Language Characteristics of

English Advertising

by
Xia Lei
Supervised
by
Professor Tan Weiguo
Submitted
to
The Foreign Languages College
Shanghai Teachers University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for a degree of
Master of Arts
in the Subject of English Language and Literature

July, 2003

Acknowledgements
Throughout the process of writing my thesis, I obtained much
help and encouragement from my supervisor Professor Tan Weiguo.
I benefited a great deal from his meticulous scholarship, great
attainment, and patient guidance. I wish to take this opportunity to
express my sincere gratitude to him.
Also, I heartily thank Professor Gu Daxi, Professor Cai Longquan,
Professor Deng Mingde, Professor Zhou Zhongjie, Professor Xiao
Chunlin, Professor Cheng Xinghua, Professor Su Chengzhi, and
Professor Guo Jianzhong for their help and support which
accompanied me when I studied as a postgraduate.
Besides, I am grateful to my friends and colleagues for their kind
concern and great encouragement to me.
Finally, I am indebted to my parents and my husband, who
rendered me much help and great support, which made it possible
for me to finish this thesis on time.

Abstract
With increasing communication in the world and acceleration of
international economic globalization, English advertising has found its
way into peoples life. But how to understand, assess and create English
advertising is a challenge to most of us. This thesis makes an attempt to
explore the language characteristics of English advertisements so that we
may be able to appreciate and write English advertising texts better.
The thesis attempts to approach the main language characteristics of
English advertising mainly from the angles of advertising and linguistics.
First, the thesis defines advertising, clarifies its objectives, mentions its
components, and discusses its classification and the significance of
studying advertising in English. Next, it investigates the main wording
characteristics, concentrating on simple verbs, adjectives and compounds.
Then it probes into the fundamental grammatical features, focusing upon
the tenses and frequently employed sentences and constructions of
English advertisements. The final part of the thesis body explores the
most frequently employed rhetorical devices in English advertising texts,
such as simile, metaphor, alliteration, antithesis, repetition, parallelism,
parody, etc.
In conclusion, the thesis points out the influence of English
advertising on the English language, the existing trend and problems of
English advertising so as to provide readers with some enlightenment and
reference.
Key words: language characteristics, English advertising, wording,
grammatical features, rhetorical devices

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements
Abstract
Chapter One Introduction
11 Definition of Advertising
12 Elements of Advertising
1. 3 Classification of Advertising
1. 4 Objectives of Advertising

1. 5
1.

Research Achievements on English Advertising Language

6 Significance of This Study of English Advertising Language

Chapter Two Wording Characteristics of

English Advertising Texts
2.1

Frequent Use of Proper Names

2.2

Frequent Use of Monosyllabic Verbs

2.3

Frequent Use of Adjectives

2.4

Common Employment of Compounds

2.5

Common Employment of Personal Pronouns

2.6

Clever Use of Coinages

Chapter Three Grammatical Features of

English Advertising Texts
3.1

Frequent Use of Simple Sentences

3.2

Frequent Use of Interrogative Sentences

3.3

Frequent Use of Imperative Sentences

3.4

Frequent Use of the Simple Present Tense

3.5

Frequent Use of Conditional Sentences

3.6

Frequent Use of Comparative Constructions

3.7

Common Employment of Elliptical Sentences

3.8

Common Employment of Disjunctive Elements

5

3.9

Listing language

Chapter Four Rhetorical Devices in English Advertisements

4.1

Simile

4.2

Metaphor

4.3

Personification

4.4

Pun

4.5

Antithesis

4.6

Alliteration

4.7

Repetition

4.8

Parallelism

4.9

Parody

Chapter Five Conclusion

5.1

Influence on English Language

5.2

Trend of English Advertising

5.3

Problems in English Advertising

Notes
Bibliography

Chapter One Introduction

In modern society, with the help of mass media, advertising has
entered into every aspect of human life. Every day, people are
exposed to a large number of advertisements no matter whether they
like them or not. But what is advertising? What are the objectives of
advertising? What elements does an advertisement consist of? How
7

are advertisements classified? And what significance does a study of

advertising possess? These are the questions of which we must have
a good idea before we proceed to explore the language features or
characteristics of English advertising.
1.1

