Language, Identity and Cycling in the Age of Global Media: Exploring Interpersonal Semiotics in Multimodal Media and Online Texts

This book examines how identities associated with cycling are evoked, narrated and negotiated in a media context dominated by digital environments. Arguing that the nature of identity is being impacted by the changing nature of the material and semiotic resources available for making meaning, the author introduces an approach to exploring such identity positioning through the interrelated frameworks of Systemic Functional Linguistics and Multimodal Analysis, and illustrates how this happens in practice. The book is divided into three parts, each of which focuses on a different aspect of identity and media environment. Part I considers celebrity identities in the conventional media of print and television. Part II investigates community and leisure / sporting identity through an online cycling forum, while Part III examines corporate identity realised through corporate websites, consumer reviews and Youtube channels. This unique volume will appeal to students and scholars of discourse analysis, applied linguistics and the world of cycling. Patrick Kiernan is Associate Professor in the School of Business Administration at Meiji University, Japan. His research specialises in Applied Linguistics and he is the author of Narrative, Identity and Language Teaching. He is also an avid cyclist. Preface 6 Acknowledgements 8 Contents 10 List of Figures 12 List of Tables 14 1: Introduction: Exploring Language, Identity and Cycling in the New Media Age Through Systemic Functional Linguistics 15 Language, Identity and Cycling in the New Media Age 19 Theoretical Perspectives 20 Who Is This Book For? 22 The New Media Age 23 Language and New Media 26 Language as a Social Semiotic 27 What Is a Semiotic System? 28 Syntagmatic and Paradigmatic 29 Meaning Potential and Context 30 The Three Metafunctions of Language 31 Grammatical Metaphor 33 Systemic Functional Grammar Resources 34 Systemic Functional Linguistics as Discourse Analysis 34 Genre 37 Systemic Functional Linguistics and Multimodal Analysis 40 Overview 41 References 43 Part 1: Identities in the Media 51 2: ‘Mark, Mark, Can We Have a Word?’: Narrative and Evaluation in the Media Interview 52 Introduction 52 Cycling and the Media 53 Cycling Autobiography 55 Celebrity and Identity 57 Narrative, Evaluation and Heteroglossic Identity 58 Mark Cavendish and the Tour de France 61 Boy Racer 63 An Autobiographical Account of a Press Interview 64 A Comparison of Race Reports in a Newspaper and in a Cycling Magazine 69 Evaluation, Appraisal and Identity 74 Appraisal and Engagement 74 Graduation 76 Attitude 78 Conclusion 79 References 80 3: Coming Clean: Framing and Identity Negotiation in the Oprah Winfrey-Lance Armstrong Interview 84 Introduction 84 A Multimodal Approach 88 Lance Armstrong and the Confession Interview 89 A Multimodal Montage 90 Framing the Interview 94 Apology and Contrition 95 Evaluation and Multimodality 98 Conclusion 101 References 102 4: Multimodality Identity in Manga: Yowamushi Pedal and the Semiotics of Japanese Comics 104 Introduction 104 Language and Multimodality 106 Multimodal Research and Manga 108 Yowamushi Pedal 110 Outline of the Study 111 Verbal and Visual Resources—From Graphical Representation to Genre 112 Verbal Resources in Manga 115 Nonintegrated Resources 119 Conclusion 130 References 131 Part 2: Identity and Online Communities 133 5: Having a Rashomon Moment: Identity Negotiation in an Online Community 134 Introduction 134 Identity Negotiation and Communities 135 Intimate and Imagined Communities 136 Researching Online Forums 142 Appraisal and the Exploration of Online Communities 143 Data Selection and Ethical Concerns 144 The Cycling Forum 146 The Snapshot 148 Resources for Identity Negotiation 150 Conclusion 156 References 157 6: Making the Link: Intertextual Resources in an Online Forum 159 Introduction 159 Hyperlinks and the Resources of Cohesion 160 Linking, Cohesion and Intertextuality 163 Exploring Links in an Online Forum 164 Data Source: An Online Forum for Cyclists 166 Referencing