COVID-19 public discourse in Russia: Semantic mapping

Abstract

The objective of the study was to analyze the representation and characteristics of most relevant semantic categories in COVID-related memes using semantic mapping strategies as well as to describe interconnected spheres in semantic fields and possible shifts in meanings to assess every mem of the sample. The article represents one of the stages in complex research of ethnocultural and psychological features of media content and its perception in internet memes. The perception of COVID-related internet memes by young audience in Russia and China and visual features of the content were tested at previous stages (Denissova et al., 2021; Smirnova et al., 2020; Smirnova & Denissova, 2021). The article treats internet memes as samples of creolized texts. This topic was chosen due to its key significance. The fact that internet memes are monothematic in content makes it possible to identify the differences in a number of characteristics more effectively. In this paper, we consider internet memes a specific type of messages in the network, combining short captions of different genres and semiotic nature that reveal topical issues. Thus, due to the capacity of semantic content and visual image memes obtain viral nature and great intensity of informational impact. Creolized memes were selected for the analysis, since we assumed that it is the memes of this type that fulfil such important tasks in communication process as organizing communication and exerting influence.