Language Features of Advertising

Language Features of Advertising Abstract: American Marketing Association (AMA) defines advertising as “the non-personal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services or ideas by identified sponsors through the various media.” Today, with the development of the technology and the diversity of the mass media, advertising has influenced us pervasively in our daily life.In this passage,the author will show the language features used in advertising from the following aspects: English Morphology in Advertising, English Syntax in Advertising，Rhetorical Devices in English Advertising.Key ords: Morphology Syntax Rhetorical Devices1. English Morphology in AdvertisingAs a means to disseminate information, advertising English must be compact, vivid, visual, emotional and attractive. Therefore, morphology in advertising is quite different from common English.(1). Simple and informalThe function of advertising is to provide information, attract consumer, exploit market, and promise the quality. Therefore, advertisement must pay attention to its impelling language, and the first step is to use popular and oral language to make it easy to understand and memorize. For example:“I couldnt believe it, until I tried it!”“Im impressed! Im really impressed!”“Youve gotta try it!”“I love it!” This is an advertisement of a microwave oven. The words in it are very simple and oral. It uses the slang “gotta”, which means “got to” in American English, to give an impression that this advertisement comes from the real life. (2). Misspelling and CoinageIn some of advertisements, the advertising copywriter misspells some words on purpose, or adds some suffix or prefix to the common words. Although the new words still keep the original meanings, they are quite different from the original words in spelling, which will make the advertisement more vivid, interesting and attractive. e.g. We know eggsactly How to sell eggs.In this advertisement, “eggsactly” is the variation of “exactly”, and echo the word “eggs” at the end of the sentence. The Orangemostest Drink in the world.In this drink advertisement, the word “orangemostest” actually is “orange+most+est”. It uses this word to express the high quality and purity of the drink. The coinage and misspelling are also representing in some phrases, such as:First of all, because now Yoplait is thicker.Second of all, because its creamier.Third of all, because its still 100% natural and really very good for you.Fourth of all, because to me Yoplait tastes better than all the other Yoyurts.And fifth of all, becausewell, just because In this advertisement, the copywriter imitate the phrase “first of all” to create “second of all, third of all, fourth of all”, which will inspire consumers imagination. In addition, some prefixes or suffixes like “super-”, “ex-”, “-er”, “-est” etc, are often used to stress the high quality of the product. (3). LoanwordsThe most frequently used loanwords are French and Spanish. For example:Order it in bottles or in cans.Perrierwith added je ne sais quoi. The meaning of “je ne sais quoi” is “I dont know what”. The purpose to use this simple French is to show the French flavor of this drink. The loanwords in some advertisement are good methods to express the exoticism of the products.(4). ContractionBecause the advertisement fees are so high that its essential to use some contraction to cut short the length, and reduce the cost.To Let or For SaleFurnished Edinburgh Court, 426 Argyly st, 2nd floor, 1,630 sqft4 bedrooms with dining and living room, prive garage. Sale at 130,000. Rent 1,400. Tel, 38954 office time or 823748.This is an advertisement to rent or sell a house. There are many contractions, such as: st=street, sq=square, ft=foot, Tel=telephone.(5). Use of verbsAlthough the ultimate purpose of advertising is to persuade consumers to buy its products, advertisements seldom use the word “buy” in it. Statistics show only two out of ten advertisements use the verb “buy” directly. On one hand, the advertisers try their best to promote their product; on the other hand, they dont want to give the consumers a feeling of spending their money. Therefore, the choice of verbs is very careful in advertising. The most frequently used 20 verbs and phrasal verbs are:Try, ask, get, take, let, send for, use, call, make, come on, hurry, see, give, come, remember, discover, serve, introduce, choose, and look for.Examples:Getting places in the business world is easier if your banker is there to meet you.-Security Pacific Asian Bank. We can give you a better view of investment opportunities from both sides of the Pacific.