Tools in the Forum 167 Introducing Links 169 Multimodal Resources 172 Links and Functionality 172 Conclusion 173 References 174 7: The Case of Franz: Identity and Carnival in Online Communities 175 Introduction 175 Trolling, Fake Identities and Alt.realities 177 Bakhtin’s Carnival 183 Franz 188 Inverting Dominant Social Norms 190 Unbridled Parody 195 Shared Laughter of Intimates 199 Wearing of Masks 200 Portrayal of the Grotesque 201 Conclusion 202 References 203 Part 3: Multimodality, Corporate Identity, and Market Positioning 205 8: ‘Hey You, Thanks for Buying Our Stuff’: Language, Multimodality and Identity in Two Corporate Websites 206 Introduction 206 Corporate Websites 208 Two Product Manuals 210 The Macrostructure of Homepage Design 216 Semiotic Interrelations Among Semiotic Resources 223 Conclusion 226 References 226 9: ‘Sixty-Eight Years on the Same B17’: Brooks, Consumer Reviews and Brand Loyalty 228 Introduction 228 What Is a Review? 232 Corporate Image and Consumer Loyalty 237 Brooks and the History of the Bicycle 238 Data Collection and Analysis 239 Ideational Meaning 243 Interpersonal Positioning 248 Textual Structure in Review Narratives 251 Conclusion 254 References 256 10: In Pursuit of Marginal Gains: Corporate Sponsorship and Brand-Building Videos 258 Introduction 258 Marginal Gains and Kaizen 261 Team Sky and Its Network of Sponsors 263 Innovation in Cycling and the Limitations of the Union Cycliste Internationale 265 Shimano Dura-Ace 265 Muc-Off 269 Rapha Team Sky Videos 271 Mario 273 Rusty 273 Packing Pockets 273 The Cape 274 Descending 274 Rice Cakes 274 The Physio 274 The Wet Bag 275 The Smoothie 275 The Bottle Carrier 275 Handlebar Tape 276 The Salute 276 Conclusion 277 References 278 11: Welcome to the GCN Show!: Community and Identity on YouTube 280 Introduction 280 Researching YouTube 281 Welcome to the GCN Show 284 Genre and Interpersonal Positioning of Global Cycling Network Video Types 285 Registerial Cartography 286 The GCN Show 289 Train with GCN and Spin Class 295 Maintenance Mondays/How-Tos (Mechanical Repairs) 296 Global Cycling Network’s ‘Unboxing’ 298 Global Cycling Network’s ‘First Look’ 299 ‘GCN Does Science’ 300 How a Wheel is Made 301 Conclusion 303 References 303 12: Conclusion: Rethinking Interpersonal Semiotics in New Media 304 References 308 Index 310 Front Matter ....Pages i-xv Introduction: Exploring Language, Identity and Cycling in the New Media Age Through Systemic Functional Linguistics (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 1-36 Front Matter ....Pages 37-37 ‘Mark, Mark, Can We Have a Word?’: Narrative and Evaluation in the Media Interview (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 39-70 Coming Clean: Framing and Identity Negotiation in the Oprah Winfrey-Lance Armstrong Interview (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 71-90 Multimodality Identity in Manga: Yowamushi Pedal and the Semiotics of Japanese Comics (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 91-119 Front Matter ....Pages 121-121 Having a Rashomon Moment: Identity Negotiation in an Online Community (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 123-147 Making the Link: Intertextual Resources in an Online Forum (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 149-164 The Case of Franz: Identity and Carnival in Online Communities (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 165-194 Front Matter ....Pages 195-195 ‘Hey You, Thanks for Buying Our Stuff’: Language, Multimodality and Identity in Two Corporate Websites (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 197-218 ‘Sixty-Eight Years on the Same B17’: Brooks, Consumer Reviews and Brand Loyalty (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 219-248 In Pursuit of Marginal Gains: Corporate Sponsorship and Brand-Building Videos (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 249-270 Welcome to the GCN Show!: Community and Identity on YouTube (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 271-294 Conclusion: Rethinking Interpersonal Semiotics in New Media (Patrick Kiernan)....Pages 295-300 Back Matter ....Pages 301-306