Double-Scope Conceptual Blending in Iranian Economic Cartoons

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Linguistics, Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Economic press cartoons constitute a prominent multimodal genre for representing and critiquing economic realities in the public sphere. Drawing on Fauconnier and Turner’s (2002) theory of conceptual blending, this study aims to examine the cognitive mechanisms underlying meaning construction and visual humor in Iranian economic press cartoons. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzed a corpus of 300 cartoons selected through random sampling, among which 70 cartoons were identified as containing conceptual blending structures. In the quantitative phase, the types of blends were classified, while the qualitative phase focused on an in-depth analysis of three representative economic cartoons using the four-space blending model. The findings revealed that both single-scope and double-scope blends were employed; however, double-scope blends played a more significant role in producing critical meanings and representing economic instability. In addition, vital relations—particularly causality, identity, role, and power—were central to organizing the blended space and guiding interpretation. Discursively, the theme of currency rate increase showed the highest frequency, reflecting its symbolic role as a marker of economic insecurity in everyday experience. Overall, the study demonstrates the analytical value of conceptual blending for understanding visual humor and economic critique in press cartoons.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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Research in Western Iranian Languages and Dialects
Volume 14, Issue 2
July 2026
Pages 31-46

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