Definition of Advertising

In English, the word advertise has its origin in advertere in

Latin, meaning to inform somebody of something, to bring into
notice or to draw attention to something, etc.
Abert Lasker, father of modern advertising, said that advertising
was salesmanship in print( ). This definition was given a
long time before the advent of radio and television. In the past, the
nature and scope of advertising were considerably different from
those today. The definition indicates that the ultimate objective of
advertising is to sell. Obviously it is not an all-round definition, for it
can not cover all advertisements.
Definitions of advertising are many and varied. An advertisement
may be defined as a public notice designed to spread information
with a view to promoting the sales of marketable goods and services
(Harris and Heldon, 1962:40), or defined as a vital marketing tool as
well as a powerful communication force. It is the action of calling
something to peoples attention especially by a paid announcement.
Advertising contains messages designed to make known what we
8

have to sell or what we have to buy (J.S. Chandan, 1990). Also,

advertising can be defined as a kind of paid, non-personal
communication through various mass media by business firms,
nonprofit organizations, and individuals who are in some way
identified in the message and who hope to inform or persuade
members of a particular audience (Bolen,1984:9). American
Marketing Association (AMA)( ) defines advertising as the
nonpersonal communication of information usually paid for and
persuasive in nature about products, services, or ideas by identified
sponsors through the various media.
Although advertising can be defined in many different ways, the
essential points concerning its definition may be summarized as
follows: Advertising is a kind of extensive communication of
information usually highly paid for and strongly persuasive by
nature. Advertising contains messages or pieces of information about
marketable products and services, or ideas, norms and values.
Advertising messages are designed particularly, ingeniously and
meticulously, which are made known through various media to the
general public or to particular groups of people, with a view to
promoting the sales of the goods and services concerned, or to
spreading ideas, norms and values. Contemporary advertising is so
commonly ubiquitous and so widely influential that it is considered
9

to be part of modern life.

If the definitions of advertising are too vague and abstract to
comprehend, a few words about its functions will probably help to
clarify this crucial term. Broadly speaking, advertisements have at
least one of two functions: informing or persuading, though overlap
may often take place in one single piece. Informative advertisements
inform customers about goods, services, or ideas and then tell how
to get them by means of an identified sponsor (Bolen, 1984:6). An
advertisement of this type supplies basic, factual information and
sometimes shows a photo or an illustration of the product/service to
give the target audience a better view about the advertised product.
Persuasive advertisements are the instruments used by advertisers
who have defined their target audiences and determined the effect
they hope to achieve through persuasive advertisements in the
media (Bolen, 1984: 9). A persuasive advertisement should try to
persuade the potential customers to buy the new product (Bolen,
1984 :6). The persuasive function is not only limited to attracting the
potential customers into buying a certain commodity, but also
including the selling of services, ideas, norms and values.
1.2 Elements of Advertising
An advertisement is composed of different components, which are
either verbal or non-verbal. The verbal components consist of the
10

headline, sub-headline, the body copy, trademark (including brand

name, corporate or store name and visual symbol) and slogan. The
non-verbal elements are made up of illustrations, advertising music,
advertising sounds, color and layout. Each element plays a role in
successful advertising.
However, an advertisement has no need to include all the normal
elements. Sometimes, some elements are sufficient. The following
elements are discussed, not because they are more important, but
because language features in such elements are more conspicuous
and much easier to be noticed by the general public. David Ogilvy, a
famous Australian advertiser, pointed out, On the average five
times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. The
headline is with eighty cents of an advertising dollar. Therefore, if
you havent done some selling in the headline, youve wasted 80
percent of your money (199213). So, the headline should
attract readers attention, make them read the body copy, show the
benefit of the product and arouse readers desire to take buying
action. The purpose of the sub-headline is to make the transition
from headline to body copy. Some headlines need no sub-headlines.
The body copy tells the complete sales story. The purpose of the
body copy is to provide clarification of headline and proof of claim,
to point out other competitive advantages, in short, to give the
11

prospective reasons, implicit as well as explicit, for action desired. A

trademark is a sign used by an enterprise or an industry to
distinguish quality, specifications and nature of the product they
produce, process and sell. The name of a trademark often appears in
the headline. The slogan has some similarities with the headline. In
fact, many slogans are developed from some successful headlines.
Slogans are standard statements for sales people and company
employees. For example, Fords slogan Quality is Job 1 explicitly
states that the company makes high-quality products. The main
purposes of slogans are to provide continuity for a campaign and to
express a key theme or idea with concise and memorable words.
Some slogans seem to be old friends of readers and become sparks
of recognition on consumers minds, which create favorable
impressions of the products or enterprises on the readers minds, so
they are regarded as immense treasures for enterprises. Slogans are
very common in English advertisements. Many famous brands
accompany slogans. Please observe the following slogans:
(1) Fresh up with seven-up.
-Seven-Up1
(2) Quality never goes out of style.
-Levis2
(3) Cleans your breath while it cleans your teeth.
12

-Colgate3
(4) Things go better with Coca-Cola.
-Coca-Cola4
(5) Youll feel good about it.
-Water pik Lipstic5
(6) In touch with the world.
-Toshiba6
The above advertising slogans accompanied by the respective famous
brands either directly or indirectly tell us about the advantages or benefits
or peculiar functions of the advertised products. They are informative,
persuasive and likely to result in positive responses and to create good
images of both the products and the manufacturers.

