An Analysis on the Language Features of English Slogans in Advertisements.doc

An Analysis on the Language Features of English Slogans in Advertisements-广告中英语口号语语言特点分析 From Class 0702of the Foreign Language DepartmentStudent Number: AbstractAs a way of propagating and transmitting information, advertisings role connot be underestimated because it is not only an artful technique in persuading people to buy, but also gradually has become a must for social communication which in turn influences the development of society and economy. The purpose of this paper is to study the linguistic features and sociological features of advertising English, in the hope to help copywriters at home markets in their creating process. The goal of advertising decides its language to be simple and direct, distinct from the characteristics of other discourses. Thus an analysis on the linguistic features of advertising English in the linguistic field is worthwhile. Under such circumstances, a study on the linguistic features of advertising English will have practical effects on the composing and translating work of the copywriters.The whole paper is divided into 3 chapters. The first chapter give a brief introduction on the roles and definitions of advertising and discuss the features and characteristics of English slogans. The second chapter starts from the theories in syntax, lexicology, rhetoric and ends with the linguistic features analyzed in the field of discourse analysis.The third chapter The fourth chapter combines the viewpoints from the previous chapter third and explores the effect of the advertising English as a whole advertising process. The last chapter, also the conclusion part, shows that though advertising language appears to be flowery and refined, its content is no better than commonest language could convey. By exposing the various techniques advertisers have employed in their writing, this part hopes to remind consumers that advertising English is gradually attaining the negative and ambiguous role in guiding people to buy. 摘要广告是为了某种特定的需要，通过一定形式的媒体，公开而广泛地向公众传递信息的宣传手段。随着商品经济的发展，社会的不断进步，广告在我们生活中所产生的作用也变得越来越重要。特别是伴随着信息化社会的到来，广告不再只是作为一种传播手段向消费者告知商品与服务信息，更拥有了广泛的文化性和社会性功能。广告具有鲜明的目的性，即说服顾客进行购买，而广告口号作为广告语言极其重要的一部分更要首当其冲抓住消费者的眼球并让消费者记忆深刻，这种目的性决定了其语言的特色性风格，使其独立于其它文体。本文选定英语这一全球普遍使用的语言，就其应用于广告领域而产生的一些语言学特点和广告本身的社会性特点进行深入分析。此外，针对英语是一种全球通用的国际语言的特点，本文也对英语广告口号应各国各地区不同文化的特征而变化做了简要论述。本文共分为三章。第一章对广告及其在社会生活中产生的作用做了简要介绍，并对广告口号应达到的效果极其特征进行了简要的论述。第二章从句法学、修辞学、词汇学等理论切入，用例证分析了广告英语的语言特点，并从语篇分析的角度对其语言特点进行了剖析。 关键词：广告、英语口号、语言特点 ContentsIntroduction11 A brief introduction to advertisement21.1 the effect of advertisement21.2 the effect of slogan1.3 the characateristics of slogan2 Linguistic features of English slogans2.1 syntax features of English slogans2.2 lexicology features of English slogans2.3 rhetoric features of English slogans3 The differences of English usage among different slogans3.1 the differences caused by different cultures3.2 the differences caused by different environment,media,customers and contentsConclusionWorks CitedAcknowledgments Chapter 1 : A brief introduction to advertisement1.1 the effect of advertisementAdvertising ,as a crucial mean to bridge manufacturers over customers,has played a very important role in our life since long before.From the history perspective ,advertisement means transporting the information of the products and services to customers,which contribute much to our economic growth.Nowadays,however,advertising has surpassed its tradional functions and become a social and culture force.The time has seen significant changes in society and technology that set the stage for modern advertising.The effect of slogansSlogans is part and parcel of the advertisement.It has a original meaning of “shouting loudly”,which has something in common with the concept of slaogans today.The function of slogan is to generate awareness through repeatedly stimulation in order to gain familarity and understanding of specialized groupsThe characateristics of sloganAdvertisings goal is to raise awareness,interest ,desire and ultimately ,action,which leads to the speciality of slogans when compared with other types of language. Slogans must seize public attention.Then,how can slogans emphasize the selling point and what elements should slogans first adopt become the key to successful advertising slogans.Successful slogans should deep into customershearts and be involved in peoples daily life.However,to empahasize the selling point and gain reputation in a short period of time,some advertisers tip their scale in favor of the temprory benefits and put the name of the product and company name into advertising slogans,which may lead to the superfiality of slogans and make the image of the product deteriorate or even collapse.Since slogans must be widely and repeatrdly used to deepen their influence on the public,they must equip with the characteristics: simple ,clear ,appropriate ,innovative ,interesting and easy to understand and remember.Chapter 2 Linguistic features of English slogans 2.1 syntax features of English slogans Simplicity is the first theme of advertising slogans ,so simple and short sentences or phrases are mostly employed by advertisers.They are short and easy to