-City Bank. (6). Use of AdjectivesThe most frequently used adjectives are:1.new 2. crisp 3. good/better/best 4. fine 5. free 6. big 7. fresh 8. great 9. delicious 10. real 11. full, sure 12. easy, bright 13. clean 14. extra, safe 15.special 16. rich(7). Use of Compound wordsThere are lots of compound words in advertisement mainly because the element of compound words could be any part of speech, and has few limits in grammar and word order.The following are the main ways of word forming:adj+noun: short-term goal, high-fashion knitwearnoun+adj: the farmhouse-fresh faste, brand-newv-ing+adj: shining-cleannoun+v-ed: honey-coated sugar puffs, home-madeadj/adv+v-ed: warm-hearted, perfectly-testured cakesnoun+v-ing: a relief-giving liquid, record-breakingadj+v-ing: innocent-looking, fresh-tasting milkadv+v-ing: hard-working, the best-selling soft toilet tissuenoun+noun: economy-size shredded wheat, a state-of-the-art cell sorceradv+noun: up-to-the-minute sculling2. English Syntax in Advertising(1). More simple sentences, less complex sentencesIt will get better effect to use simple sentences than compound sentences, because the readers will get bored on reading complex sentences. Another reason is to reduce the cost of advertising, and effectively stimulate the consumers. (2). More interrogative sentences and imperative sentencesAccording to statistics, in every 30 sentences there is one interrogative sentence. Because interrogative sentences are quick and effective to arouse readers response. The following is an advertisement of Lurpark Danish butter:Whats so special about Lurpark Danish butter? Well, can you remember what butter used to taste like real fresh farm house butter? Do you remember how you used to enjoy it when you were young? Today the taste of Lurpark bring it all back to you thats why its so special. The imperative sentences have a meaning of claiming, calling and commanding, similarly the goal of advertising is to persuade and urge consumers to accept its product or service. Therefore, there are lots of imperative sentences in advertising, such as:Get ready to encounter the new trend in timepieces.The Citizen Espreme Collection.Watches that are indicators of tastes and moods. that express you.-Citizen Watch (3). Disjunctive ClauseDisjunctive clause is unique for advertising English, which separates a long, complex sentence into several simple sentences by using full stop, dash, semi-colon, hyphen, etc. Those sentences are independent in form, but are related in the content. The use of disjunctive clause could add more information and save more space and money. The separated parts are usually the features of the product, so that they could emphasize the good points of the product. There is an example of Amtrak, which has successfully used the disjunctive clauses:Amtrak has created a new. nationwide passenger rail system. Literally from the ground up. A system that represented a viable alternative for people who fly. For business or pleasure. (4). Minor ClauseMinor clause has simple elements, which could lay stress on the key words. It could not only reduce the length and cost, but also disseminate information more effectively.More than a timepiece, An acquisition.-Piagit So come into McDonalds and enjoy a Big Mac Sandwich.-McDonald 3. Rhetorical Devices in English AdvertisingRhetorical devices are variations of literal or ordinary form of expressions. Their use is to make the thought more striking and effective, for they have the power to vivify and illustrate. A fresh, apt rhetorical device appeals to the imagination, creates mental pictures and makes the speech or writing vivid, impressive and interesting. For this reason, advertisers often use various rhetorical devices to increase the readability and appeal of an advertisement and to arouse consumers interest of buying the product. (1). PersonificationPersonification is a figure of speech in which inanimate objects or abstractions are endowed with human qualities or are represented as possessing human form. The use of personification in advertising will endow the product with human emotion, and will make them amicable to consumers.Flowers by Interflora speak from the heart.-Interflora We are proud of the birthplaces of our children, the grapes of Almaden.On our classic varietal wines, you will find the birthplaces of our children.-Almaden (2). Simile and MetaphorSimile is a figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by like or as.Light as a breeze, soft as a cloud.Ride like a feather in your pocket.Metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison.Go for the GoldThe brightest star in electronics.(3). PunPun is a play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.Ask for More-More cigarette Spoil yourself and not spoil your figure.A Deal with Us Means A Good Deal To You.(4). RepetitionIn some advertisements, the copywriters often use the method of repetition to stress certain information.When youre sipping Lipton, youre sipping something special.-Lipton tea (5). RhymingRhyming is correspondence of terminal sounds of words or of lines of verse.Pepsi-Cola hits the spot,Twelve full ounces, thats a lot,Twice as much for a nickel, too,Pepsi-Cola is the drink for you. Conclusion: The wide use of advertising has created a special style of Englishadvertising English. Its unique features, simple language and immense attraction separate it from other kind of language. In the development of advertising English, this kind of language has formed its own features in several aspects as I have refered to in my passage. At the same time ,it never stoped developing with the time. Thus,we should pay closely attention to it,and it will be helpful not only in making an attractive advertisement, but also the well master of language.Reference: Dictionary of Business, Oxford University Press, Market House Books Ltd 1996The Economist (April 17, 1999)Gompers, P. and J. Lerner, 1998, What Drives Venture Capital Fundraising? Brookings Papers On Economic Activity-Microeconomics, 149-192.