ABSTRACT
This chapter explores semiosis in complex multimodal texts, with a special focus on messages and meanings heavily anchored through visual uptake and the habits of interpreting visual culture. Conventions are distinct from codes in that the former are naturalized through use and socialization, while the latter are unwritten rules by which visual interpretation is carried out, stressing how experience, formal training, and daily routine impact our abilities to interpret visuality within multimodal environments and contexts. The specific ways that modes interact are illustrated in a discussion of the various analytical distinctions between modes, supported by a case study of linguistic landscapes around Black Lives Matter, and one involving international tourism. By highlighting public space and multimodal visual experiences, we stress that the personal and the political are intrinsically connected through interpretive experience and expertise.
