Lesson 1 Role of language in media

Linear narrative - the story is told in chronological order (one event follows another). This makes the events easier to follow.

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  Non-linear narrative - the story is not told in order. For example, there could be flashbacks or flash forwards that disrupt the story's time frame.
  

You should also consider the point of view in which the story is told. For example:

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  First-person (I/me) - creates a connection between the narrator and the audience. The audience can gain a first-hand account of an event from the narrator's perspective.
  

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  Second person (you) - directly addresses the audience, making them feel included.
  

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  Third-person (he/she/they) - the narrator is not directly connected to the events they are recounting. This creates more of a distance between them and the audience.
  

Form

This refers to how codes are expected to be arranged in a media text. For example:
We expect a film to begin with a title screen and end with the credits.
We expect a newspaper to have breaking news (the most important) on the front page and sports news on the back.

Media linguistics theories

Media linguistics theories are important to consider when analysing media language. They can help you understand different techniques used in the media and their effects on an audience. We will focus on three theories:
1. Hyperreality
2. Binary opposition
3. Intertextuality

Hyperreality

Sociologist Jean Baudrillard coined the concept of hyperreality in his work Simulacra and Simulation (1981). Baudrillard describes hyperreality as:
a real without origin or reality'.
In other words, hyperreality deals with the idea that reality is merged with fiction, so there is no clear distinction between the two. This affects the ways we view media, as we may not be able to differentiate between what is represented by the media and the actual reality. For example:
A photo of a model in a magazine may be photoshopped/airbrushed. This is often not a realistic representation, but is done to aesthetically appeal to an audience and set an unrealistic standard of beauty that people can aspire to.