Figures of Speech in Advertising English

英语论文

Figures of Speech in Advertising English

广告英语中的修辞格

Abstract

Nowadays, we are endlessly bombarded with all kinds of advertisements through various media such as magazine, newspaper, TV, radio, poster and internet, etc. Advertisements play more and more important role, especially in import and export business. Advertisement takes an important part in modern life, with its special magic power, prompting social and economic development. Advertising English is mainly characterized by its originality, flexibility of language usage and the diversity of the forms. Apart from the distinguishing features at lexical and syntactic levels, rhetorical vehicles, as decorative devices of language, are frequently employed in advertising English. The most frequently used figures of speech are: personification, simile, pun, parallelism and so on. The application of these figures of speech can make products or services lively, interesting, visualized, and lifelike, also endow the advertising English with the beauty of rhythm and English language. Personification makes products lively and lifelike; simile make products brilliant on their features; parallelism makes language tone more strong. Figures of speech can bring advertising a good effect and make readers impressive on both products and language if it's used properly. The pragmatic application of figures of speech in advertising is a frequently used strategy. From a fairly wide range of typical advertisement data, we have made an attempt to analyze the deliberate application of several figures of speech in common.

Key Words: Figures of speech; Advertising ; Application

摘 要

当今，广告以多种媒体形式如杂志、报纸、电视、广播、海报、因特网等多种形式出现在我们日常生活中。尤其在商品进出口中，广告充当着越来越重要的角色。广告作为现代生活的重要组成部分有着独特魅力，它对社会经济的发展起着推动作用。广告英语的独特性在于其新颖、灵活的语言及其形式的多样化，除了在词汇和句法方面别具一格外，修辞手法也被广泛地运用来润色广告语言。广告英语中频繁使用的修辞手法有：拟人、比喻、双关、排比等。这些修辞格的运用能使英语广告中的产品或服务生动有趣、形象传神，同时赋予广告语言美、音律美。例如：拟人使产品形象生动；比喻使产品特点鲜明；排比使语言增强语势。不管是对产品还是对语言本身，修辞格在广告英语中合理运用都能给广告带来良好的效果，继而给读者留下深刻印象。修辞格的应用是广告英语中的一种常用策略，本文选取一些有代表性的广告案例，在此基础上着重分析了几种常见修辞格的应用及其产生的广告效果。

关键词：修辞格; 广告英语; 应用

Table of Contents

1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. V

1.1 About the Advertising English .................................................................................................. V

1.2 About the Figures of Speech ........................................................................................................... V

1.3The Motivation of the Study ........................................................................................................... VI 2 The Application of Figures of Speech in Advertising English ............................................................ VI

2.1 Simile ............................................................................................................................................. VI

2.2 Metaphor ...................................................................................................................................... VII

英语论文

2.3 Personification .............................................................................................................................. VII

2.4 Parallelism ................................................................................................................................... VIII

2.5 Repetition .................................................................................................................................... VIII

2.6 Irony ............................................................................................................................................... IX

2.7 Pun .................................................................................................................................................. IX

2.7.1 Homophonic Puns ............................................................................................................... IX

2.7.2 Semantic Puns .................................................................................................................... 8

2.7.3 Syntax Puns .......................................................................................................................... X

2.7.4 Idiom or Vulgarism............................................................................................................... X

2.8 Parody ............................................................................................................................................ XI

2.9 Alliteration ...................................................................................................................................... XI

2.10 Antithesis ...................................................................................................................................... XI 3 The Influence of Figures of Speech on Advertising English .............................................................. XII

3.1 In Advertising Language .............................................................................................................. XII

3.2 In Foreign Trade ........................................................................................................................... XII 4 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................. XII

4.1 Major findings ............................................................................................................................. XIII

4.2 Limitations .................................................................................................................................. XIII References ................................................................................................................... 错误！未定义书签。 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 错误！未定义书签。 1 Introduction

