Editorial cartooning is graphic communication that mostly employs drawn images. But the form of art's most distinguishing characteristic is its ability to fuse image and text. Reading visual characteristics alone in an editorial cartoon is therefore not enough. Text is an important part of cartoons as words support images to create meaning.
Text is used in many different ways and includes captions underneath the composition. Cartoonists often use speech bubbles to attribute spoken words to one or more of the drawn figures in their compositions.
Because the human eye is trained to read from left to right, editorial cartoonists logically arrange the speech bubbles such that whatever is placed on the extreme right of the composition concludes, summarises or gives the context for the editorial cartoon.
More often than not, the bubble placed on the extreme right gives the 'punch line' to the cartoon and determines if the composition is meant to be humourous, serious, thought-provoking, or meant to be just a gag.
Other cartoonists, such as the Chronicle's Wellington Musapenda regularly replaces speech bubbles with captions as part of an artistic style that is easy to understand for the reader as they make sure the images are cleverly arranged to identify the speaker and the effect of the words to other components of the composition.
Text is also used through newspaper banners as a compass reference to the topic the editorial cartoon may be alluding to.
This makes it easier for the reader to understand the cartoon as it refers to information already in the public domain.
Cartoonists also use text as labels and signs. This technique is particularly vital where metaphorical representations are made.
Others with a vague or abstract artistic style may use labels to ensure that there is no ambiguity in both the figure drawn and the combined meaning of the editorial cartoon.
Text may be used in many ways but its meaning may be found in multiple layers.
Words can have several meanings, including conceptual, connotative, stylistic and affective implications. The conceptual meaning or sense is the logical or denotative content of the text.
It is the basic and central meaning in linguistic communication. In other words conceptual meaning is the 'dictionary' definition of a text. In this form of meaning, the word 'President' would only refer to a head of state, organisation or society who is given that title.
Connotative meaning, is cultural-based, it is the lexical meaning related to the certain thing it refers to.
In Zimbabwe, 'President' in a local cartoon automatically makes reference to the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the defence forces.
It would probably mean something else if mentioned in a cartoon appearing in an MDC-T newsletter for example.
Language is just as dynamic as culture and evolves within specific geographical areas such that its meaning there becomes exclusive to a local population.
Nowhere else in the world except here would the phrase 'heavy stuff' mean something appealing or pleasing to any of the human senses?
Stylistic meaning, a form of associative meaning, and referring to what a piece of language conveys about the social circumstances surrounding its use. 'Chinja' would normally mean 'change' but if used in Zimbabwe, it is a political slogan that is associated with the party led by Morgan Tsvangirai.
When 'pamberi neZanu' is translated into English, it means very little because it refers to an ideology whose social significance has no direct comparison in any other language.
There are a lot of editorial cartoonists that create their work for a global audience and succeed in doing so, but most cartoons, based on the image and textual references, only appeal to a limited audience.
Affective meaning relates to language that reflects the personal feelings of the speaker, including his/her attitude to the listener or his/her attitude towards something he/she is talking about.
Affective meaning is the emotional content of the text. When a woman is depicted in an editorial cartoon yelling to her husband, "You are a dog!" the immediate implication, as suggested by the exclamation mark is that she would be speaking in a loud high pitched voice.
Additionally, likening a man to an animal known for its low moral standards gives an indication of the woman's emotional state.
While the image representations may also show signs of a strained relationship, the text would provide an emotionally charged rant that shows her anger, her disappointment and her disproval of the man's actions.
Most cartoonists prefer to use very little text in their work mainly because their styles are effective enough to how moods, emotions, movement, action and coherence.
But whenever text is employed, it is often so little, yet so effective that the targeted audience consumes it and get understanding with minimal efforts.
This is because they carefully choose what to write so that textual meaning is immediately apparent, understood within the context and its emotional value is well considered.
