What is wrong with Chinese football [cartoons]? The cognitive processing of multi-domain cartoons Paul van den Hoven (in cooperation with Joost Schilperoord)

What is wrong with Chinese football [cartoons]?

The cognitive processing of multi-domain cartoons

Paul van den Hoven (in cooperation with Joost Schilperoord)

Utrecht University, Xiamen University

Cartoons are a theoretically challenging genre

• Some cartoons evoke rather elaborate argumentative

interpretations while others evoke merely an articulated

evaluative opinion.

• Interpreters differ substantially in the argumentative

elaborateness interpreting one and the same cartoon.

• Quite often interpreters who cannot come up with a satisfying

interpretation of a cartoon are able to formulate quite well

what lack of foreknowledge causes their problem.


• We propose a cognitive processing model that explains the

three observations in a coherent way.

• We develop this model based on and consistent with

conceptual integration theory (CIT; Fauconnier & Turner

2002).

What are cartoons?

• ‘(…) a graphic presentation typically designed in a one-panel,

non-continuous format to make an independent statement or

observation on political events or social policy’ (Edwards &

Winkler 1997: 306, italics added).

• Cartoons are prototypically multi-domain blends with a

metaphorical reading; in this lecture it will become clear what

is meant by that.

Conceptual integration theory

• Every semiotic animal knows: a semiotic object is minimally a

blend, and therefore it is an instruction to mentally reconstruct

it as integration network; that will reveal its meaning.

• Therefore the semiotic animal knows:

– I need to deblend the object in two input spaces that are

related to each other by a generic space.

– The system as a whole must reach equilibrium, compatible

with my foreknowledge; then I grasp its meaning.

GENERIC SPACE

BLENDED SPACE

INPUT SPACE 2INPUT SPACE 1

(EVENT [(ACTOR), (OBJECT)])

(EVENT [(ACTOR), (CUBE CHINESE SOCCER

BALL)])

(EVENT[(ACTOR), (OBJECT)])

Conceptual integration theory

• Four prototypical types of (de)blending and accompanying

network structures:

1. simplex (de)blending,

2. mirror (de)blending,

3. single scope (de)blending and

4. double scope (de)blending

• These are increasingly ‘creative’ network relations due to

augmented degrees of interpretative freedom.

The structure of the lecture

• First, using (1) simplex deblending, I explain in detail how

building up the network and searching for equilibrium works.

• Then I illustrate the other prototypical forms of deblending.

• While doing this, the question comes up: How does the

semiotic animal know which type of deblending to choose?

• While working, our answer on this question will become clear.

• That answer explains what is wrong with Chinese soccer

cartoons.

(1) Simplex (de)blending

• Simplex (de)blending is the most restricted type of (de)blending.

• All elements in the spaces are mapped in an identity relation.

• If that results in equilibrium, the interpreter is happy and stops.

• The input spaces are mapped :

– as argument and predicate, or

– as example and prototype, or

– as identical elements out of one class

GENERIC SPACE

BLENDED SPACE




BALL)])

(EVENT[(ACTOR), (OBJECT)])

(1) Simplex deblending: identity

SPACE 1 SPACE 2 GENERIC SPACE BLENDED SPACE

soccer

event:

prototypical soccer

soccerplayer

actor:prototypical player

Chinese[cube] soccer ball

[round] soccer ball object: prototypical

soccer ballChinese

[cube] soccer ball

Assume an interpreter who knows what soccer is


IF EQUILIBRIUM:In China the ball used for soccer is a cube.


soccer soccer

event:prototypical

soccer

soccerplayer

soccerplayer

actor:prototypical player


[round] soccer ball object: prototypical

soccer ballChinese

[cube] soccer ball

Author: Tom Janssen: “the Islam debate” (REGIE, “director”)

GENERIC SPACE

BLENDED SPACE



FIGURE, CHAIR, “REGIE”, MEGAPHONE, VERBAL

CAPTION

(DIRECT [(MAN), (“THE ISLAM DEBATE”)])



directing directing

event:

directingdirecting

players agency:

player

play with title[The Islam debate]

play with title object: play line withThe Islam debate

this director director agent: director this director

point of departure for everyone who knows what directing a play or a movie is and takes “The Islam debate” to be the

title of the play


IF EQUILIBRIUM:A man directs a play named “The Islam debate”


directing directing

event:

directingdirecting

players players agency:

player



this director director agent: director this director


point of departure for everyone who knows what directing a play or a movie is and takes “The Islam debate” to be the title of the

play and recognizes the Dutch right-wing politician Wilders


directing directing

event:

directingdirecting

players agency:

player



Wilders director agent: director Wilders


IF EQUILIBRIUM:Wilders directs a play

named “The Islam debate”


directing directing

event:

directingdirecting

players players agency:

player




(2) Mirror (de)blending

• Mirror (de)blending is the second, slightly less restricted type

of (de)blending

• All elements in the spaces are mapped according to the generic

space in an similarity relation.

