Metarepresentation Choice of Context in Virtual Environment:

Negotiating Identity on Youtube Video Blogging

Udiana Puspa Dewi

English Department, Faculty of Humanities, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, Indonesia 11480

Keywords: Metarepresentation, Internet, Language

Abstract: This study focuses on the the analysis focuses more specifically on the multimodality channel used by the

blogger as the source of metarepresentation choice of context identity by the addressee. The previous research

was done previously focuses on the sender user on this case was done to observe the prediction of relevance

and intentions prediction of context identity. By observing similar object, the Daniel Howell channel in

YouTube platform, the analysis was done by using the adaptation of Shifman’s meme analysis framework,

the analysis focuses on three dimensions of the video; content, form, and stance. The result shows that The

stance of the internet message is built based on two important features; the language features and the structural

features. The most dominant language features used in the video by Danniel Howell is sarcasm and insult.

This linguistic strategy is used to create sense of relatable and to form his identity as a failure who is never

sure of what he is saying. Meanwhile structural features plays very important role in creating the humorous

effect as the context of the internet message.

1 INTRODUCTION

Computer mediated communication has become one

of the most appealing research object in language and

identity construction research. It relates with the idea

that language, actions, interactions, ways of thinking,

believing, and valuing are intergraded through

discourse thus the various symbols, tools, and object

are also involved to form certain socially

recognizable identity (Gee J P., 2014). This research

focuses on the use of the verbal, visual and

multimodal attributes used by the video blogger to

construct his identity and cyberpragmatics approach

will be used to observe the role of the video blogs to

effectively transfer the video blogger communicative

intentions. The computer-mediated discourse in the

form of YouTube video used as the object of

observation since weblogs is considered as a source

of virtual identity construction for its author/ creator

(Efimova L., 2005; Hendrick S., 2005).

The cyberpragmatics framework of Internet-

mediated communication is used to observe the

multimodality channel used by the vlogger (Yus F.,

2013). The data is taken from a YouTube channel

called Daniel Howell. The high number of

subscribers and reputations of the channel are the

reasons why this channel is considered as a

representative data for YouTube video blog analysis.

Prior research focuses on the sender user on this case

was done to observe the prediction of relevance and

intentions prediction of context identity. The

observation shows that the vlogger as the sender user

has a crucial role in constructing self-presentation and

spectacle for the addressee users which further can

assign the frame of the interpretative pattern of the

interaction dimension among addressee users and

between sender user and addressee users (Dewi U P.,

2018). In this research the analysis focuses more

specifically on the multimodality channel used by the

blogger as the source of metarepresentation choice of

context identity by the addressee.

2 CYBERPRAGMATICS

FRAMEWORK

Yus frames that the interpretation of internet

mediated communication is formed by four main

aspects; sender users, context, channel, and addressee

users (Yus F., 2011). The internet mediated

communication is illustrated in the following

representation:

524

Dewi, U.

Metarepresentation Choice of Context in Virtual Environment: Negotiating Identity on Youtube Video Blogging.

DOI: 10.5220/0010023200002917

In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Social Sciences, Laws, Arts and Humanities (BINUS-JIC 2018), pages 524-528

ISBN: 978-989-758-515-9

Figure 1. Internet-mediated communication according to

cyberpragmatic (Yus F., 2011).

In video blogging, the sender users are the vloggers,

the channel is the video blog itself, and the addressee

users are the video viewers. The prior study is heavily

focused on the observation of the YoutTube channel

and the theme of each video to observe intentions

prediction of context identity and prediction of

relevance. The finding of the prior research reveals

that the context is formed through the consistency of

themes performed within the YouTube channel, the

more consistent the theme, the clearer context of the

internet message and virtual identity of the sender

user. The observation proves that in video blog, the

prediction of relevance is performed through the

channel naming and the flow of video which is

intended to create interactivity and resulted in a

greater feeling of community membership of its

addressee users.

3 MULTIMODALITY CHANNEL

IN FORMING

METAREPRESENTATION

CHOICE OF CONTEXT OF

IDENTITY

Based on the channel analysis, the majority of themes

of the videos are highlighting the clumsiness and

negativity personality. The experience theme always

highlight on embarrassment, clumsiness,

awkwardness, and how unwell Daniel in handling

certain situation. The same emphasize was made in

his self-explanatory videos, he made similar

impression as he did in the experience video (Dewi U

P., 2018).

In this study, the observation is focused more on

the video instead of the channel. Based on the

intention prediction of context identity analysis, the

most common theme of the videos are self-

explanatory video. Thus, the data of this study is

taken from one of most viewed self-explanatory

videos which represent the theme of the YouTube

channel. The strategy of utilizing multimodal channel

used by the sender user in the video to create the

metarepresentation choice of context identity is the

focus of the analysis. Adapting Shifman’s meme

analysis framework, the analysis focuses on three

dimensions of the video; content, form, and stance

(Gal N., 2016; Shifman L., 2016; Kampf Z., 2016).