1.1 About the Advertising English

As a practical style, advertising English has its unique stylistic characteristics and obvious aims. American Marketing Association (AMA) defines Advertisements 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.” With time going on, advertising are developing faster and faster. Advertisements are getting their way into people‘s daily life .they may smile to people from the television screen, shout to people from the radio loudspeakers, wave invitingly to people from every page of the newspaper and magazine, pluck at their sleeves on the buses, signal to people from roadside billboards, and flash to people on the Internet. However, whatever the promotive strategies advertising takes, language is the main carrier of message all along, as the book The Language of Advertising by Vestergard and Schroder says, “Advertising takes many forms, but in most of them language is of crucial importance.” In order to enhance the appeal of an advertisement, advertisers pay much attention not only to the choice of words or phrases s, but also touch expressive devices as plates, color and the layout of a printed pigeon , to make an advertisement beautiful and attractive. At the same time, as a popular language, English is widely used throughout the world and has become an international language in communication. Each day, quite a lot of English words come into people‘s daily life .Thus it is necessary to combine English and advertisement for the communication and trade among countries.

1.2 About the Figures of Speech

In the practice of the advertising English, people pay more attention to figures of speech to make the advertisement succinct, accurate and vivid and to provide rich imagination and plentiful associations for readers so as to stimulate their desire .The frequent and wide use of figures of speech is an important characteristic of advertising English, which is an effective way to make the advertisement attractive.

英语论文

1.3The Motivation of the Study

It is known to all that with the influence of globalization, a large quantity of products and ideas are sold in other countries. In order to attract consumers who speak different languages, producers will bring their wonderful advertisements to foreign market either. However, because of different cultures and language backgrounds, when a large number of marvelous advertisements flood into another nation, their renditions could not always be as wonderful as the original and, therefore, might fail to produce similar effects on the target audience. Thus, translating an advertisement wisely is important to guarantee that the products and ideas can sell as well in foreign lands as in their motherlands. Advertising researchers appear to have noticed that advertising copy is filled with rhetorical figures of speech, such as Simile and pun. Ward and Gaudi‘s note that more people are exposed to figures of speech through advertising than through other media such as poetry, and that consumers have come to expect colorful figures of speech as an advertising convention. A content analysis of current magazine advertisements by Leigh found that 74% of all ads with headlines contain at least one figure of speech.

2 The Application of Figures of Speech in Advertising English

A figure of speech is a rhetorical device that achieves a special effect by using words in distinctive waysThey are ways of making our language figurative. When people use words in other than their ordinary or literal sense to lend force to an idea, to heighten effect, or to create suggestive imagery, they are said to be speaking or writing figuratively.

2.1 Simile

A simile is a figure of speech which makes a comparison between two unlike elements having at least one quality or characteristic in common，and it explicitly signals itself in an advertisement, with the words as or like.. It is a direct, expressed comparison between two things essentially unlike, but resembling each other in at least one aspect. It is a device both of art and explanation, comparing the unfamiliar thing to be explained to some familiar thing known to the reader. A simile is an expression making a comparison in the imagination between two things that are essentially unlike, yet are alike in a certain respect. A simile is made up of three parts, namely: a) the tenor ( the thing described) b) the vehicle ( the thing compared to) , and c) words such as ―as‖, ―like‖, ―as if / as though‖, ―and‖ and the structure ― of+ noun.‖ Used to show the relationship of comparison .The simile helps to create the clear image, much easier for readers to accept. For example: ⑴As soft as Mother’s hands (The advertisement of kid shoes) In the advertisement above, one simile is used, which embody vividly the softness and comfort of the shoes．After reading the advertisement，parents will associate with such kind of comfortable feeling after their children wearing that brand of shoes, and nobody can resist the temptation. ⑵Breakfast without orange juice a day without sunshine.( advertisement of one kind of orange) .Using these fresh oranges can make delicious juice , and people can be full of energy. Every morinig, people drink one glass of such fresh juice,they will have the feelings as sunshine,and they also will have good mood in the all day.The consumors can hardly resist temptation.⑶ Like a good Neighbor, State Farm is there. (State Farm insurance agent) Here, advertiser takes State Farm as a good neighbor, driving by which readers will arouse cordial senses after reading the advertisement and produce the desire to buy insurance, just as their neighbors help them and consider them sincerely. [4] It gives my hair super shine, super body, and leaves it smelling fresh as a meadow. (Hair lotion advertisement) This hair lotion advertisement uses rhetoric tactics of simile, and this advertisement displays the result of this lotion image very concrete, which makes people produce abundant association and desire of purchase.

