北极环境话语中的多模态跨距策略

Multimodal Distance Crossing in Arctic Environmental Discourse

本文基于批评认知语言学视角,考察北极环境话语的多模态符号表征和意义建构。现实世界中的地理距离、物理距离和社会距离等,在语篇中被表征为符号距离,并可通过特定话语策略加以调节,实现社会关系的重构。符号距离的缩减称作“跨距”,涉及两种话语策略。其中,趋近化策略呈现威胁或危险的迫近,表达消极意义;联结策略呈现共存、联系和身份认同,表达积极意义。跨距既能通过语言模态的词汇语法手段实现,也可通过图像和色彩等视觉符号资源得到建构。本文以美国《北极研究目标宗旨报告》系列语篇为对象,探究北极环境话语中的多模态跨距策略运用,既丰富北极环境话语的研究视角,又完善趋近化理论。

Based on the perspective of Critical Cognitive Linguistics,this study investigates the multimodal symbolic representation and meaning construction of Arctic environmental discourse.Geographical,physical and social distances in the real world can be dis-cursively represented as symbolic distances,and can be adjusted by means of specific discursive strategies,thus achieving the reconstruction of social relations.The reduction of symbolic distance is known as“distance crossing”,which involves two discursive strategies.Proximization constructs negative meanings by presenting the approaching of threat or danger,while alignment conveys positive meanings by projecting coexistence,connection and identity.Distance crossing can be realized either linguistically by lexico-grammatical devices,or visually by semiotic resources including images and colors.We investigate the deployment of distance crossing devices in multimodal Arctic environmental discourse with data from a series of reports released by the U.S.Arctic Research Commission.This study helps to enrich the perspective of interpreting Arctic environmental discourses on the one hand,and to refine the Proximization Theory on the other.