Multimodality as a constitutive feature of commencement addresses
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33910/1992-6464-2026-219-221-230Keywords:
commencement address, multimodality, multimodal resonance, semiotic modes, transmodal meaning-making, linguosemiotic analysisAbstract
Introduction. This study investigates the commencement address as a complex multimodal discursive phenomenon. Contemporary linguistics recognizes a need to better understand the mechanisms by which diverse semiotic resources—verbal, auditory, and kinesthetic—interact to shape the perception and impact of public speeches. The aim of this paper is to analyze the commencement address through the theoretical lens of semiotic (multimodal) resonance, a cognitive-discursive mechanism that facilitates the alignment of various semiotic resources and amplifies their pragmatic impact on the audience.
Materials and Methods. The research is grounded in the theoretical frameworks of multimodality theory, discourse analysis, pragmalinguistics, and cognitive linguistics. The primary material consists of commencement speeches delivered by prominent American public figures. A comprehensive methodology, integrating linguo-semiotic, stylistic, and discursive-pragmatic analysis, is applied to a case study of Melinda French Gates’ 2024 address at Stanford University.
Results. The analysis identifies and systematizes the markers of key semiotic modes. It is established that the kinesthetic mode in Gates’ speech is realized through a wide repertoire of gestures—including emblems, illustrators, regulators, and affective gestures—which serve to visualize key metaphors and foster an emotional connection with the audience. The auditory mode is characterized by strategic variations in prosodic parameters, such as melody, tempo, rhythm, and pausing, which function to accentuate central ideas and create structural and emotional contrast. The linguistic mode features the use of alliteration, evaluative vocabulary, syntactic parallelism, and antithesis. The synergistic interplay of these modes generates a phenomenon of semiotic resonance, leading to the emergence of a transmodal meaning and a significant enhancement of the speech’s perlocutionary effect.
Conclusion. The findings contribute to the development of multimodality theory, discourse analysis, pragmalinguistics, cognitive linguistics, suggesting a framework for future studies of multimodal discursive practices. The conclusions of this research might be useful for the further complex analysis of public speeches of various genres.
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