Intertextual-Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis of Naghsh-e Jahan Square as a Text: based on Visual Interactional Meaning Dimension

Shahabi, Habib; Ghiasian, Maryamsadat; Pourebrahim, Shirin

doi:10.22059/jolr.2026.388128.666907

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Linguistics and Foreign Languages, Payame Noor University (PNU), Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2026.388128.666907

Abstract

In the discourse of urban design and architectural theory, the concept of the city as text - as the foundation of history, culture, and social relations - has been one of the topics that has been given attention many times. Urban landmarks, as study cases of the City-as-Text concept, illustrate the intricate layers of history, culture, and social dynamics woven into the fabric of urban spaces. Among these, public squares play a pivotal role in fostering social interactions and enhancing urban sustainability. Assuming that urban discourse is shaped by a blend of discourse category elements, in which intertextual aspects are viewed as a "combination of potentials," this study aims to give a chance of a comprehensive understanding of how historical public squares can be effectively used in visual-interactional design contexts. In this research, visual discourse samples are collected in the field and through photography from the components of Naghsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan. Then, to depict the complex layeres of hidden messages and meanings in this physical space and its visual and interactive components, the proposed approach of "multimodal-intertextual critical discourse analysis" is used. The purpose of developing this approach was to help perform a comprehensive semiotic analysis of prominent urban landmarks and gain insights into the formation of complex interactions of visual and interactive elements within such spaces. This approach helped to examine how language and visual elements contribute to meaning-making in an urban context such as Naghsh-e Jahan Square. Findings indicated that analysis of a city landmark may lead to exploring how stories and histories in the place contribute to its cultural identity and how they can be communicated to visitors and residents. Results also revealed that using Naghsh-e Jahan Square in interactive design elements could profoundly influence user behavior, from enhancing engagement and perception to affecting emotional and cognitive responses

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Language Research

Intertextual-Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis of Naghsh-e Jahan Square as a Text: based on Visual Interactional Meaning Dimension

References

References

Volume 16, Issue 2 - Serial Number 31
March 2026
Pages 215-239

Intertextual-Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis of Naghsh-e Jahan Square as a Text: based on Visual Interactional Meaning Dimension

References

References

Volume 16, Issue 2 - Serial Number 31March 2026Pages 215-239

Volume 16, Issue 2 - Serial Number 31
March 2026
Pages 215-239