A Cognitive Linguistic Study of Construal Operations in Selected Strange Trend Silent Animated Films

Abstract

The present study is qualitative cognitive linguistic study. It aims to examine the number and type of 
construal operations highlighted by Croft and Cruise (2004) by the participants when deciphering silent 
animated animation. To meet the objective of the study, two silent animated films have been selected 
from Strange Trend YouTube group to be the data of the study. The type of animations selected address 
social and human issues that might be encountered in any society at any time. The model used in the 
analysis is Croft and Cruise’ Adapted version of Construal Operations. The study has concluded that  the 
majority of the participants unconsciously passed through these stages; however, the number of these 
stages were sometimes minimized to 2 or three stages. Not all items identified in the first stage have been 
invested in the rest of the stages. Finally, there is no one to one correspondence between the number of 
items identified and the ability to access the conceptually connoted meaning of the silent animate under 
examination. The level of literacy among the participants is good; however, they need to focus more to 
reach the last stage of the construal operations which focuses on the details.