Vídeos do youtube e ensino de inglês: uma análise composicional

Abstract

With the growing consumption of videos focusing on learning English as a foreign language, it is necessary to reflect about this contemporary text genre. Thus, this study aims to identify the semiotic resources used in YouTube videos about English learning by means of a compositional analysis based on Systemic-Functional Linguistics (HALLIDAY, 2004) and, more specifically, on Visual Grammar (KRESS; VAN LEEUWEN, 2006). For that, we mapped the five most accessed videos on English learning for the Brazilian audience and selected one recent and popular video from each channel for the analysis. In these videos, we analyzed semiotic patterns in terms of value of information (left/right, top/bottom, and center/margin) and salience. New information, such as unknown vocabulary and uncommon references, tend to be placed in the right side (new information) and familiar information, such as channel subscription and hints closer to most users’ reality, is placed in the left side (given information). Top (ideal) and bottom (real) values basically appear in the form of explanatory subtitles placed at the bottom of the screen. Regarding salience, several resources are used – changes in font size, focus, contrast, colors, perspective -, and at certain times they give emphasis, and at other times they just signal a shift in the flow of reasoning to the reader. It can be concluded that despite the freedom enabled by the platform, the very use fixes specific practices in the use of semiotic resources, aligned to the context of culture and to the characteristics of the genre.