Presentation of Parasocial Relationship in Internet-Memes

For citation: Besedina V. Representation of parasocial relationship in Internet-memes // Mediascope. 2021. 4. Available at: http://www.mediascope.ru/2735

© Vera G. Besedina 

PhD in Philology, associate professor at the Chair of Foreign Languages, Institute of Humanities, Polzunov Altai State Technical University (Barnaul, Russia), lemming01@mail.ru

Abstract

The article discusses how parasocial communication, being an important fragment of the worldview of young people, is presented in creolized texts of Internet communication - Internet memes. Memes are examined from a discursive viewpoint, extralinguistic factors that contribute to creation and dissemination. Technological and psychological factors are discussed: firstly, modern technologies have created the most favorable conditions for developing and maintaining parasocial relationships with media personalities, and secondly, such relationships may satisfy the need of young people for friendship both with a partner in parasocial relationships and with peers in real life. Having analyzed a sample of English-language memes that represent knowledge on parasocial relationships, the author distinguishes several types of memes grouped into three categories: by the type of partner and their role represented in the meme, and by the type of attitude towards parasocial communication transmitted in the text. The analysis of certain types of memes shows the complementary role of the verbal and non-verbal components in translating the meanings, as well as the peculiarities of their use in various types of memes.

Key words: Internet-meme, parasocial relationship, creolized text

Notes

Blog / Cambridge Dictionary. Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/blog

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