3.1 Content (Video Structuring)

The content analysis highlights the theme created by

the sender user in producing the storyline of the

video. As analyse in the previous research (Dewi U

P., 2018), the theme of selected videos is classified as

self-explanatory video. The video is framed as a “how

to” videos where the sender user gives life guide to

the addressee users. The duration of the whole video

is 4 minutes 4 seconds. Based on the timeline of the

video, the content of the video is divided as follow:

Table 1: Video Structuring.

Content

00:00– 00:11 The opening

In this scene, the sender

user took the video

outside in the completely

different setting from his

normal videos and decide

to end it after 11 seconds

because it’s too cold to

film the video outside in

the snow

wheatea

00:00 – 00:46 Topic Introduction

In this part the sender user

explain about the reason

why this topic is

important. He addresses

the topic specifically for

those who is going to go

ack to school

00:47 – 00: 56 Sarcastic Intro

In this part the sender

users put a sarcastic

illustration and

background music to

make it like he is a host in

a variety show to make his

video look more

rofessional.

00:56 – 05:10 Main topic

This part contains list of

advices to the viewers

about what not to do in

school:

Metarepresentation Choice of Context in Virtual Environment: Negotiating Identity on Youtube Video Blogging

525

1. Leave all your

homework to the last

minute

2. Dealing with

dickheads

3. Teachers

In each point he gives the

dramatization of reality

where he plays several

role of characters to

illustrate his point.

05:11-6:30 Closing

In this part the sender user

conclude all the

explanations and putting

his personal views about

the positive side of school

despite all his negativity

toward school he

performed throughout the

video. Just like the main

topic part, this part also

contains the dramatization

of reality to illustrate his

point.

Remark conclusion:

“So yeah, it sucks to be

you! I’ll just go back to

worrying what I’m doing

for the rest of m

life”

3.2 Form (Common Feature)

Form analysis deals with how the internet message,

in this case video, is composed (Shifman L., 2013).

There are four different form of video composition in

this video; amateur video with an amateur

cameraman, semi-professional video with no

cameramen, formed as if it is professional production,

and a sketch. The Amateur format is used as the

opening session of the video from 00:00 to 00:11.

Unlike his other video, in this video, he has

cameraman holding the camera. Most of his videos in

his channel is him talking to a static camera within the

bedroom/ house. But in this scene, he has the

cameramen and was outside in the snowy weather.

Second type of form is the semi-professional video

with static camera, just like most of his common

videos in the channel. The majority content of the

videos is him talk to the static camera and point out

his opinion about school. When he tried to illustrate

his experience and his point he will illustrate it and

form the scene into a sketch where he plays several

different characters. In the sketch form he plays

several different characters; himself, dickhead friend,

classmate, teachers, and robber. Another form of

scene that he uses within this video is a fake

professional production. This form is used by the

sender user to form professional image by using

background music and fictional credit and Text Title

“How not to survive school” which makes him look

like a professional host of variety show which give

him authority to give people advice.

3.3 Stance

There are several stances taken by the sender users to

create the metarepresentation identity and context to

the addressee users. The clearest identity that he tries

to build throughout the video is how much failure he

is back in the school. There are several language and

structural features that he applies in constructing this

identity. Below is the analysis of the stance based on

each part division of the video:

3.3.1 The Language Features

Table 2: Language Features Analysis.

Content Stance

The opening

(00:00– 00:11)

He tried to create an image

of a failure who has no idea

what to do and how to film

his video clearly.

- Sarcastic statement:

”Hey Dan, why don’t you

film your video outside!

That’s a great idea!”

Topic Introduction

(00:00 – 00:46)

He tried to create image as a

person who are

luckier/know things better

than the addressee users who

has to go back to school

because he wants to frame

the story based on his

experience.

1. Insult:

“Suck to be you!”

(00:15-00:17)

2. Creating a sense of

relatable with those

who are not in school:

- Hi five to people

who are not in

school! How is

that existential

crisis coming

along? (00:17 –

00:21)

3. Creating fictional

dialogue with himself:

- He pretends to be

the addressee

user:

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“Dan, you didn’t

finish education

that long ago, how

did you survive

school?”

“To put it simply, I didn’t”

(00:24

–

00:30)

Sarcastic Intro (00:47 –

00: 56)

Main topic (00:56 –

05:12)

He tried to play a role as

professional host of variety

show who will be expected

to be a legitimate person to

give advice to his addressee

users He picture himself as a

failure based on past

experience he had back in

school by giving the

negative point of view about

school and sarcastic

statement. The sarcastic

statement and point of view

is illustrated through a

sketch which will be

described further in

structural features.

