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PRIMA

Procedures for Interpreting Multimodal Argumentation

PRIMA is a 4-year NCN-funded research project based at the Department of Linguistics and Communication of the 91滴滴. 

Project Aims

Prima is funded by a grant of 1,999,488 PLN from the Polish National Science Centre (NCN). The project runs from October 2025 until September 2029.

The analysis of Multimodal Argumentation presents a number of problems to scholars, both theoretical and practical. In the PRIMA project we apply the principles of eXplainable Argumentation (XAT) to create interpretation procedures for arguments expressed in more than one mode. Our detailed aims are: 

  • Objective 1: Develop a clear theoretical conceptualisation of multimodal argumentation. 

  • Objective 2: Establish an understanding of the role of internet memes in argumentation. 

  • Objective 3: Design and test systematic, repeatable procedures for the identification, classification, and evaluation of multimodal arguments.

  • Objective 4: Create an environment for the further development of research into multimodal rhetoric and argumentation. 

Project News

Salzburg - December 2025   Multimodal Argumentation Workshop

The team was in Austria to present at the MA workshop. This small event featured many of the leading scholars in the field, such as Leo Groarke, Charles Forceville, John Bateman, Janina Wildfeuer, and Assimakis Tseronis, as well as our long-term collaborators, Gabrijela Ki拧i膷ek and Jean Wagemans.

 

Groningen - October 2025   ICOM - International Conference on Multimodality

Dr Majdzi艅ska-Koczorowicz visited the 12th International Conference on Multimodality with the theme 鈥淭he Multimodal Multiverse!鈥�.

Project Team

Principal Investigator: Martin Hinton

Martin Hinton

Martin Hinton is a linguist and philosopher, specialising in argumentation theory. He has written extensively on fallacy theory and evaluation systems for arguments. In his 2021 monograph, 鈥樷��, Hinton set out the principles of the Comprehensive Assessment System for Natural Argumentation (CAPNA). Together with Jean Wagemans at the University of Amsterdam, he has developed eXplainable Argument Theory (XAT), which seeks to operationalise theories of argument into procedural tools allowing the explicit and repeatable identification, categorisation, and evaluation of arguments.

Hinton is the principal researcher on the Aida: Attitude and Identity in Argumentation project, also funded by the NCN, and leads the Xact: eXplainable Argumentation and Critical Thinking research group. He is head of the department of Linguistics and Communication at the 91滴滴.

 

Co-investigator: Aleksandra Majdzi艅ska-Koczorowicz

Dr Majdzi艅ska-Koczorowicz is a linguist who has published several papers on the interpretation of memes, using a cognitive linguistics approach. She has a particular interest in metaphors expressed multimodally.

Dr Majdzi艅ska-Koczorowicz

Researcher: Weronika Olkowska

Weronika

Weronika Olkowska is a student at the doctoral school of humanities, 91滴滴. 

Research Assistant: Kacper Rybi艅ski

Kacper is a graduate of the University of Cambridge, where he read English at St John's College, and a current MA student in English Studies at the 91滴滴. His research interests straddle literature (methods of literary production, modernist prose and poetry, digital literature) and linguistics (rhetorical construction of identity, linguistic abstraction of voice, argumentation theory), and he explores each through the lens of the other.

Kacper Rybinski
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Multimodal Argumentation Theory

Argumentation is the study of arguments and persuasive discourse. Many of the foundational ideas of the field were first elaborated by Aristotle and his work remains relevant to argument theorists to this day. 

In recent years, argumentation scholars have become increasingly aware of the fact that all around us are thousands of cartoons, posters, films, songs, and more, which contain arguments. We are particularly interested in internet memes.

New ways to interpret these arguments presented in multiple modes are being created and the Prima project is at the heart of that research.  

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