mode: the way in which language is communicated between text producer and reciever eg an image, in writing, in speech or a logo. the term mode (from semiotics and linguistics) is related to the term medium (from media studies) which is how messages are mediated (eg paper or digital text) and also to the term channel (from communication studies) which is the physical means of transmission (eg auditory, visual or olfactory). Mode also encompasses ideas around planning and spontaneity, distance between text producer and reciever, how transitory or long-lasting a text is. Mode is more than a binary opposition, is sometimes visualised as a continuum and is constantly changing as new communication technologies blur the line between older forms