bullet">Visuals (images, clips, colors),

Sound (music, voiceovers, ambient audio),

Text (captions, on-screen annotations),

Gestures (dance, facial expression, movement),

Spatial design (frame layout, transitions, pacing)

Together, these modes work to create meaning in ways that go beyond traditional text or spoken language alone. For example, a video about health tips may use engaging visuals, upbeat music, text overlays, and a voice narrative, making the idea easier to understand and remember than a long written article.

In the Philippines, short-form videos also shape language and culture. Research shows that TikTok generates new Filipino English expressions and neologisms that spread rapidly among users, illustrating how digital media can influence how people create and interpret language. This is a key example of multimodality in action: meaning is not encoded only in words but in how images, sound, and movement combine to make ideas memorable and shareable.

The implications of this change are significant. First, young people develop new literacy skills, learning to interpret and produce content that blends modes fluidly. Second, short-form videos shape attitudes and behaviors—from consumer choices to health decisions—because they reach audiences quickly and persuasively. However, they also raise challenges. For example, the quality and accuracy of information vary widely, and audiences must become critically literate to distinguish reliable content from misinformation.

In conclusion, short-form video platforms in the Philippines exemplify the multiliteracies concept of multimodality. They are not just entertainment tools but environments where new forms of communication are created and interpreted every day. As these platforms continue to grow, understanding how they shape meaning is essential for both creators and consumers in a digital society.

Sources: Oxford Academic — Exploring TikTok to increase one’s health literacy: the Philippine experience (2024): https://academic.oup.com/pmj/article/100/1188/776/7642161 , Research on Philippine English neologisms on TikTok: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385504498_Philippine_English_in_Social_Media_The_Emergence_and_Evolution_of_Neologisms_in_TikTok, , Media and Information Literacy trends in the Philippines (including rise of short-form video): https://sites.google.com/deped.gov.ph/mediainformationliteracy-sero/topic-9-current-and-future-trends-of-media-and-information/discussion

Short-Form Video Platforms in the Philippines — Multimodality and Meaning-Making