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Article published In: Review of Cognitive Linguistics
Vol. 24:1 (2026) ► pp.99–133

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Intertextual satire in media discourse

Conceptual blends

ORCiD logo with link | Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
ORCiD logo with link | Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
ORCiD logo with link | Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
Published online: 7 May 2024
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https://doi.org/10.1075/rcl.00183.doi
Abstract
The paper investigates intertextual satire in media discourse from the cognitive linguistic perspective. Within the frameworks of conceptual blending theory and the theory of precedent-related phenomena, we examine the cognitive processes of producing and understanding intertextual satire. By modelling conceptual integration networks, we aim to specify the cognitive mechanisms and operations involved in decoding intertextual satirical articles, drawing on examples from Private Eye magazine. The study demonstrates that the basic cognitive mechanism involved in creating intertextual satire is blending, and, in contrast to ironic utterances, which involve two contexts, in intertextual satire one and the same scenario unfolds in three contexts: real, fictional, and satirical. Thus, the blend that occurs as a result of combining real and fictional scenarios is verbalised and obvious to the recipient. The emergent structure, based on the blend, represents the intended (non-verbalised) meaning of intertextual satire, namely indirect criticism of the real situation under focus.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Satire in the media: Main approaches, key notions, dominant trends
    • 2.2Intertextuality and the theory of precedence
    • 2.3Conceptual integration theory
  • 3.Method and material
    • 3.1Data collection
    • 3.2Procedure of analysis
      • Irony
      • Intertextual satire
  • 4.Analysis and discussion
    • 4.1Tweedledom and Tweedlelee Both Sacked
    • 4.2Abel and Cain in Huge Split
    • 4.3Cruella De Vil Furious at “Ghislaine Maxwell” Comparison
  • 5.Conclusions
  • References
References (84)
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