Abstract

This research investigates the intricate relationship between visual elements and written language in the co-construction of meanings within WhatsApp messages. In recent decades, there have been rapid advancements in communication technologies. Rather than merely typing written texts, users nowadays can incorporate visual elements in text messaging. An increasing number of users have embraced the use of visual elements to enhance the engagement and dynamism of their conversations. Nowadays, people from the younger demographic, such as undergraduate college students, employ visual elements, such as emojis, memes, GIFs, and stickers, alongside written texts. Scholars have underscored the significance of visual elements as both alternative and complementary tools to text in creating and shaping meaning in digital discourse. Recognizing the vital role of visual elements in encoding and decoding messages, the researchers advocate for a multimodal analysis of WhatsApp messages among Hong Kong undergraduate students. This study successfully identifies the visual elements used by college students, investigates the functions of visual elements, and examines the relationship between context and visual elements in WhatsApp messaging.