[Note: this description is provisional and subject to change ahead of the academic year 2027-2028, when this course launches. Students in 2025-2026 can consult the course description here.]
A thorough knowledge of the linguistics of internet memes
A better understanding of key notions such as multimodality, construction grammar, viewpoint, and stance
The capacity to analyse and reflect on a variety of multimodal discourse types and social media discourse types
In terms of proficiency levels, level C2 for receptive skills and C1 for productive skills, as defined in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
[Note: this description is provisional and subject to change ahead of the academic year 2027-2028, when this course launches. Students in 2025-2026 can consult the course description here.]
To introduce students to the linguistic analysis of internet memes, but also of other types of multimodal discourse combining text and image
In terms of language skills, enabling students to attain levels C2 for receptive skills and C1 for productive skills, as defined by the Council of Europe in its Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
[Note: this description is provisional and subject to change ahead of the academic year 2027-2028, when this course launches. Students in 2025-2026 can consult the course description here.]
Internet memes have been studied widely for their role in establishing and maintaining social relationships, and shaping public opinion, online. However, they are also a prominent and fast evolving multimodal genre, one which calls for an in-depth linguistic analysis. In this course, we start by investigating the 'grammar' of internet memes. This includes the way in which images in memes are not illustrations, but structural components, making language forms adjust to emerging multimodal rules. Our exploration will take in various meme types and parameters, including so-called Image Macro memes (which re-use the same image across new iterations) vs. memes which use more one-off types of images, labelling memes, when-memes, memetic grids of various kinds, the curious uses of pronouns in memetic discourse, the many forms of apparent quotation in memes, questions concerning figurative language use, viewpoint mechanisms and stance expression, and memetic experimentation with both form and meaning. We will also zoom out from this in-depth exploration to consider broader contexts of use, suggesting ways in which memetic grammar is affecting other forms of communication, across different social media platforms but also in new forms of advertising and (online) campaigning.
[Note: this description is provisional and subject to change ahead of the academic year 2027-2028, when this course launches. Students in 2025-2026 can consult the course description here.]
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[Note: this description is provisional and subject to change ahead of the academic year 2027-2028, when this course launches. Students in 2025-2026 can consult the course description here.]
In the exercise module entitled "From abstract to presentation: Academic skills", students research a topic related to the course; write an abstract; and finally prepare and deliver an oral presentation at a student conference.
[Note: this description is provisional and subject to change ahead of the academic year 2027-2028, when this course launches. Students in 2025-2026 can consult the course description here.]
Lectures accompanied by exercises.
Taking part in any activities organised by the department (whether intra muros or extra muros) as part of this course is considered to be part and parcel of the learning experience and is obligatory.
[Note: this description is provisional and subject to change ahead of the academic year 2027-2028, when this course launches. Students in 2025-2026 can consult the course description here.]
Oral exam and group presentation.
Use of AI tools to produce texts or content in either the formative or summative assessment phases will not be tolerated, unless explicitly stated.
Weighting of the different components:
[Note: this description is provisional and subject to change ahead of the academic year 2027-2028, when this course launches. Students in 2025-2026 can consult the course description here.]
Dancygier, Barbara & Lieven Vandelanotte (2025) The language of memes: Patterns of meaning across image and text. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
| Training | Study programme | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures: German, Dutch and English | Standard | 0 | 6 | |
| Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures: German, Dutch and English | Standard | 3 | 6 |