A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Saudi Arabic Television Commercials

Abstract

This study provides a multimodal discourse analysis of Saudi Arabic TV commercials from a linguistic and visual semiotic perspective, linking communication, language, and culture. The study draws on pragmatics, semiotics, and language and culture, within the framework of discourse analysis. The data consisted of five commercials of personal care items, with the analysis focusing on figurative linguistic elements, including metaphorical expressions and personification, as well as visual elements, including visual metaphors and semiotic symbols. The analysis is based on Lakoff and Johnson's (2003) conceptual metaphor theory, Saussure's (1966) theory of semiology, and Grice's (1975) theory of conversational implicatures. The findings contribute to the existing literature on visual and linguistic metaphors and could serve as a foundation for future studies to examine how the interaction between language and visuals in advertising is represented across cultures. It could also have implications for the practice of advertising in international business and marketing communication.