Visual and Multimodal Communication

The book ... enriches and develops relevance theory research and proves that it is a theory applicable to all forms of communication. ... The examples come from many different countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas. ... The theory is of great significance for the study of multimodal pragmatics and multimodal communication. * Yue Guan and Wen Xu, Foreign Language Teaching and Research *
This book is a substantial and impressive work, which makes a valuable contribution to research in visual and multimodal communication. ... [Forceville's] accurate academic language energizes the power of relevance theory and entertains the readers with the pleasure of 'to understand how and why'. ... It is an informative resource book for researchers and students who are interested in linguistics, semiotics, mass media, advertising and cognition. It is of great value for artists, cartoonists, and to some extent to advertisers. The book can also be recommended to readers of discourse studies because it bridges the disciplinary gap between linguistics and media studies. * Wei Wei Zhan(第九辑), Discourse Studies Forum (话语研究论丛) *
This work is innovative in adapting, extending, and developing RT to make it applicable to multimodal communication. It demonstrates how RT can be used to analyze visual and multimodal discourse in mass communication through rigorous conceptual and theoretical frameworks, along with vivid and abundant case studies. It also extends RT beyond the conventional boundary of one-on-one verbal communication towards its potential in exploring mass-communication. The case studies in this work also accommodate the RT-inspired analyses to a variety of discourse genres. This work will interest scholars and students in multimodal studies, relevance theory, discourse analysis and communication studies at large. * Guangyu Jin & Jiayu Wa, International Journal of Applied Linguistics *
Visual and Multimodal Communication: Applying the Relevance Principle is a very interesting and well-written book that extends RT beyond its comfort zone (namely, face-to-face verbal communication, dyadic exchanges) and is also accessible to readers outside the RT framework. CF has done a great job in making RT accessible to readers ranging from researchers in mass communication to post-graduate media students and, of course, analysts in cognitive pragmatics. * Francisco Yus, Journal of Visual Communication *
This is an innovative book written with the aim of demonstrating the benefits of using relevance theory in visual and multimodal communication studies...This is an insightful book which would be of interest to communication scholars of different backgrounds. * European Journal of Communication *
All in all, Visual and multimodal communication: Applying the relevance principle proves to be a truly important contribution both to RT and to the study of visual and multimodal communication. To the former it offers an opportunity to reach out to new areas of research, and an inspiration for rethinking some of the assumptions of RT that perhaps require a fresh look in the increasingly multi modal environment...the value of the book under discussion goes beyond academic achievement; it is also a highly engaging reading thanks to Forceville's style and excellent choice of illustrative examples. * Agnieszka Piskorska, University of Warsaw, Functions of Language *
Overall, Forceville's attempt to apply RT to multimodal communication is well executed, featuring a clear structure, uncomplicated writing style, and rigorous application of RT throughout. * Vinicio Ntouvlis, University of Vienna , Multimodal Communication *
The practical implementation of relevance theory in this book mostly differs from ordinary text analysis by the emphasis put on those skills, procedures, and interests that the addressee needs to use and possess to receive the messages as well as on the ability of the addresser to address those skills and interests of the addressee. The book also emphasizes how genres and modes are helpful contexts for interpreting meanings. Thus, Forceville's use of relevance theory strongly focuses on what preconditions different types of individuals have to find a given message relevant. * Torben K. Grodal, Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture *
...Forceville makes a bold attempt to help provide a theoretical underpinning to the studies of multimodality, and with that to reinvigorate RT itself. ...Forceville's book is first of all a substantial contribution to multimodal pragmatics and communication. It definitely fulfills its claim that it "has attempted to make the most substantial — if not necessarily uncontroversial — contributions to the RT Model" (p.240). In the second place, advocates of blending theory will benefit from concepts and procedures theorized in the RT model. * Ahmed Abdel-Raheem, University of Bremen, Germany, Journal of Pragmatics *
Highly original and thought-provoking, Visual and Multimodal Communication offers a wealth of insights into the effects these forms of communication achieve. Using the framework of relevance theory, it presents a series of beautifully illustrated case studies showing how coding, inference, genre and world knowledge interact in the interpretation of advertisements, political cartoons and comics from many cultures. Essential reading for students and researchers in pragmatics, linguistics, art and communication studies. * Deirdre Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Linguistics, UCL *
Lucidly and with copious erudition, the book accomplishes a fascinating objective: astutely extending Relevance Theory to account for visual and multimodal meaning-making. Charles Forceville formulates his argumentation for an "overarching model of communication" with conviction and elegance. He sensibly relates static visuals-text combinations to the central notions of media, context, and genre. Offering both broad theoretical footing and invaluable case studies on public graphic signage, advertising, cartoons, and comics, the book will be a must-read in multimodality research and beyond. * Hartmut Stöckl, Professor of English and Applied Linguistics, University of Salzburg, Austria *
[The book] is a ground-breaking proposal which will be of interest to a wide readership. It offers a plethora of inspiration for mass communication, multimodality RT researchers and scholars in cognitive pragmatics. Additionally, it is a highly recommended book for nonexperts in RT and postgraduate students of philology or communication studies. * Martyna Awier (2023). Crossroads: A Journal of English Studies 40: 130-133 *