A Multimodal Approach to Storytelling in TED Talks

Abstract

Multimodality has recently emerged within the area of discourse analysis as a research tendency the objective of which is to understand how all the semiotic modes beyond language significantly contribute to the exchange of information and meaning in any communicative situation (Baldry, 2000; Iedema, 2003; Kress & van Leeuwen, 2001). This master’s thesis therefore focuses on the multimodal features of the innovative hybrid web-mediated genre TED Talks, which arises to promote science popularisation and dissemination of ideas (Caliendo, 2012; Ludewig, 2017). Specifically, the multimodal examination is narrowed to the art of storytelling at the beginning of the presentations. Although this has been identified as a beneficial introductory resource (Ludewig, 2017; Masi, 2016; Salmon, 2010; Scotto di Carlo, 2015), its multimodal component has not been explored yet. The present research intends to analyse stories that act as opening elements in business-related TED Talks. The first aim of the project was to quantitatively determine the number of business TED Talks beginning with narratives. After that, some extracts from three stories were selected for subsequent multimodal examination, in terms of gesture, head movement, facial expression, gaze, intonation, words and macrostructure. Results reveal that a considerable percentage of business TED Talks start with storytelling. Besides, they also indicate that presenters tend to include and intertwine multimodal semiotic modes as a remarkable and personal strategy to enhance and broaden understanding. These results are later discussed and compared with previous research. Finally, some pedagogical applications and guidelines for further investigation are suggested.