Closing

(05:11-6:30)

He uses oxymoron

expression to show his

stance in the conclusion. He

concludes that it is not good

to be those who are in

school, but it worse to be a

school dropout like him. The

oxymoron statement is:

“So yeah, it sucks to be

you! I’ll just go back to

worrying what I’m doing

for the rest of m

life”

3.3.2 Structural Features of Each Advice

Based on the analysis of the video content, there are

common pattern that the sender user use to illustrate

his stance through his opinion. On part of the video is

observed to exemplify the pattern uses by the sender

user. The part of the video where he give the advice

not to leave all the homework to the last minute

(00:52 – 02: 06) is used to show how he is a failure

based on past experience he had back in school by

giving the negative point of view about school. The

video is structured in the three sequences: What not

to do (the advice), past experience in school to

convince how much a loser he is, and the reason why

he gives the advice.

What not to do

In this part he will start by giving the main advice

what the addressee users must not do in school. In the

video he gives a sarcastic statement by saying:

“Leave all your homework to the last minute

(long pause). Everytime. The idea that after

spending six hours walking around hell. I’d

have to go home and solve more equations.

I just disagree with. Morally.” (00:52 –

01:04)

He shows he stance in the convincing statement as

the opening of the advice to show the addressee user

where he stands. He makes it clear that he disagree

with the homework given to the students by the

teacher in school.

What happen back in the school to convince how

much a loser he was

The humorous aspect of the video is emphasized in

this part through the dramatization of reality of role

playing where he play as few different characters (the

teachers, other students, and as himself in the past).

One of the scene is the reconstruction of him and

the teacher having conversation about the homework

which are constructed in three different scenes:

SCENE 1 (Classroom setting)

Teacher : “(Sigh) What it is this time?”

Dan : “Would you believe my

printer broke? Ugh, so annoying.

SCENE 2 (Home setting)

A scene where Dan is at home and forcibly

removes the paper form a printer to make it

looked like the printer broke and ruin the

paper.

Dan : Yeah, That’ll do (holding a ruined

paper in his hand)

SCENE 3 (Classroom setting)

Dan : I had nose cancer.

Teacher : (Disbelieve expression)

Dan : Yeah, but I’ve totally recovered now.

Teacher : (Angry pose)

Dan : And I’ve got a, uh, letter from my

mum.

The reason why he gives the advice

After creating the scene to show his past experience

related to the advice he previously gave, the sender

user then try to create more conviction to the

addressee user by creating another reality

dramatization to illustrate his point. The bellow scene

is taken from 1:40 – 02:00 where he tries to convince

the addressee users.

Metarepresentation Choice of Context in Virtual Environment: Negotiating Identity on Youtube Video Blogging

527

SCENE 1 (Dan talks to the camera)

But trust me, okay, unless you aspire to

having a successful career or something,

you will not need trigonometry, at any point

in your life. Probably.

SCENE 2 (Dark Alley)

Robber : Alright, mate, give me your

iPhone.

Dan : No, good sir, for I have the power of

triangles.

Robber : You what?

Dan : (using imaginary animated triangle to

punish the robber)

Robber : (disappear into smoke)

The scene was then continued with sarcastic meme

which try to the prove his point that studying

mathematic is useless. The meme is captured in the

following figure.

Figure 2. Sarcastic Meme within the Video

The sarcasm is clearly pointed out within the two

scenes to prove how much trigonometry and studying

triangle will not help people when they are getting

robbed by a robber in the dark alley. The sarcasm is

strengthening with the meme showed in the video

right after the Dark Alley scene finished.

4 CONCLUSION

The discussion points out that there are things that are

playing important roles in video blogging to create

the metarepresenation of choice of context and

identity, those are the storyline as the content of the

internet message, the form of video which build the

context and intention of the internet message, and the

stance which shows the voice of the sender users. The

stance of the internet message is built based on two

important features; the language features and the

structural features. The most dominant language

features used in the video by Danniel Howell is

sarcasm and insult. This linguistic strategy is used to

create sense of relatable and to form his identity as a

failure who is never sure of what he is saying.

Meanwhile structural features plays very important

role in creating the humorous effect as the context of

the internet message. As pointed out in the discussion,

the dramatic realization and the use of meme allows

the sender user to set the tone of the video so that it

can be well interpreted by the addressee users.

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communication Interdisciplinarity and Languages

Research, Teaching, Professional Applications and ICT

eds B Pennock and T Suau (Berlin: Peter Lang.) pp 65-

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Internet Memes and the Construction of Collective

Identity New Media & Society 18(8) 1698-1714

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