英语论文

2.2 Metaphor

Metaphor a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object/idea is used in place of another dissimilar object/idea to suggest a likeness; ascribing to the first some of the qualities of the second. Unlike a simile or analogy, metaphor asserts that one thing is another thing , not just that one is like another. It is another linguistic process used to make comparisons between the attributes of one thing and something else. It is like a simile, also makes a comparison between two unlike elements, but unlike a simile, this comparison is implied rather than stated .There is a formal difference between simile and metaphor, in which the words ―like‖ and ―as‖ do not appear. For instance: ⑴Time is what you make of it.(Swatch) Here this piece of advertisement embody the quality of the watch vividly and also draw people‘s heart at the same time,because it meet people‘s value to time.[2] The most sensational place to wear satin on your lips. (Lipstick) In this piece of advertisement, satin alludes to lipstick. That is to say, this kind of lipstick rouged on one‘s lips where is full of enthusiasm, it seems wearing the ruminant and silky satin. The euphemistic and implicit description makes consumers full of imagination and expectation.⑶One great gift, a million ways to enjoy it together. (Carnival Group advertisement) This is an advertisement of "Carnival". Liken ―Carnival" into "gift" in the advertisement is to signify that this product can bring the joyful sense to people. It makes people produce the good morale, actually ―Carnival " was the amusement park, such an advertisement made people happy, thus appeal to more visitors.[4] Something within you is Dior. (Christian Dior). This is the advertisement of perfume ―poison‖ brought for the international brand CD of cosmetic series. On the propagandism of ―poison‖, the smart use of metaphor is manifested thoroughly. Is fascination existing inherence and emanating spontaneous or poison subsisting in heart and spreading voluntary? Two weeks later after the perfume coming to the world, one bottle of perfume is sold per fifty seconds and the action has broken world‘s record. Certainly, this piece of advertisement gives its contribution in selling the products.

2.3 Personification

Personification is giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-living objects (things, colors, qualities, or ideas). It is a figure that endows objects, animals, ideas, or abstractions with human form, character, or sensibility. By personification, a product is personified as an image with emotions and thought．In the other words, the use of personification in advertisement can make ordinary goods become rich of emotion, give the target audience cordial sense. Customers will think they are not reading the advert，but talking with their old friends. For example: ⑴It handles the road as easily as it handles Mother Nature.(Ford cars advertisement) Here cars are personified,which can riding on the road freely ang can master their road skillfully. People are willing to buy them at ease.⑵ Why your skin drinks it down so quickly? ―Skin‖ is personified in the advertisement, which drinks OLAY quickly. Because of personification on ―skin‖, the charm of OLAY displays incisively and vividly. ⑶ Hi, I‘m rusty Jones. I‘m the one new car option you can buy that will actually appreciate in value. I‘ll stay with you, winter and summer, day and night. No vocations, not even a coffee break saving your car from rust. And a rust– free car is always worth more.‖ This is an advertisement of rust inhibitor of Mates Company U.S.A. This advertisement, call the rust inhibitor Rusty Jones, make consumer produce cordial sense to read, dispel consumer vigilance of this product, thus win the confidence and approval of people, and thus find a good market for the products.[4] Unlike me，my Rolex never needs a rest (RO LEX) Rolex is anthropomorphized and doesn‘t need to rest, which alludes the watch with sufficient power and keeping good time. That is different from the other watches. Personification used in the advertisement hit the point of its superiority—quality of Rolex can be trusted. In people‘s eyes, quality is the first reason for them to

英语论文

buy the watch.

2.4 Parallelism

Phrases or clauses having the same function and importance must have the same grammatical form. Parallel constructions which express parallel ideas give emphasis, clarity, and coherence to sentences. Parallelism falls on word-to-word parallel structure. It usually extends the previous idea to reinforce its selling points. With its parallel, tidy and compact structure, parallelism reflects a clear image of the goods or company. Sentence of this structure are forceful and energetic, containing the power of confidence. In the following are some advertisements which apply to parallelism .* [1]Share moments. Share life. (roll film) * good teeth, good health. ( Colgate)* Tide's in, dirt's out * We lead. Others copy. * No business too small, no problem too big. (advertisement for icecream) .These several advertisements take advantage of parallel, tidy and compact structure and strengthen their value forcefully. [2] It‘s a written language…. It‘s an oral language…. It‘s an electronic language…. It‘s an interactive language…. And it‘s a language…. The headin g of this piece of advertisement is ―Business has a universal language .It consists of two words‖. Each sentence of the advertisement begins with the same structure and form parallelism. This kind of use has stressed the content of advertisement and caught people‘s attention.[3] We will tell you the odds before they are out． We will publish what other publications dare not． We will give you inside information you won‘ find elsewhere．(MAGAZINE) The advertisement is about a magazine．Parallelism is used in the advert to show the special character of their magazine. Each sentence led by ―we will‖ appears in the last part of the advert to draw people‘s attention.

