SYNOPSIS (MS in Linguistics and Literature)SUBMITTED FOR DEFENSEPRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF EDITORIAL CARTOONSSundas Munir(Reg # 160820)MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY inLinguistics and LiteratureToDEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCESDEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCESAIR UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABADAugust, 2017SYNOPSIS (MS in Linguistic and Literature)SUBMITTED FOR DEFENSEStudent Name: Sundas MunirRegistration No.: 160820Student Signature:__________Date:¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬-____________________Supervisor: Sir AfzalSignature: _____________ Date: _________________Thesis Coordinator: Dr. Farzana MasroorSignature:____________Date:________________Department Coordinator: Urooj ZaibSignature: ____________Date: ________________ABSTRACTThis research attempts to pragmatically evaluate Pakistani political cartoons as a detailed analysis in order to increase general understanding of the structures and important features of political cartoons. Using qualitative analysis, current study is the pragmatic analysis of political cartoons published after panama papers were released on 3rd April 2016 and its effects on politics in Pakistan.
It analyses the ways cartoons were used as communicative tools on internet and print media to produce significant meaning and dominant political themes. The span had also reflected the most strained period of Pakistan’s political activities among various political parties who utilized different mediums to persuade voters including print and electronic media. It explores the impact of cartoons on common people in the background of political, social, religious and ethical environment. The sample for this research will be based on fifty editorial cartoons regarding panama papers.CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTIONCartoons have been a part of print media and political campaigns for more than last two centuries. Hardly anyone can ignore this medium as it is fun based way of delivering deep thoughts but it is sometimes difficult to determine whether one has understood the hidden message or not. It needs proper background knowledge and analytical skills for that some cartoons are quite easy to comprehend but some are complex too.
Cartoonists use humor, satire, irony, exaggeration, labeling and analogy to express their public opinion. Satire typically deals with demonstration and exposure of human vices or follies in order to scorn or ridicule humans; graphic caricatures ridicule pictorially. In political cartoons, the purpose is to ridicule, debunk or expose persons, groups or organizations engaged in political or social scenario.This genre is highly exciting to study as a small image portrays a psyche, trend, society, culture and belief. In general, this genre can be classified into two; opinion and jokes.
Both of them are different and interconnected simultaneously. Often the distinction between the two is almost as easy to make in practice as it is in theory. The purpose of this case study is to establish a link between political cartoons published after panama gate papers revealed offshore companies of Prime minister’s family and Pakistani political and cultural context that how they create an impact on the minds of general public of Pakistan. 1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The present study analyzed the political editorial cartoons based on the concept of Panama Papers in the light of pragmatic analysis.1.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES • To investigate the editorial cartoons pragmatically• To demonstrate whether these editorial cartoons tends to elaborate political situation or not1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS • How editorial cartoons elaborate political scenarios pragmatically?• Do these editorials have the capacity of developing the political conditions appropriately or not?1.
4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study will be useful for those who are interested in producing political editorial cartoons. The study will also help the future researchers to understand the concept of pragmatic analysis. CHAPTER 2LITERATURE REVIEWAccording to Ferdinand de Saussure pragmatic analysis is a notion of being critical in a critical science. Heterogeneity of methodological and theoretical approaches represented in this field of linguistics tend to confirm Ferdinand’s point that pragmatic analysis is at the most shared perspective on doing speech act theory, conversational implicature, talk in interaction and other approaches to language behavior in philosophy, sociology, linguistics and anthropology linguistic, semiotic or discourse analysis.
Nowadays, it is used in a broader sense, denoting practical linking of social and political engagement with a sociologically informed construction of society. Generally, pragmatic analysis is considered as a subfield of linguistics and semiotics that studies the ways in which context contributes to meaning.The history of political cartoons dates back from the ancient Egypt’s culture 1360, B.C. where human and animal caricatures were painted on the walls. Then this genre travelled to Europe and other parts of the globe.
The medium of cartoons signifies political discourse climate and future plans both in politicians’ personal and in national interest. Language functions are a means of transmitting one’s cognitive and social development and sharing one’s specific attitude.
