Multimodal composition of infographics embedded in online news discourse
Abstract
The article investigates the multimodal arrangement of infographics embedded in online news discourse as one of the most effective means of representing complex information in the contemporary digital communication environment. The study is based on the theoretical framework of multimodality and multimodal discourse analysis, which regard meaning as a product of interaction between multiple semiotic resources. Within the context of online news communication, infographic objects are treated as integral multimodal units combining verbal, visual, typographic, spatial, numerical, and chromatic semiotic resources into a coherent communicative whole. As to the degree of semantic autonomy of infographic objects in relation to the verbal news text, the online news infographics may be classified into fully autonomous, partially dependent, and fully dependent on the news text itself. The article also highlights the principle models of constructing infographic objects and establishes that the most frequent compositional models include cartographic-based constructions and spatial-organizational structures with vertical or horizontal classification of information. The verbal mode primarily performs explanatory, nominative, and anchoring functions; visual, diagrammatic, and spatial elements structure information and guide interpretation. Typographic and color resources contribute to emphasis, hierarchy, and salience. Results reveal that infographics function as highly cohesive multimodal units whose communicative efficiency is ensured through the synergistic interaction of heterogeneous semiotic resources. Their composition is strategically organized to optimize perception, compress information, and strengthen the pragmatic impact of news communication.
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