Multimodal texts are all around us at all times. When I first saw the words “multimodal texts” my eyes were immediately fixed on the word “texts.” I thought, Ok, words with a little something extra to spice it up, like colors or pictures. Upon further investigation, though, I learned that a multimodal text didn’t necessarily have to contain any written words. One example of this is Netflix or any movies, really.
A multimodal text is composed of two or more of the five modes of communication: Linguistic, Visual, Spacial, Aural, and Gestural. Shows and movies on Netflix usually contain gestural, visual, and aural communication modes. Netflix is a great form of entertainment and we rarely think of it as a form of communication, but producers use Netflix everyday to share and communicate their creations in the form of movies and shows.
Another one of my favorite multimodal texts is Snapchat. Millions of people around the world use snapchat as a fun and creative way to communicate with others. Snapchat allows viewers to share pictures and videos paired with a textual caption and several fun ways to customize. This can include (but is not limited to) adding stickers, using facial filters, and doodling over the photo. The customizable features of Snapchat are what make the app so popular and unique.
My ultimate favorite multimodal text, though, has to be iMessage. A combination of four modes of communication, iMessage is in my opinion the best way to communicate with others. iMessage originated as a simple instant messaging application on iPhones with little to no wiggle room for creativity and customizability. Today, as iOS has evolved and modern technology has advanced, iMessage is no comparison to anything else.
Obviously iMessage contains the linguistic mode of communication. It started as a simple instant messaging app without the ability to send photos or anything. Users can send text messages with words and have a conversation with other users from any place at any time.
Another feature that iMessage has added since its initial creation is the ability to send and receive photos and videos. This is an example of the visual mode of communication. At anytime, anyone with an iPhone can enhance their text conversation by adding a photo or video. It only takes three taps to turn the conversation into something way more fun and in depth.
Many users also take advantage of the audio messaging feature on iPhones. This feature is an example of an aural mode of communication. With just the tap of a finger, one user can send a recording of any length to the other user in an instant. As a daily carpool driver and working woman, my mom takes full advantage of this feature. Communication is as easy as holding up your phone and speaking into it. And the receiver can playback the exact voice recording.
The last feature I’ll mention is the newest update to iMessage: the ability to react to messages without words. By holding down a message, you have the choice to like, dislike, emphasize, question, love, or laugh at a message. This is an example of a gestural mode of communication. It’s an expansion of how we can communicate with other people by gestures and natural reactions that aren’t best displayed through words.
I’m sure Apple will continue to update their products and applications and make communicating with others as easy and advanced as possible. By using multimodal text, Apple provides an application that millions of people use everyday to communicate with others.
Kelly's Blog 