Blending parody: The case of My Corona

Abstract

Abstract This contribution is an attempt to integrate the notion of conceptual blending (Fauconnier and Turner 1998; Fauconnier and Turner 2002; and Fauconnier and Turner 2003) and Linda Hutcheon’s (1985) view of parody as a form of repetition maintaining a critical distance, through the analysis of a multimodal Internet meme. The case study chosen is a parodic music video of the Knack’s classic hit My Sharona, showing the absurdity in everyday life during the times of the Covid-19 pandemic. The study is thus based on two conceptual paradigms: Blending Theory and Pragmatic Studies of Parody.