The Meaning Construction Of Semiotic Netspeak In Conceptual Integration Perspective

The aim of the thesis is to use the Conceptual Integration Theory (CIT) to explore the operation process of semiotic netspeak. The conceptual integration theory is firstly proposed by Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner in the works Principles of Conceptual Integration and The Way We Think, and it is one of the important cognitive mechanisms. CIT produces the so-called conceptual integration network model as the core. The model shows how conceptions are integrated, namely the operation procedures of online meaning construction. The conceptual integration network model has been recognized as a powerful model of studying language process by many scholars, and its application can provide the theoretical support for various linguistic phenomena.The focus of the thesis lies in the research of the variety of netspeak and its integration process. The previous studies of the issue mainly include the description, classification and the analysis on the reason of its formation. Although the previous studies are overall in a way, they lack the exploration in the inner cognitive mechanism of operation and systematic analysis, which are the problems that will be solved in the paper. In addition, as a developing framework model, CIT's concrete operation procedures are not very clear. For instance, Brandt (2005) claims that"how meaning makes sense"is not explained by Fauconnier (Wang Zhengyuan, 2009: 166). In view of this, the author tries to further the study of meaning construction of semiotic netspeak in CIT perspective. The concrete procedures are as follows:[1] Based on the previous studies, perfecting the conceptual integration network model of semiotic netspeak;[2] Analyzing the inner and outer factors which influence the meaning construction to provide an alternative project for the cognition and development of semiotic netspeak, which perfects CIT to some extent.Several methods such as the corpus method, case study, introspective and etc. are applied in the study to reach an ideal result. And theoretical analysis and empirical research are combined in the study. All the materials in the study come from the Internet, especially from some blogs and chat. The process of the study includes collecting data, setting up corpus, classifying collected semiotic netspeak, carrying out case study, generalizing models, with relevant theories analyzing the other factors which influence the meaning construction, perfecting models and etc, and finally drawing the conclusion. Namely, CIT can explain the meaning construction of semiotic netspeak well, and in the process of the meaning construction of semiotic netspeak the background information of communication, context, cultural and cognitive models as well as individual cognitive ability are all very important factors which should be paid enough attention to.This thesis consists of six parts:part one is the introduction of the whole thesis, which explains the scope of this study, the research questions and objectives, and the hypotheses; part two is mainly about the theoretical framework and related literature; part three describes the methods that will be used in the thesis, the data collection, the design and analysis of data and etc.; part four mainly discusses the process of meaning construction of semiotic netspeak from the perspective of conceptual integration; part five is the further discussion of some important factors which influence the meaning construction of semiotic netspeak; part six includes the significance, the validity and reliability and the limitations of the study.