A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of the Documentary Discover China: Behind the Rapid Growth
A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of the Documentary Discover China: Behind the Rapid Growth

Summary/Abstract: With the growing significance of visual and auditory elements inthedigital age, multimodal discourse has emerged as a critical area of study. Drawing on Kress and van Leeuwen’s Visual Grammar and ZhangDelu’smultimodal discourse analysis framework, this study investigates thedocumentary titled Discover China: Behind the Rapid Growth, focusingonhow representational, interactive, and compositional meanings are realizedthrough multimodal resources. The analysis is based on 28 representativeshots from the episode centered on Yiwu, utilizing ELAN5.9 softwaretoannotate and examine various semiotic modes including prosody, image, animation, and verbal expression. Quantitative and qualitative analysesreveal that diverse modes interact primarily in complementary waystoconvey national narratives and promote China’s image. The findingshighlight the dynamic interplay among modalities, with linguistic narrationsupported by visual salience and auditory emphasis. This study contributestothe expanding field of multimodal discourse by offering empirical insightsinto dynamic audiovisual texts and provides a model for analyzingpromotional documentaries from a linguistic and cultural perspective.

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