts is realized in cases when the deliberately seeks to substantiate the necessity of something, justify the actualized actions and opinions, or seeks to illustrate their consequences for representatives of the opposite pole, including for the purpose of modeling certain emotions in the addressee.