The Evolution of Language through Memes: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Study of Pakistani Dramas

Abstract

This study aims to present an analysis of the memes on Pakistani dramas, highlighting the interplay of language and the transitions from intense to more subdued situations, ultimately resulting in playful humor. It explores how meme creators can alter a scene or situation by exaggerating small details. The study also examines how linguistic variation in memes can dramatically alter the original meaning of a scene. Five memes created from popular Pakistani drama scenes are analyzed, where the original dialogues are replaced, transforming serious or emotional moments into humorous ones. The study employs Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) as proposed by Kress (2009) to investigate these transformations. Findings suggest that language plays a critical role in reshaping viewer perceptions, demonstrating how meme culture can subvert original media narratives and elicit different emotional responses. The study would be done at broader level to investigate how memes that mix languages (e.g., Urdu-English code-switching) influence comprehension, humor, and audience engagement.