Abstract
As multimodal text, Internet memes encompassing verbal and visual elements have a significant function in producing meaning both independently and inherently. In addition, they are not only used to entertain the reader through humorous messages, but also used to convey moral message. This research investigated the ideational meaning and the critical message in the internet memes related to the interaction between teacher and students in teaching and learning activities. It was conducted to reveal experiential and representational meaning; inter-semiotic logical relations; the portrayed events; and the implied problems as criticism to both teachers and students contained in these Internet memes. They were obtained from Instagram account of @9gag. Focusing on the ideational meaning, it applied three theories, namely, transitivity system, representational component of visual grammar, and inter-semiotic logical relations. It also applied the theory of relevance to reveal the critical message behind these internet memes. Several studies, related to the internet memes both in multimodal discourse analysis and pragmatic study, have been conducted. Nevertheless, this present study is the development of those studies using different approach. Specifically, this study focused on internet memes concerning teachers and students interaction which have never investigated before. The results revealed five kinds of verbal processes; five kinds of visual processes; six logical relations between caption and image; five portrayed students’ behaviours; nine problems implied in student figure; and six problems implied in teacher figure. Through this study, the readers are expected to understand both wisdom and un-wisdom messages of criticism in the Internet memes.
Highlights
The Internet meme is a modern cultural phenomenon that spreads certain information through Internet communication networks
This study is conducted to answer the following questions: “how do verbal and visual modes of these internet memes construct ideational meaning and implied problems as criticism to students and teacher?” In line with the formulation of the research problem, this study aimed to reveal 1) ideational meaning consisting of: experiential meaning represented by the processes of verbal modes, representational meaning represented by the processes of visual modes, inter-semiotic logical relations and the portrayed events, and 2) implied problems which can be interpreted as criticism to teacher and students
In line with its purpose, this study focused on uncovering ideational meaning and implied problems as criticism to students and teachers through Internet memes posted by Instagram account of @9gag
Summary
The Internet meme is a modern cultural phenomenon that spreads certain information through Internet communication networks. Dawkins (2006) defined a meme as an act of imitating ideas that spread from person to person He (2006) explained that the term “meme” comes from the Greek μίμημα (mīmēma), which means something that can be imitated. Shifman (2014), a researcher in the field of memetics, defined the Internet meme as “(a) a group of digital items sharing the common characteristics of content, form and / or stance; (b) that were created with awareness of each other; (c) were circulated, imitated and / or transformed via the Internet by many users.”. The Internet meme is a group of digital items that share the common characteristics of content, form, and / or attitude created in consciousness with each other, circulated, imitated, and / or changed over the Internet by many users. According to Davison (2012) “An Internet meme is a piece of culture, typically a joke, which gains influence through online transmission.” He emphasized that Internet memes as online humour are unique in the case of transmission speed and fidelity of form
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