Journal of Applied Languages and Linguistics

Article

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TITLE: Exploring Rhetorical Devices as Multi-Modal Conceptual Blends in a TED Talk

Author: Nahla Nadeem

King Abdul Aziz University, Cairo University 

Villa 39 axis 80 fifth settlement. District 4B, New Cairo apartment 2

Email: nnadeem@kau.edu.sa & Nahlanadeem29@gmail.com

Published online: 24 July 2019, pp. 97-128

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Citation:

Nahla, N. (2019) Exploring Rhetorical Devices as Multi-Modal Conceptual Blends in a TED Talk, Journal of Applied Languages and Linguistics, 3(1), ALS House Publications. Athens, Greece, pp. 97-128.

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Abstract

The present study explores the role semiotic conceptual blending theory plays in the exploitation of multimodal rhetorical devices (MRDs) in a TED Talk by Louise Evans (2017). It investigates how the theory accounts for the complex blending networks involved in creating the following rhetorical devices RDs (a visual metaphor, an analogy, a personal narrative and quotes) and their multi-modal representations. The study also reexamines the conceptual blending model and integrates the communicative processes of framing and grounding to the mapping process as crucial for the meaning construction of these multimodal rhetorical blends (MRBs). Though the primary focus of conceptual blending theory (CBT) is the analysis of metaphors, extending the semiotic blending analysis to other rhetorical devices such as analogies, narrative and quotes provides a unified theoretical framework and an integrative analytical model that examines their discursive function and multimodal representations.               

                                                                  

© Applied Language Studies House Publications 2019. All rights reserved.

 

Keywords: Conceptual blending theory, semiotic conceptual blending theory, rhetorical devices, multimodal rhetorical blends, TED Talk, rhetorical blending model.

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