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Preface and Acknowledgments
1. A New Language
Emerges
Visual language is a new language composed of tightly
integrated textual and visual elements. Its emergence is a result
of such driving forces as globalization, increasing complexity
both in commerce and technology, and the convergence of vocabularies
from many previously distinct fields.
2. A Brief History
Of Innovations
Invention of the various components and conventions
of visual language has taken place over centuries.
3. Communication
Units, Morphology, And Syntax
Examination of the building blocks of visual language.
A. Size:
Communication units in visual language
Different sizes of visual language components-from
icon to mural-suggest categories for subsequent linguistic analysis.
B. Components:
Morphology of visual language
Four approaches to identifying primitive elements of
language are examined; a synthesis based on the concept of a visual
unity is proposed.
C. Combinations:
Syntax of visual language
Preliminary investigation into visual language syntax
reveals that it is informed and constrained by spatial dimensions
and perceptual principles.
4. Emerging Semantics
How meaning arises in visual language.
A. Semantics
of tight integration
The major semantic theme of the book: how do visual
elements and text work together to produce meaning?
B. Semantics
of visual metaphors
Correlation is found between visual metaphor and contemporary
theory about verbal metaphor.
C. Diagram
semantics
The varieties of diagraming make fundamental contributions
to the vocabulary and semantics of visual language.
D. Semantics
of cartooning
Cartooning has a wide variety of semantic conventions
that are spreading rapidly around the world and that provide a
rich vocabulary.
E. Semantics
of space, line, and composition
Arrangement of elements on a page or in 3 dimensions
is important in discussions of how visual language creates meaning.
F. Semantics
of time
How visual language shows phenomena of change, transition,
and time is informed by conventions from the world of film and
illustration.
5. Functional Semantics
Of Content
This chapter and chapter 6 explore situations in which
text works best and in which visual elements work best when the
2 are tightly integrated. Intensive examination of substantive
content; that is, how visual language shows who, what (outside
appearance), what's inside, where, when, how it works or changes,
how to do it, motion, which (i.e., name, label, indicate), which
(i.e., definition), examples, what can't be seen, and comparisons
(quantitative and qualitative).
6. Functional Semantics
Of Rhetoric
Continues the examination of whether and why textual
and visual elements work best when the intention is navigation,
organization, or influencing the reader. These rhetorical functions
are examined in detail: guide the reader, focus attention, cluster
elements, organize page or screen, show context, provide lightness
and humor, increase impact, and manipulate and operate.
7. Pragmatics Of
Visual Language
Visual language practices, their role and effect in
social interactions.
A. Social
context and principal applications
The broad range of situations in which visual language
flourishes-no matter the topic. An estimate of the number of visual
language speakers.
B. Multifaceted
reading process
How the process of reading visual language is significantly
different from reading prose.
C. Design
and effectiveness
As more people incorporate visual language into their
communications, standards for effectiveness-based both on aesthetic
and cognitive science principles-will become increasingly important.
8. Conclusions And
Challenges
Principles for using visual language, predictions regarding
its future place in global communications, further theoretical
and practical research directions.
Notes
References
Index