Before: Unimodal Linguistics, After: Multimodal Linguistics. A Parallel Architecture Account of a Multimodal Construction

Abstract This paper adopts a construction-grammar approach to multimodal meaning. We provide detailed analysis of the Before-After -construction used frequently in advertisements, cartoons and Internet memes. demonstrate that parts its generic ‘caused-change’ meaning is compositional, rendered independently from what overtly expressed by concrete instances pattern. The latter hence build on an abstract construction whose form elements are paired idiosyncratically with meaning, just like linguistic constructions proper. show non-standard Before-After-construction represent deviations based systematized standard Before-After-construction. Finally, we argue belongs broader inheritance hierarchy two-image types, while also providing one amongst several options convey caused-change. Altogether, expressions instantiate similar properties as unimodal both across