• If that results in equilibrium, the interpreter maps the spaces as

mirroring each others structure: the generic space specifies an

organizing frame or scenario that is assumed to be similar for

the input spaces and the blended space.

(2) Mirror deblending: similarity

Assume an interpreter who knows what soccer is


soccer

event: variations

of soccer

soccerplayer

actor:players


[round] soccer ball object: balls Chinese

[cube] soccer ball


IF EQUILIBRIUM:In China they play a game similar to soccer but with a ball that is a cube [of which one needs to imagine the effect on

how the game and players look].


some variation

of soccersoccer

event: variations

of soccer

‘soccer’player

soccerplayer

actor:players


[round] soccer ball object: balls Chinese

[cube] soccer ball


point of departure for everyone who knows what directing a play or a movie is and takes “The Islam debate” to be

the title of the play and recognizes Wilders


directing directing

event: directing directing

players agency: variations

of player


play with title object: variationsof play

line withThe Islam debate



IF EQUILIBRIUM:Wilders directs a ‘play’ named “The Islam debate”


directing directing

event: directing directing

some agency

similar to playersplayers agency: variations

of player

something likeplay with title

[The Islam debate]

play with title object: variationsof play



Single scope (de)blending

• Single scope (de)blending is the third, again less restricted

type of (de)blending


space in an analogy relation, the presentation space being the

point of departure.

• From single scope blending on we speak about a metaphorical

relation; we distinguish a presentation space and a reference

space.


• This is the big thing: the interpreter assumes a more creative

comparison is made.

• Input space 2, from now on the reference space, needs a more

creative construction by means of mapping from input space 1,

from now on the presentation space, that is filled from the

blend.


• If that results in equilibrium, the interpreter is happy and maps

the spaces as having an analogical structure.

• The blended space shares its structure with the presentation

space.

• The reference space gets an analogical structure.

GENERIC SPACE

BLENDED SPACE

REFERENCE SPACEPRESENTATION SPACE



BALL)])

(EVENT[(ACTOR), (ROUND CHINESE SOCCER

BALL)])

(3) Single scope deblending: analogy

Assume an interpreter who knows what soccer is and understands that Çhina refers to the presentation and the reference space (not

necessarily so)

PRESENTATIONSPACE

REFERENCE SPACE

GENERIC SPACE BLENDED SPACE

Chinese soccer

event: analogue

with soccer

Chinese

soccer playeractor: analogue

with players


Chinese

[round] soccer ballobject: analogue

with ballsChinese

[cube] soccer ball


IF EQUILIBRIUM:In China they play soccer as if the ball was cube.

Transferred values: bad soccer.

PRESENTATIONSPACE

REFERENCE SPACE


‘cube’ soccer Chinese

soccer

event: analogue

with soccer

’cube’ soccer

playerChinese

soccer playeractor: analogue

with players


Chinese

[round] soccer ballobject: analogue

with ballsChinese

[cube] soccer ball

GENERIC SPACE

BLENDED SPACE

REFERENCE SPACEPRESENTATION SPACE


(LEAD [(WILDERS), (ISLAM

DEBATE)])

WILDERS, CHAIR, “REGIE”, MEGAPHONE, VERBAL

CAPTION

(DIRECT [(WILDERS), (“THE ISLAM DEBATE”)])


point of departure for everyone who knows what directing a play or a movie is and takes “The Islam debate” to be

the social-political debate about Islam immigrants

PRESENTATION SPACE

REFERENCE SPACE


directing lead

event: analogue

with directingdirecting

representatives agency: analogue

with player


Islam debate object: analoguewith play


Wilders party leader agent: analogue with director

Wilders


IF EQUILIBRIUM:Wilders leads the Islam debate as a director a play.

Transferred values: authoritarian, one-sided.

PRESENTATION SPACE

REFERENCE SPACE


directing lead

event: analogue


players representatives agency: analogue

with player





Wilders

Summary so far

• We go from (1) identity, to (2) similarity, to (3) analogy.

• These are no clear, discrete concepts; that is why the theory

speaks about prototypical types; in fact it is a continuous scale

of widening the restrictions.

• You see the widening reflected in the hypothetical generic

space, making the relations between the spaces more

‘creative’: (1) checking identity; (2) checking sufficient

similarity; (3) checking a meaningful mapping from

presentation on reference space.

Summary so far

• Interpretation is: searching for an adequate generic space that

results in equilibrium and calculating its consequences.

• The search starts with the most restricted model and drops step

by step more restrictions.

What single scope does

• Single scope deblending introduces a multi-domain,

metaphorical relation as a hypothesis to find equilibrium;

because the more restricted cycles failed to reach equilibrium.

• Because more creativity is allowed, more subjectivity is

required; because more subjectivity is required, the discourse

conveys a stronger ‘vision’ on the world the discourse is

about; because a stronger ‘vision’ is conveyed, opinions

become element of the resulting meaning.

What is wrong with Chinese football [cartoons]?

