A MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE ANALYTICAL STUDY OF CARTOONS ON POLICE MATTERS IN NIGERIA PUBLISHED IN THE TELL NEWSMAGAZINE

ARIYO, KAYODE SAMUEL, RUFUS GIWA POLYTECHNIC, OWO, Nigeria, ID LLCE2017-304;   ABSTRACT: This study focuses on selected cartoons on police matters in Nigeria as published in Tell newsmagazine. The study identifies and discusses the multimodal discourse features of the selected cartoons. The research further relates the features to the contexts in which they were applied. The aim is to bring to prominence the meanings foregrounded in the cartoons. Data were collected from four copies of the Tell newsmagazine, covering May to December, 2015. The data are analysed via the linguistic framework of Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA). The result indicates that cartoons as well as their verbal anchorages act as meaning signifiers. This study concludes that producers of the newsmagazine use cartoons heavily structured on humour and irony to disseminate sensitive security pieces of information.

Key words: police, cartoons, pictures, verbal anchorages and Multimodal Discourse Analysis