1887
Volume 14, Issue 2
  • ISSN 2210-4119
  • E-ISSN: 2210-4127
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Abstract

Abstract

By examining a collection of health-related memes, I propose ways to categorize the illocutionary force of memes functioning as the speech act of advice. 200 English-language memes were gathered in the period 2018–2023 through Google image searches. I found the affiliative and disaffiliative strategies that Placencia (2012) described within advice exchanges; meme multimodality, however, offered additional versions of these strategies: characters generated affiliation or disaffiliation and more humor appeared in affiliative and disaffiliative moves. I highlight four characteristics of advising in memes: the speech act is performed indirectly; both characters and wordplay can create humor; peer advisors must signal what authorizes them to give advice; and advice deploys mythbusting. Thus, memes align interlocutors within vernacular online conversations.

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2024-06-11
2025-04-24
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): advice; CMC; health communication; internet memes; speech acts
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