Media Text Analysis # 2

For another social media analysis, we are looking at another meme found on the internet that features a famous former boxing champion, Mike Tyson. Tyson speaks with a lisp and there are many people and media memes who make fun of him and his speech deficiency just as seen in this picture. Starting with the text analysis (description), we see a picture of Mike Tyson, from the shoulders up, with his signature tattoo on his face, his mouth closed, and he is dressed nicely. He is looking into the distance, not at the camera. The words are written across the top and bottom, “I Jutht Don’t Underthtand All Thith Madneth” From this we can begin to interpret using the process analysis step. We can easily interpret that the phrase is meant to be, “I Just Don’t Understand All This Madness,” but is constructed to be pronounced in the way that a person with a lisp would read it. By simply, replacing the “S’s” with “Th’s,” people are able to see that this person is not able to pronounce the words the way they are supposed to sound. From this interpretation, we can use the social analysis to explain why this matters. It is clear to see that this meme is meant to tease and point out Mike Tyson’s lisp but in turn also represents the rest of the population that has a lisp. As simple as this meme is, it is rude and hurtful to all people who have this speech impediment. However, it does show us that anyone, including a famous male figure, can live with being teased and ridiculed for their speech problems. So, if we are willing to get a laugh out at even Mike Tyson’s expense, what about adults and children that are not able to cope with the bullying and teasing? This could potentially really affect with someone’s self-esteem and social issues and make them extremely self-conscious to speak amongst others, even their peers. Overall, we feel no one should have to feel degraded or put down by words for such a perpetual action like speaking. 

Media Text Analysis #1

In a meme that we chose, there is a character from Star Trek, Captain Picard, is seen with his arm is stretched out and hand is palm up and fingers spread. There is another character in the back with his head slightly tilted and arms straight down.  The words written are “Why the f*** can you not just spit the damn word out?” His mouth is open like he is in mid-sentence. This is only what we visually see and what Fairclough’s model calls the text analysis (description). The process analysis (interpretation) is taking what we visually see and interpreting it for what it could mean. Seeing this meme, we feel it could be interpreted that overall he is frustrated and impatient. The curse words insinuate that he is yelling, angry and hostile. His hand gesture could be portrayed as dominating towards the person he is speaking to lacking patience and understanding. It generally seems like an offensive position. Using the social analysis (explanation) step, we will take the interpretation and explain what they means and how it relates to our oppressed group.  It is obvious that this is meant toward someone who has a stutter and is therefore an oppressive form of media towards those with speech impediments. Also, from what we interpret, there is a negative, frustrated feeling towards people who have a speech impediment, specifically ones that speak with a stutter.  This also shows that people assume that people with stutters are “stupid” and should be able to just say what they are thinking without hesitation.  By asking this question, people wrongly assume that they are purposely taking their own time or not “just spitting the word out.” In society, time is considered to be money so anything or anyone, in this matter, who is “wasting time” is just treated negatively. Overall, this perpetuates impatience within our society and discrimination against people who have no control over how they speak.

Fairclough's Model

Professor Norman Fairclough, professor of Linguistics at Lancaster University, is just one of the founders of the critical discourse analysis theory or the Fairclough Model. The Critical Discourse Analysis was created to analyze how power is displayed through language; this may include the uses of; texts, talk, video, and other ways of communication. Fairclough’s analytical model is designed as a three-tier model; the text, the discursive practice, and the sociocultural practice.  According to the text by academia.edu, “It is a spoken or written text (the text), it is an instance of discourse practice involving the production and interpretation of texts (discursive practice), and it is a part of social practice (sociocultural practice).” (Mirazaee and Hamidi, 2012,  187-188) The text aspect of the model discusses the study of language structures in a discursive event. When discussing the discursive practices, the model puts emphasis on paying attention to examining the production, consumption, and reproduction of the texts. The third tier of the model introduces the analysis of sociocultural practice consists of an investigation of what happens in a particular socio-cultural pieces of work.

Hamidi, Hadi. "Critical Discourse Analysis." Fairclough's Model. N.p., Oct. 2012. Web.