• In China they play soccer as if the ball was cube. Transferred

values: bad soccer. Equilibrium is reached. Meaning complete.

Interpretation process ends.

• The best cartoons go fully up to (4) double scope deblending,

even to extreme forms of double scope deblending.

• Hypothesis to be systematically investigated: overwhelmingly,

Chinese (soccer) cartoons go up to single scope only.

• What is double scope deblending?

Double scope deblending, type 1

• Double scope (de)blending is the least restricted type of

(de)blending.


space in an partial analogy relation, none of the other spaces

being uniquely the point of departure.

• Disanalogies block establishing single scope equilibrium; no

acceptable generic space is found! No equilibrium!

Double scope (de)blending, type 1

• To construct(!) equilibrium, the interpreter creates a set of

conditions that would make the disanalogies disappear, and

assesses these conditions.

• This assessment calls for elaborated inferences and

interpretive processing.

• Double scope (de)blending invites what is called emergent

meaning; the inferences become part of the meaning.

• We speak of type 1 double scope blending if the scope of

solving disanalogies is restricted to the reference domain.


• The interpreter may judge:

– Political leadership is not analogue to directing a play

(because it assumes freedom of speech while verbal

activity of stage plays is predetermined).

– Representatives are not analogue to players (because it

assumes authenticity while a player is suppose to play

someone else).

(4) Double scope deblending 1: disanalogies

PRESENTATION SPACE

REFERENCE SPACE


directing lead

event: analogue



with player





Wilders


• The interpreter may judge:

– Disanalogies disappear if I assume that the network

expresses the attitude and behavior of some relevant party.

– Wilders, or the representatives consider the Islam debate as

if it was a play.

– Assessment: ???


PRESENTATION SPACE

REFERENCE SPACE


directing lead

event: analogue



with player





Wilders

Wilders (and/or the representatives) deserve to be condemned, because of considering the debate a play.


PRESENTATION SPACE

REFERENCE SPACE


pedagogical

punishingaffairs between

sovereign states

event: analogue with pedagogical

punishing

pedagogicalpunishing

pupil Cuba agency: analogue

with pupilCuba-pupil

teacher USA agent: analogue with teacher

USA-teacher

The USA deserve to be condemned for their diplomatic behavior towards Cuba, because of treating a sovereign nation as if it is a naughty schoolboy.

(3) Single scope deblending : analogie

PRESENTATION SPACE

REFERENCE SPACE


pedagogical

punishingaffairs between

sovereign states

event: analogue with pedagogical

punishing

pedagogicalpunishing

pupil Cuba agency: analogue

with pupilCuba-pupil

teacher USA agent: analogue with teacher

USA-teacher

Cuba deserve a treatment by the USA as if it is a naughty schoolboy. Cuba acts like a schoolboy and USA responds to that. [equilibrium]


• We speak of type 2 double scope blending if the scope of

solving disanalogies is not restricted to the reference domain

but also affects the presentation domain.

• These cartoons are rare and often evoke strong responses

because they destabilize the presentation domain which is

often deeply rooted in opinions and values the interpreter

enhances.

PRESENTATION SPACE

REFERENCE SPACE


raising the

American bannerpeeing on dead

bodies of Islamic enemies

event: winning

marines behaviorraising a USA-

banner- carrying, peeing statute

the Iwo

Jima marinesthe Afghanistan

marinesagency: marines marines

Iwo Jima, WO II Afghanistan, 2012 scene: analogue with Iwo Jima

specific scenery


The USA marines should be condemned for their behavior towards the vicims, because …..




evaluative opinion.









evaluative opinion.

• The model explains: some cartoons guide the interpreter to an

equilibrium after single scope deblending, while others guide

the interpreter to double scope deblending because the

equilibrium after single scope does not satisfy; it conflicts with

foreknowledge.




• The model explains: because equilibrium is determined by

foreknowledge and interpreters differ in foreknowledge, some

interpreters may reach equilibrium at another cycle than

others.





• The model explains: semiotic animals know all that they are

supposed to construct an integration network with equilibrium.

Cartoon interpreters know single scope is the minimum. They

know they have to project significant elements of the blended

space on the presentation space.


• Therefore:

– If an interpreter accepts equilibrium in (1) single scope

deblending or even (2) mirror deblending, he knows he

misses the point and can formulate that: “I seem to miss

something here: why a cartoon about this square ball

variation of soccer?”


• Therefore:

– If an interpreter does not accept equilibrium in (1) single

scope deblending or even (2) mirror deblending, but is

unable to identify sufficient elements to start constructing a

reference space, he can formulate that: “I seem to miss

something here: I see Wilders in a chair directing, but what

is this about?”

Thank you for your presence and attention

What is wrong with Chinese football [cartoons]? The cognitive processing of multi-domain cartoons Paul van den Hoven (in cooperation with Joost Schilperoord)

Documents

object slide

class slide

mirror deblending

xiamen university slide

chinese soccer cartoons

double scope deblending

single scope deblending

restricted type of deblending