2.5 Repetition

The same sentence appears repeatedly in order to display intense emotion and impression; it is one of the common rhetoric tactics ---- Repetition. Multiple consumers expose to an advertisement over a period of time. Repetition has been proven to increase recall and comprehension, particularly if the message is complex. For example: ⑴Whatever you‘re eating,drink Maeus Rose.Always light,always fresh,always chilled,always right.( advertisement of wine) This advertisement use four―always‖，which especially stress this kind of wine‘s excellent quality.The estimate of the wine from is always very good and the propaginda effece is markable all the time.[2]Baby Gap is gift Baby Gap is newborn Baby Gap is spring Baby Gap is jeans — Baby Gap Clothing This advertisement is about Baby Gap Clothing. The word ―Baby Gap‖ is repeated four times timely, making the best use of the name of brand--Baby Gap, and giving abundant association to customers. The repetition of key words and same structures is one of important means to reinforce tone, protrude information , connect relationship between the preceding and the following , and emphersis the importance of this kind of baby clothing. Usually, there is certain tempt in such repetitions; as for some customers in two minds, it seems as a thrust to buy the products undoubtedly. [3] Feeding time. Bathe time. Bed time. Mom time. Emailing moments the moments they happen. Experience Nokia Miseries multimedia at /n series . (Nokia cell phone advertisement) The "time" is used four times in this advertisement language of the products which makes people feel that its products are suitable any time, and stress the multi-function of this product. [4] You can‘t Xerox a Xerox on a Xerox． This is an advertisement about the printer of Xerox Company. The word ―Xerox‖ is used three times in the sentence, but each of them has different means. The first ―Xerox‖ refers to the action of coping, but the second is a noun which means coping materials. And the last word ―Xerox‖ is the brand of the copying machine. Three times repetition of the word ―Xerox‖ plays the role of strengthening customers‘ impression of the coping machine.[4] Free Hotel! Free Meals! Free Transfers! For a free ―Stay-on-the-Way‖ in Amsterdam, you can rely on Kim. (advertisement of tourism). This advertisement use brief language ang brisk rhythm to

英语论文

express the good service which travellers can enjoy in their trip.

2.6 Irony

Irony is a figure of speech that achieves emphasis by saying the opposite of what is meant the intended meaning of the words being the opposite of their usual sense. In everyday life we often hear people using irony in their speech, though they may not be conscious of it. It is self-contradictory, but it is also rational when carving and polishing. An obvious true fact recounted with the irony, also lets people know absurdness and clearly distinguishes the truth from the irony comprehension. At last they can achieves the irony true goal. In the advertisement, irony is a significant rhetoric device and they can give people great impression. For example: ⑴ The more hot water you use, the more money it saves! (Water Heater) This is the heading of a Water Heater advertisement. On the surface of the advertisement, it is a paradox: why the more hot water is used and the more money will be saved? This kind of strange parlance arouses people‘s astonishment, which will stimulate people‘s desire to purchase the products. In fact, the advertiser just wants to propagandize good performance of water heaters and the differences from the other ones. ⑵ If people keep telling you to quit smoking cigarettes, don‘t listen, they are probably trying to trick you into living. (Anti -cancer association) This is a social public welfare advertisement which is pushed by USA anti-cancer association. In the advert, the designer uses irony to warn people the danger of smoking and gets a far-reaching meaning.

