Conceptual Blending in Indian Political Cartoon Discourse
Lakshmi Prabha P1, Abhishek Das2
1Lakshmi Prabha P, Junior Research Fellow, Department of Adult Continuing Education and Extension Studies, Jadavpur University, West Bengal, India.
2Dr. Abhishek Das, Assistant Professor, Department of Adult Continuing Education and Extension Studies, Jadavpur, University, West Bengal, India.
Manuscript received on 04 December 2023 | Revised Manuscript received on 14 December 2023 | Manuscript Accepted on 15 December 2023 | Manuscript published on 30 December 2023 | PP: 32-38 | Volume-3 Issue-2, December 2023 | Retrieval Number: 100.1/ijmcj.C106503030324 | DOI:10.54105/ijmcj.C1065.123223
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© The Authors. Published by Lattice Science Publication (LSP). This is an open-access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: Conceptual blending theory has been used by scholars to study various genres of texts. Scholars studying cartoons, in particular, have used it to examine how metaphors and metaphorical blending are employed in cartoons to construct meaningful texts. This paper discusses selected Indian political cartoons through the Lens of Fauconnier and Turner’s Conceptual Blending Theory. The themes of the cartoons chosen for the study focused on various social issues that were part of the media discourse in contemporary times. The study was conducted to understand how cartoons depicting social issues used metaphoric blending to visualise an issue. The paper found that the graphic form of the political cartoon mediates the understanding of a communicative event through the use of cognitive devices, such as metaphorical blends. It was found that novel metaphoric blends were created in a cartoon text depending on the nature of the issue, and that these metaphorical blends are regulated by context and background knowledge regarding the event being represented. It was also observed that the novelty of metaphoric blends in Indian editorial cartoons depended on the social, political and cultural context. Meanwhile, the metaphoric blends also incorporate everyday objects and scenarios that structure the meaning potential of the political cartoon. Another relevant finding is that specific cartoon texts contained more than one conceptual blend, forming a network of blends that worked in conjunction with each other. Furthermore, it was observed how conceptual blends in cartoons aided in anchoring the meaning of the cartoon and prevented polysemic confusion. The research findings demonstrate that cognitive devices are prevalent in cartoon texts and can significantly influence their interpretation and use.
Keywords: Political Cartoon, Conceptual Blending, Conceptual Metaphor
Scope of the Article: Journalism Genres