Internet Memes in Network Communication: English Entertainment Sites

Abstract

Internet memes are an integral part of the Internet entertainment discourse. They are often based on precedent phenomena and reflect current events, facilitate the self-expression of the author, create a comic effect, etc. Memes possess a great repetitive and transformation potential. Their textual element is compact and humor-oriented. In the English Internet discourse, memes exist as texts, pictures, pictures with captions, and videos. The most common memes are those that refer to mass and Internet culture. In social networks, their main communicative goals are entertainment, reflection of current events, and increasing personal rating. The policy of the social network and the peculiarities of the meme culture determine the cooperative speech strategy they represent: even when the meme is part of some conflictogenic tactics, the negative reaction is not its main goal.