2.7 Pun

2.7.1 Homophonic Puns

Homophonic puns are composed of words with the same spelling, the same or similar pronunciation. Designers are delight to use homophonic puns in advertisements, because this kind of pun can make advertisements hold the style of humor, nifty, farcicality, which can strengthen persuasion and infection of the advertisement, and then people will get a deep impression. By using homonyms， homophones or homographs，the writer can achieve two different meanings from one sentence⑴ More sun and air for your son and heir. (Advertisement of a bathing place) In the advertisement, ―sun‖ and ―son‖ ―air‖ and ―heir‖ are two groups of puns. Because of the puns, the advertisement is not only nice to read but also sweet to listen. It‘s very beautiful. (2) Trust us. Over 5000 ears of experience . (Audi- phone‘s advertisement) The literal meaning of the advertisements is that the product has gone through many consumers‘ tests. But, between the lines, a pair homophonic word ears-year s can be found, which shows a long history of the audiphones and suggests that they are good quality. [3] ― VIPs‘ an atomical comfort.Variable Impact Pressure Sole‖ The advertisement of sportshoes uses the homophonic word ―VIPs‖. As we know, VIP usually stands for ― very important persons‖, while, here, it stands for ―Variable Impact Pressure Sole‖. It implies if you use VIPs, you will be a VIP. The word ―VIPs‘ motivates the audiences‘ vanity and induces them to buy the product.[4] ―Goodbuy Winter! 100% cotton knitwear $40‖ It is an advertisement for the sale of winter clothes. The advertisement seems to people that it s a good and cheap to buy cotton knitwear. But when the audiences read ―goodbuy winter‖ together, they will understand the good use of pun. ―Goodbuy winter‖ sounds the same as ―goodbye winter‖. The advertisement use homophone to show two meanings: it is a good business to buy the cotton knitwear now, and winter has passed away. Naturally, people will associate the situation happening every year that when they say goodbye to winter, the clothes will have a great discount and it is good time to buy them.

2.7.2 Semantic Puns

Semantic puns utilize multi- vocal words or sentences to form puns in special conditions. It is commonly used in advertisements too. In advertisements, homophonic puns and semantic puns are

英语论文

different in approach but equally satisfactory in result. ⑴ Ask for More. (Cigarette advertisement) This is a ―More‖ brand cigarette advertisement. The ―More‖ is a kind of cigarette brand. It links up ―More‖ and meaning of ―more " organically. This advertisement, utilizes the different justice word of the unisonance ingeniously, link double meaning closely, and has added the emotion in this advertisement. ⑵ The label of achievements. Black Label commands more respects. (Advertisement of whisky) The brand of whisky is Black Label. So, in the advertisement above, the word ―label‖ has two meanings, one is an object which describes things‘ nature, name, destination, etc, the other is brand of the wine. Pun used in the advertisement makes people associate getting achievement with drinking the wine, which can excite people‘s interest. ―Which lager can claim to be truly German? This can.‖ [3]It is an advertisement for Lager beer. ―Can‖ is a modal verb. But in the advertisement, a can of beer beside it reminds people ―can‖ has another meaning—tin. Also ―Lager‖ refers to the name of beer. With the illustration, the whole advertisement brings a humorous effect and impresses the audiences deeply. The Coca-cola company also uses ―can‖ to do their advertisement.[4] ―Coke refreshes you like no other can.‖ Just like last example, ― can ‖ has double meanings, so the sentence can be understand like that Coke refreshes you like no other (can; tin, drink) can (refresh you). It implies their product is the best one. Of course, people like to buy the best one.

2.7.3 Syntax Puns

Syntax puns refer to puns produced by grammar problems. Such as abbreviatory structure, some words or phrase with two or more than two phrase logical functions and so on. ⑴ Coke refreshes you like no other can. (Advertisement of Coca Cola) Here, the word ―can‖ can be comprehended two meanings: its noun means tin, and its verb means to be able to. The full sentence is that Coke refreshes you like no other (can: tin, drink) can (refresh you). The advertisement is humorous and tactful. 2.7.4 Idiom or Vulgarism

