Table of Contents
Acknowledgements v
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Audiovisual Figurativity as Product and as Process 2
1.2 Audiovisual Figurativity as Construction of Meaning 7
1.3 Audiovisual Figurativity as Embodied Experience 12
1.4 Objective, Scope, and Structure of the Book 17
2 The State of Research on Campaign Commercials and Figurativity 23
2.1 Campaign Commercials as Simplistic and Emotionalizing Canvassing 24
2.2 Political Metaphor as Pervasive and Persuasive Tool 36
2.3 The Dynamic Perspective: Active Spectators and Varieties of Audiovisual Figurativity 46
3 Cognitive-Linguistic Perspectives on Figurativity 48
3.1 Materialized Conceptualization: Figurativity and Multimodality 51
3.2 Enactive Conceptualization: Figurativity and Situatedness 56
3.3 Highlighted Meaning: Activation of Figurativity 61
3.4 Experiential Grounds: Figurativity and Embodiment 67
3.5 Conclusion 73
4 Film-Theoretical Perspectives on Figurativity 75
4.1 Figuration and Illocution: Figurativity and the Film Code 76
4.2 Artistry and Cognitive Principle: Figurativity and Message Deciphering 80
4.3 Intellectual Shock and Affective Fusion: Figurativity and Viewers' Participation 86
4.4 Double Vision and Cinematic Expressivity: Figurativity and Embodied Experience 91
4.5 Conclusion 96
5 Implications of a Dynamic Approach to Audiovisual Figurativity 98
5.1 Temporal Dynamics of Audiovisual Figurativity 99
5.2 Attentional Dynamics of Audiovisual Figurativity 104
5.3 Experiential Dynamics of Audiovisual Figurativity 110
5.4 Variant Forms of Audiovisual Figurativity 115
6 Angela Merkel, a Sovereign With Civil Roots 121
6.1 The Image of a Monarch: Angela Merkel as Political Message 122
6.2 'I Am You': Angela Merkel as Representative of the German People 126
6.3 The Experience of Gravitas: Angela Merkel as Center of Power 135
6.4 "We Have the Power": Angela Merkel and a Sense of Commonality 143
6.5 Conclusion: Metaphor and Metonymy as Interrelated Meaning-Making Processes 146
7 Donald Tusk, a Leading Builder Under Pressure 148
7.1 Highlighting an Ongoing Process: "Poland Under Construction" 150
7.2 An Unfolding Construction Scenario: Donald Tusk as Leading Builder of a Future Poland 153
7.3 Feeling the Workload: Donald Tusk as Being Overwhelmed with Duties 162
7.4 The Pressure of Premiership: Donald Tusk and a Message of Apology 166
7.5 Conclusion: The Interplay of Language and Audiovisual Staging as Rhetorical Design 169
8 Jaroslaw Kaczynski and Frank-Walter Steinmeier: A Door Opener and a Sober Problem Solution 172
8.1 Two Challengers, Different Foci: Self-Promotion as Opposition and as Governing Party 173
8.2 Jaroslaw Kaczynski: Opening Doors and Conquering Hindrances 179
8.3 Frank-Walter Steinmeier: Giving a Realistic Answer to Existential Questions 186
8.4 Similarities and Differences Among Challenger and Incumbent Images 195
8.5 Conclusion: The intertwining of Language and Audiovisual Staging as Qualitative Criterion 200
9 Conclusion and Prospects 202
9.1 Variations of Audiovisual Figurative Meaning-Making 203
9.2 Campaign Commercials as Political Symbolizations 212
9.3 Reframing Persuasion Towards Meaning-Making and Understanding 217
Bibliography 223
Audiovisual Sources 241
List of Figures 242
Name Index 243
Subject Index 245
