Language and multimodality are intrinsically connected, and non-verbal elements such as gestures, stance, or facial expression are key means of meaning-making. In this seminar we will explore language from a multimodal perspective, using a discourse analysis approach. Face-to-face interaction is still the main mode through which we use and acquire language, and multimodality is indispensable in the dynamic process of meaning-making. Online face-to-face communication allow new possibilities, such as the use of artificial backgrounds or avatars. Visual storytelling has become a key feature of social media channels, and written online environments have promoted the development of auxiliary multimodals such as emojis. Seminar participants will work with existing and new data in order to explore how non-verbal elements contribute to the dynamic meaning-making processes involved in interaction. We will discuss ways of describing, transcribing, and interpreting visual behavior and talk-in-interaction, both in existing and self-compiled datasets. Course requirements are detailed in the respective module descriptions.
- DozentIn: Stefan Diemer