Puns advertising language is good at cite some familiar idioms or vulgarisms. By the basic of intrinsic social and culture knowledge, the advertisements forms puns as the bright and special language, not only increasing attractiveness of advertisements but also incarnating artistry of advertising language, and what‘s more is giving people much place to ponder. For example: ⑴ You‘ll go nuts for the nuts you get in Nix. (Advertisement of nut) From the meaning of advertising words, ―to go nuts‖ means to buy nut, but it is an idiom too, which means go crazy or go mad. The applying puns show that attractiveness from nut can‘t be resisted for people. ⑵ A Mars a day keeps you work, rest and play. (Chocolate) This piece of advertisement can make people associating two very familiar idioms: ①An apple a day keeps the doctors away. ②All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. This advertisement not only simulates the structure of the two idioms above at the lingual form, but cites their contents. After reading the advertisement, people will gain a new judgment: Chocolates of Mars brand can bring health in people‘s life, make people full of energy when working, and relax freely when resting.[3] ―Stop at two.‖ It is the title of an public service advertising (PSA) which the Population and Community Development Association ( PCDA) of Thailand uses to advocate the couple to have children no more than two. The illustration is the photo of Wistern Churchill who formed a ―V‖ letter with his forefinger and middle finger. The gesture ―V‖ means victory. So people also can understand that it is a victory to have only one child. This picture is famous, so people will remember it easily. To achieve the success of their country, people may more like to control the population.[4] ―Catch the Raincheetah and cheat the rain.‖

It is an advertisement in Toronto Daily Star. The punny word ―Raincheetah‖, the name of the raincoat, sounds like ―raincheater‖ while the word ―raincheater‖ derives from ―windcheater‖. The word ―cheat‖ in

英语论文

the sentence makes it wonderful and let people feel that this kind of raincoat can protect the consumers well. Pun gives people impression of novelty and interest

2.8 Parody

Parody is a piece of writing intending to amuse by imitating the style of writing used by anybody else．There is not only imitation but also change in parody. In order to portray the product image well, designers often use the famous phrase nimbly, including proverb, maxim, literary reference, fable, and idiom and so on. Sometimes they will change a famous phrase and make the human ring the upper opening which would be advantageous for the memory. ⑴ Wearing is believing. (Underwear‘s advertisement) . The sentence comes from an English idiom: Seeing is believing . Because the idiom is familiar with everybody, the piece of advertisement also can be remembered easily. ⑵ Skill and Patience will succeed where force fails. Necessity is the mother of Invention. (Aesop‘s Fables) It can be viewed as an imitation of ―Failure is the mother of success‖ ⑶ To smoke or not to smoke，that is a question. The sentence structure of the advertisement is derived from a famous phrase：‖To be or not to be ? That is the question‖, which is made by William Shakespeare. Just like the hero Hamlet who must make a choice between life and death in Shakespeare‘s famous tragedy reading: Hamlet, customers must take the same choice between automobile performance and the economical aspect. But the advertiser can provide customers the car which is both having an excellent automobile performance and saving money for customers.

2.9 Alliteration

Alliteration is a figure of speech which is the use in close proximity of two or more sounds that begin with the same sound, or sequence of sound. It has to do with the sound rather than the sense of words for effect. It is a device that repeats the same sound at frequent intervals and since the sound repeated is usually the initial consonant sound , it is also called "front rhyme". For instance, the fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, the furrow followed free.

2.10 Antithesis

Antithesis a figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed , usually through parallel structure and a contrasting of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences. is a counter-proposition and denotes a direct contrast to the original proposition. In setting the opposite, an individual brings out of a contrast in the meaning (e.g., the definition, interpretation, or semantics) by an obvious contrast in the expression .It is the deliberate arrangement of contrasting words or ideas in balanced structural forms to achieve force and emphasis. Antithesis is different from parallelism, because it not only needs neat sentence structure but also requests the meanings to be opposite or relative. In advertisement English, antithesis application could make adverts‘ rhythm bright. For example: ⑴ Designed with a computer . Silenced by a laser. Built by a robot . Because of the orderly written form and regular rhythm, the advertisement is conspicuous to see and sweet to listen. ⑵ The choice is yours. The honor is ours. (Shop) This piece of advertisement employs antithesis with neat structure and relative meanings, which makes marketplace and consumers formed a kind of invisible privities and friendships, and also manifest the features that the supple of goods are plenteous, the service of staffer is excellent and the condition of shopping is fine. ⑶ No problem too large，No business too small．(IBM) In the advertisement, the designer manages to use a pair of antonym ―large‖ and ―small‖ in antithesis, which emphasizes the machine‘s excellent ability that no problem can not be settled and the cordial attitude that they do every business sincerely.

