Image-Based Internet Memes as Conceptual Blends

Abstract

The present text aims to discuss a certain kind of internet meme, construed here as an image macro, in the context of Conceptual Blending Theory (Fauconnier and Turner 2002). Image-based memes (image macros) that contain a verbal layer appear to be the most popular form of such memes. Their concise form demonstrates a creative potential: memes are packed with meaning, reflected in various conceptual packets integrated into their verbal and visual semiosis. Blending theory thus seems an appropriate framework for a discussion of the cognitive mechanisms of memes and the relation between the verbal and the visual, as well as for tracing how the analogy between given domains/input spaces contributes to the effectiveness of a message.

 

Published
2024-12-30
How to Cite
Ostanina-Olszewska, J., & Majdzińska-Koczorowicz, A. (2024). Image-Based Internet Memes as Conceptual Blends. Forum Philosophicum, 29(2), 335-350. https://doi.org/10.35765/forphil.2024.2902.06