Decoding the Metaphor of Internet Meme: A Study of Satirical Tweets on Black Friday Sales in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined an emerging trend in Internet discourse as metaphorical constructs used by individuals for communication online. The Internet meme is an evolving trend used for satirical illustrations and expression of intents in multimodal ways. While previous studies have focused on verbal metaphors signaled by Internet discourse, none of these studies have examined the relevance of memes in communicative contexts. This study drew from conceptual metaphor theory of cognitive linguistics to investigate the use of visual metaphors across Twitter which reflected consumer’s feelings on Jumia and Konga’s Black Friday sales. Five tweets were selected at random from ynaija.com, an online news blog for youths. Our study revealed that Internet memes serve as a strong rhetoric for ideological manipulations. This study will spur further research along the shores of Internet discourse.

Key Words: multimodal, metaphor, Internet Memes, Konga, Jumia