Introduction: Exploring Language, Identity and Cycling in the New Media Age Through Systemic Functional Linguistics

Abstract

This chapter serves as an introduction to this book by explaining the basic concepts discussed in the ensuing chapters as well as the overall aims of the study. The key terms in the title—‘language’, ‘identity’, ‘cycling’ and ‘new media age’—are defined according to the approach outlined in this book, which explores the relations between them. In addition, the relevant analytical techniques of systemic functional linguistics, multimodal and narrative analysis, which are used over the course of the book, are summarised. Finally, an overview is provided of the chapters, which consider an array of identities from those of celebrities to those in online communities as well as corporate identities.