英语论文

3 The Influence of Figures of Speech on Advertising English

Figures of speech have a lot of advantages such as conciseness, wit and humor, novelty and vividness. Especially they play important roles in advertising language and foreign trade. f a advertiser can make full use of it to satisfy people‘s requirement, the product may precede others and gain the market.The comprehensively applying figures of speech in advertising English is a kind of language with vigorous life and abundant meanings, and this point is reflected obviously in the language of English advertisement. Because its linguistic forms are rich and varied, and its expression is vivid, Advertising English gives people deep impression. Sometimes, in order to achieve special effect, two or more than two kinds of rhetoric will be used in only one piece of advertisement. Figures of speech is useful in advertisement, and favored by people.

3.1 In Advertising Language

The application of these figures of speech can make products or services lively, interesting, visualized, and lifelike, also endow the advertising English with the beauty of rhythm and English language. Personification makes products lively and lifelike; simile and metaphor make products brilliant on their features; parallelism makes language tone more strong; rhyming makes language finger-popping. Figures of speech produce wit and humor effect to attract the audiences‘ attention and inspires their association. In the age of rapid rhythm, advertisement with figures of speech like a spice make people enjoy themselves in the advertising atmosphere, and reduces their pressure in a relaxed environment. A good advertisement is a text from which people can appreciate the art of language, especially advertisement using figures of speech. Figures of speech in advertisement is orderly and antithetic that makes people feel the aesthetic modality of language. The characters of figures of speech, such as vividness, wit and humor, pleasure people‘s spirit and let them enjoy the beauty of language. For instance:―Give your hair a touch of spring.‖It is an advertisement for shampoo. The word ―spring‖ here is very vivid and like a picture in people‘ mind: after using the shampoo, the long hair becomes elastic and shining. When you stand there, your hair will go with wind. Everyone likes beauty, so the advertisement caters for people‘ desire and induces them to buy the product to make them more beautiful.

3.2 In Foreign Trade

With the rapid development of global trading, the competition among the competitors becomes more and more fierce. In order to make their commodity enter into the international markets, merchants divert their attention to advertising English. Advertisements are noticed by more and more people as the child of commodity economy. The advertisements use the simplest and clearest words to express complicated meanings. Quantities of advertisements are translated and brought to the global markets. Figures of speech, which make the advertisement more chic, vivid and attractive. Artistic effect produced by using rhetoric in advertisements gives people enjoyment of beauty, which makes customers accept goods information in the delight atmosphere; at the same time, advertisements achieve their commercial purposes. Nowadays advertising translation has become a potential business. Therefore, wisely dealing with figures of speech in advertisement which has unique functions and features in translation, is important to attract foreign consumers. Many businessmen have taken advantages of those functions and many products that sell well mainly owe their success to their wonderful advertisements, That is, it is principle for advertisers to make good advertisements. Figures of speech can bring advertising a good effect and make readers impressive on both products and language if it's used properly, thus figures of speech play a large role in developing the trade among countries.

4 Conclusion

英语论文

4.1 Major findings

Advertising is one of many marketing tools that are used to attract attention of prospective customers to a business or its products or services ,and it moves consumers from being unaware of a product or service to finally purchasing it. An ad is considered effective if it propels the consumer a step further in this process .The main function of English advertisements is to propagate the information of the products in order to excite people's purchase desire. However, advertising English, as a kind of application language, has been apart from the normal English and has developed to a substandard special language because of its special use. Advertising English is different from normal English in structure and Figures of speech, and it will change with the development of advertising, science and technology. And according to the researches made by some experts, figures of speech are so frequently used and so useful in advertising making, that dealing with figures of speech is surely one of the most important things in advertising translation .So in order to make the advertisements more attractively, the designers should often create their advertisements by using figures of speech to meet designer‘s purpose appropriately.

4.2 Limitations

This paper is just a tentative study of figures of speech in Advertising English．Therefore，it doubtlessly has imperfections as it is difficult to collect the newest words being used in the daily life in limited time. Besides, the author‘s limited competence for them is far from professional. In order to make it more perfect and accurate，further study on this topic is needed in the near future.

英语论文

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