remember We can see that most advertising slogans are no more than 8 words.Such as the famous slogan of Adidas: Impossible is nothing.In order to leave a deep impression to customers,some parallel and juxtapose sentenses are very likely to appear in advertising slogans.Such as the slogan of Fitness magazine-It is about health.It is about exercise.It is about your image.It is about your energy.These 4 sentences give us a brief introduction of the magazine.Four sentences seem not to be complex,but can astonish the readers.The language in advertising slogans must be succint so advertisers are in favor of these ellipsis sentences .This is the case with the slogan of Acura cars:The true definition of Luxury.Yours.These are 2 incomplete sentences,but their meaning are very clear and can touch the customers.Advertisements are to motivate customers to buy the products or services,so we can often see the imperative sentences in advertising slogans.Such as the slogan of Mcdonald:So come into McDonalds and enjoy big Mac sandwich.Sentences like that can always attract the customers and motivate them to buy something.It is not hard to find that advertising slogans seldom use negative sentences,if do ,they highlight the good quality of the products or services.Such as the slogan of the Big Ben Clocks-Victory wont wait for the nation that is late.The present tense and the active voice are mostly employed in advertising slogans because they can give a direct meaning to customers,which is needed for the function advertising .Such as the slogan of Batteries-It keeps going ,going and going.2.2 lexicology features of English slogans The wide usage of comparativeand superlative degree of adjectives can give customers the feeling that that kind of product is the best one and has the best stablity.We can rely on it and it wont disappiont us.Such as the slogan of Oillete the best a man can get,which means that is the best choice and we can no longer find a better one.The wide usage of repeated words . Repeated some important words can emphasize the very important quality of the product.When customers think of that product,he can get very direct sense of that qualities.The usage of abbreviate words and sompound words to make the slogan short and easy to remember.The successful advertising slogan are those that can stay at peoples mind for long.So slogans must be easy to remember and not to be long,so abbreviate words and compound words are the best choice .Such as the slogan of McDonalds-Im lovin it.Dont use the fobidden words or the ones that are hard to understand.There are some laws and regulations which forbid some rude or pornographic or violent words so as not to have some bad impact on the society,especially the children.Whats more,words shouldnt be hard to understand .Some easy wods are more suitable.Such as the slogan of Coca Cola-Life tastes good.2.3 rhetoric features of English slogansAdvertising slogans must be interesting and meaningful,so rhetoric is a must for them.The wide usage of rhetoric methods are analogy(eg:Featherwater:light as a feature.) , personification(eg:Flowers by interflora speak from the heart.) pun(Ask for more-slogan of the More cigarette), rhyming(eg: hi- fi hi-fun hi-fashion only from sony) and repetition(eg:Dish after dish after dish.)The rhetoric methods make the slogans more interesting and meaningful ,so they can attract the customers and have the willingness to talk about them and remember them.Chapter 3: The differences of English usage among different slogans3.1 the differences caused by different cultures An increasing number of advertising and marketing executives agree with Harvards Theodore Levite that the needs and desires of customers around the world are growing ever more homogenized.However,while globalization has been hailed as the new wave and in marketing and advertising ,we can not deny that though peoples basic needs and desires may be quite similar around the world,how they go about satisfying them may vary from country to coutry.The global market still consists of hundreds of nations ,each with its own customs,life styles ,buying habits ,culture and life standard and advertisers must take these in account when designing an advertising slogan. And English ,as an international language ,is widely used all around the world ,almost every coutry has to come across English advertising slogans .So special attention must be paid on designing English slogans to ensure that they are suitable for the local people. With regard to the rules and regulations imposed on the advertising industry,differernt country has different rules.The legal environment has a direct impact on the design of slogans.For example,France doesnt permit comparative advertising slogans while Germany frowns on it and requires that a faieness test must be passed before comparative claims are allowed. And culture differences also can pose formidable hurdles to design slogans.The advertisers have no choice but to employ a specialized approach to advertising slogans design.For example,Ford vehiclesadvertising slogan is “Ford,feel the difference,Ford , bold moves” in USA ,but “built for life in Canada ,built for the road ahead”in Canada. The advertising slogans appeals employed