مطالب

Since comics comprise images and texts, the relations between them should be a major concern of comics studies. However, few studies have focused on the intersemiotic interaction between images and texts in the meaning construction of Chinese classic comics. This study applies Martinec and Salway’s system to Tsai Chih-Chung's English comic version of The Analects of Confucius (The Analects), attempting to explore the image-text relations in Chinese classic comics. It is found that the image-text relations in Tsai Chih-Chung's English comic version of The Analects can be summarized as unequal-status and logico-semantics combined. Quantitative analysis shows that the images are always subordinate to the texts, and in terms of logico-semantic relations, all of subsystems but “image more general” are included. Besides, the distribution of the logico-semantic relations of image and text indicates that two different subsystems, namely expansion and projection, integrate and work together to create meanings in this version. Qualitative analysis shows that the tactful deployment of the combinations of image-text relation in The Analects makes it visually-verbally coherent. The intersemiotic interaction between images and texts also contributes a lot to the discourse meaning construction of Tsai Chih-Chung's English comic version. However, in The Analects, the image-text relation relies too much on the extension of the image by the text as well as the projection of locution. This study provides a case reference for the analysis of Chinese classic comic as multimodal discourse, and also contributes to promoting the overseas dissemination of traditional Chinese culture.

Online review sites and social media platforms have become crucial sources of information for consumers, greatly influencing their purchasing behavior and decision-making, especially in the food and beverage industry. However, not many studies have been carried out to understand how social media influences customers’ purchase intentions at fast-food restaurants. This paper examines the growing influence of social media attributes on purchase intentions, with a focus on the Malaysian context. Previous studies highlight the increasing importance of social media platforms as marketing tools and their impact on customers’ purchase intentions. The research explores the relationship between habit and informativeness and their influence on purchase intentions among young adults in fast-food restaurants. A purposive sampling method was utilized to gather data from 142 fast-food customers through a cross-sectional online survey. The research hypotheses were analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling. Key findings found that habit and informativeness have a significant positive impact on customers’ intentions to purchase at fast-food restaurants. The study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the growing influence of social media on consumer behavior in the context of fast-food restaurants. It adds to our understanding of how social media platforms serve as effective marketing tools, particularly among young adults, and how they can influence purchase intentions. By understanding the interplay of habit, informativeness, and purchase intentions, businesses can develop more effective marketing strategies and foster stronger relationships with their customers.

Iran is considered one of the ancient and civilized countries of the world, with a culture and civilization that has persisted for thousands of years without collapse. Written storytelling is one of the defining features of ancient civilizations, with its origins in Iran dating back approximately three thousand years. This article examines storytelling models in classical Persian literature. The common narrative methods in classical Persian literature can be categorized into five models: the repetitive model, the pearl beads on a plate model, the string of pearls (pearl necklace) model, the cluster of grapes model, and the grand narratives containing smaller stories model. It should be noted that the diversity of these methods is closely linked to the customs, traditions, and tastes of ancient Iranian society. Traces of these storytelling techniques can be observed in classical Persian literature until the twentieth century. However, after this period, influenced by contemporary European literature, these models gradually faded and disappeared from contemporary Persian literature.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between psychological abnormalities and emotional interactions with emotional divorce, with the mediating role of religious beliefs in couples experiencing marital conflicts. Methods: The research method was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population of this study included all couples visiting counseling centers in the city of Neka (Neda-e-Zendegi Counseling Center, Phoenix Counseling Center, Amin Counseling Center, Imam Ali Social Work Counseling Center, and Mental Health Counseling Center) during the first six months of 2022, totaling 686 individuals (343 couples). Using the Krejcie and Morgan table, the sample size was calculated to be 246 individuals, and through a convenience sampling method, those who were interested in participating in the study were selected as the sample. They responded to questionnaires on psychological abnormalities by Najarian and Davoodi (2001), emotional interactions of couples by Brok and Bretman (1995), emotional divorce by Gottman (1995), and religious beliefs by Najafi (2006). Data analysis was performed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Pearson correlation test, and structural equation modeling with SPSS and AMOS software. Findings: The findings showed that psychological abnormalities had a positive effect on emotional divorce and a negative effect on religious beliefs. Additionally, emotional interactions had a negative effect on emotional divorce and a positive effect on religious beliefs. Furthermore, religious beliefs had a negative effect on emotional divorce in couples. On the other hand, the results indicated that religious beliefs played a mediating role in the relationship between psychological abnormalities, emotional interactions, and emotional divorce in couples. Conclusion: This study highlights the indirect effect of psychological disorders and emotional interactions on emotional divorce, with religious beliefs playing a mediating role among couples experiencing marital conflicts. The findings suggest that strengthening religious beliefs may help reduce emotional divorce, emphasizing the need for interventions that promote emotional well-being and healthy marital dynamics.