Styling the self online: semiotic technologization in weblog publishing

Abstract

Testing on digital semiotic production the concepts of (self-)styling and technologization of discourse, developed for offline linguistic phenomena, the article investigates the role of digital platforms in shaping the relation between self-expression online, semiotic regulation and the social construction of taste. By focusing on the use of semiotic resources of webdesign for identity expression, the study analyses the semiotic regimes emerging from regulatory practices and webdesign styles on WordPress, and their influence on the changes in the projected identity of a personal blogger. In spite of the participatory character of WordPress, results show the role of the platform in objectifying/technologizing hegemonic semiotic preferences, with consequent normalizing effects in bloggers' self-styling practices. The conclusions relate the findings to broader power dynamics in the social construction of taste and their implications for both online and offline forms of self-expression.

Theory-building in the social, material and postdigital worlds of play: Participatory research and multimodal discourse analysis

“…Without a form of analysis which accounts for the 'more than language' status of particular social phenomena, in this case, play and games, we cannot easily account for how the structures work to support or circumscribe their effect. Other work seeks to do this 'partnering work' with multimodality in other specific spaces, including that of social media, in the case of selfies (Zhao and Zappavigna, 2018), 'tik-tok' videos (Han and Zappavigna, 2023) or food blogs (Adami, 2018). In each case, there are questions raised about hegemonic practices with digital media which speak back to both power and advocates of participatory culture (Jenkins et al, 2006).…”

Online marketing lehetőségek és kihívások az autószerelők piacán

“…Kató és Keller (2019) a húsipari vállalatok weboldalainak elemzését szintén hat hasonló objektív és szubjektív szempont szerint végezték el: 1) User Experience (UX); 2) design elemek; 3) tartalom, 4) interaktivitás; 5) kreativitás; és 6) technológiai tényezők. A webdesign kutatások nemzetközi fókuszába újabban a márkák logóinak vizsgálata (Suarez-Carballo et al, 2020), az önkifejezést segítő blogok (Adami, 2018) design-jának elemzése, valamint az interkulturális megközelítések (Cermak, 2020) kerültek. Ez utóbbiak rávilágítottak, hogy az eltérő kultúrájú országok (Hofstede dimenziói alapján) más tartalmakat és webdesign funkciókat, UX elemeket alkalmaznak.…”

Developing Professional Communication: The Construction of a Multimodal Understanding of Job Interviews

“…I argue that more attention has to be paid to the design of teaching materials, the pedagogical implications of the use of semiotic resources, and the way they are orchestrated to make meanings. Digital technologies such as videos and websites offer a wide range of semiotic resources for vloggers to utilize, leading to greater variation in the content, style, and aesthetics of sign-making practices (Adami 2018a). Vloggers can effectively use videos as a means to project a high level of self-identity by using a combination of semiotic resources, setting one vlogger apart from another.…”

“…This move from the 'read-only web' to the 'read-write web' (Jones and Hafner 2012) has generated exciting new possibilities which allow for wider access and participation in the field of language teaching and learning, resulting in greater variation and creativity in material design as a wider range of sign-making practices are used. Vloggers as teachers are able to, or are encouraged to, engage in a higher level of self-expression through exhibiting different styles and aesthetics in the design of their virtual 'schools' (see Adami (2018a) for a discussion of the role of digital platforms in shaping blog users' self-styling practices).…”