The effectiveness of sarcastic multimodal semiotic analysis in revealing deficiencies among authority officials: a case study of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

This study examines the role of multimodal semiotics in highlighting sarcasm embedded in the verbal and visual comments addressing the deficiencies of the Jordanian BRT project on social media platforms. Barthes' semiotic approach was adopted to analyze 200 visual and verbal comments from Jordanians' posts. The semiotic analysis elucidates that sarcasm is produced through a deliberate interaction of various semiotic modes combined with recontextualized socio-cultural resources. The commentators employ strategically sarcastic rhetorical techniques to articulate societal discontent with corruption, lack of accountability, and disillusionment with authoritative figures. These sarcastic techniques encompass comparisons, personification, rhetorical questions, proverbs, intertextuality, and exaggeration. The employment of sarcasm has critically interrogated the corrupt discourse of authority figures, shedding light on the intricate power dynamics and inherent inefficiencies and nuances that permeate their discourse. This analytical lens situates these figures as an out-group, susceptible to ridicule by the in-group community that bears the adverse consequences of corruption. It is anticipated that this investigation will yield significant contributions to subsequent research, providing valuable insights into multimodal semiotic analysis.