Abstract: As a new research field, multimodal discourse analysis is facing a lot of challenges. On the one hand, the status of multimodality in traditional linguistics is questioned. Many linguists argue that nonlinguistic signs such as gestures and visual images are out of the scope of linguistics. On the other hand, the theories and methods of multimodal discourse analysis are still at an early stage of development and have many limitations. Moreover, many researchers have misunderstandings of the field. In view of these, this article provides a brief explanation of the basic questions of multimodal discourse analysis, including why we analyze multimodal discourse, whether linguistic theories are applicable to nonlinguistic signs such as visual images and gesture, what is the scope of multimodal research, what are the main theories and methods, and what are the limitations and misunderstandings. It further points out that researchers need to have the awareness of making their research interdisciplinary, empirical, and application-oriented. It argues that multimodal research should be based on theoretical and methodological innovation, and should aim at solving real communication problems in the multimedia age. The accurate understanding of these questions is crucial for developing multimodal discourse analysis into a new discipline with strong theoretical and methodological support.

Keywords: multimodal discourse analysis; basic questions; theoretical perspectives; research methods

摘要： 作为一个新的研究领域，多模态语篇分析仍然面临诸多挑战。一方面，多模态研究在传统语言学领域的地位仍然受到质疑；另一方面，多模态研究的理论与方法仍处于初级阶段，有很多局限，同时，有些学者对该领域的认识存在一些误区。因此，本文拟对多模态研究的基本问题进行系统梳理，简要回答为什么要研究多模态语篇，语言学理论是否适用于分析图像、手势等非语言符号，多模态的研究范畴是什么，有哪些理论与方法、局限与误区等问题。本文进一步提出研究者需要有跨学科意识、实证意识与应用意识，立足于理论与方法创新，着眼于解决多媒体时代传播与交际中的实际问题。正确把握这些基本问题对将多模态语篇分析发展成为一个具有强大理论支撑与严谨方法保障的新兴学科具有重要意义。

关键词: 多模态语篇分析, 基本问题, 理论视角, 研究方法