1.3 Classification of Advertising

Advertising can be classified into different types in view of target
audience, geographic area (international, national, regional, local),
covered media (newspaper, magazine, radio, television), function or
purpose (product or non-product, commercial or non-commercial,
primary demand or selective demand, direct action or indirect
action), but all in all, advertising can be divided into two types:
commercial and noncommercial advertising.
Commercial advertising, which promotes goods, services or ideas
for a business with the expectation of making a profit, falls into three
types. The first type is commercial consumer advertising, advertising
directed towards a massive audience to promote sales of a product or

13

service. This is indeed the most frequent type, including almost all
the television commercials. The second type is known as prestige or
goodwill advertising, where firms advertise not a commodity or a
service, but rather a name or an image. This type of advertising aims
at creating long-term goodwill with the public rather than at an
immediate increase in sales (Torben V. & Kim S. 1985 1). The
third type is industrial or trade advertising, where a firm advertises
its products or services to other firms. Industrial or trade advertising
is most likely to be found in specialized trade journals or in the
business pages of newspapers.
Noncommercial

advertising

is

sponsored

by

charitable

institutions, civic groups, or religious or political organizations. The

general purpose of noncommercial advertising is to inform people
and persuade them to accept a particular idea, cause, or philosophy
being advertised. As examples of noncommercial advertising one
may mention communication from government agencies to citizens
like the British metrication campaign, or appeals from various
associations and societies, whether their purposes are charity or
political propaganda(Torben, V.&Kim S. 1985:1).
Advertising, in its narrow sense, only refers to commercial
advertising. When we talk about advertising, we generally mean
commercial advertising.
14

According to the various media adopted, advertising can be

classified as follows: press advertising, including advertisements on
newspapers and magazines, radio advertising, television advertising,
direct mail advertising, including sales letters, postcards, catalogues,
leaflets and folders and others employing the newest communication
techniques such as advertisements conveyed through telex , fax and
computer(1996119-141). In this thesis, press advertising
is mainly described, while other kinds of advertising are given due
consideration in the discussion.
1.4 Objectives of Advertising
The objectives of advertising are various. Association of National
Advertisement (ANA) interprets its objectives as awareness,
comprehension,

conviction

and

action

(ACCA).

Firstly,

advertisements should draw attention from the audience; secondly,

they should show and prove the advantages of the advertised
products or services; thirdly, they should arouse interest of potential
customers or clients and stimulate strong desires in them; finally,
they should encourage potential consumers to take action.
However, most of us agree that the principal objective of advertising
is to sell products. But unlike salesmen who sell goods in face-toface or even voice-to-voice situations, advertisers communicate
certain messages to particular groups of people who may or may not
15

be known, and who may be close or at a distance. Therefore,

advertising is a specialized form of communication. In order to
satisfy the marketing function, it has to provide the relevant
information, to persuade people and to influence their choices and
buying decisions. Therefore, the message contained in any
advertisement must be absolutely clear or easy to comprehend, and
the means of conveying the message must be effective so that the
receiver may believe and understand the message properly and take
specific action to obtain the product or service.
Specifically, an advertisement is designed to dispose people to buy
a product or service, to support a cause, or even to encourage less
consumption (such as social welfare advertisement). It may be used
to elect a candidate, to raise money for charity, or to publicize union
or management positions in a strike. Although it has various
purposes, advertising, on most occasions, is for the marketing of
goods and services. Regardless of its specific purposes, all
advertising has two common threads: a marketing foundation and
persuasive communication.
With the development of world economy, a global economy, once
only the subject of theoretical speculation, has now become a reality.
Advertising has become a global form of communication.
Foreign economic relations and trade in China, guided by the
16

policy of reform and opening to the outside world, have been

developing rapidly with great achievements. Since China joined the
World Trade Organization, more and more foreign products have
been coming into China, while more and more Chinese products
have been going to the global markets. Advertising is primarily
concerned with building brand awareness and preference---both
communication functions.
1.5

Research Achievements on English Advertising Language

As far as I know, some books and papers concerning English

advertising have been published at home and abroad. Professor
Huang Guowen wrote and published an academic book entitled
Analyses of Advertising Texts (2000), which is the most influential in
China. English In Advertising by Geoffrey N. Leech, which appeared
in Britain in 1966, lays the foundation for exploration of the
language of English advertising. Advertising As Communication by
Gillian Dyer, which was first published in 1982, discusses the
history and development of advertising, the effects of advertising as
a major form of communication, etc. The Language of Television
Advertising by an American writer named Michael L.Geis explores
the linguistic features and non-verbal understanding of television
advertising. The Language of Advertising by Torben Vestergaard and
Kim Schr der, which was first published in 1985, is mainly
17

concerned with the language features and communication functions

of advertising, etc. One of the most influential books dealing with
advertising in English is Words in Ads (Greg Myers, 1994). The
writer begins with the most basic units---sounds and letters, then
goes on to the words, and the associations the words have and ways
they are interpreted. He also analyses different types and structures
of sentences in advertising. The above-mentioned works discuss
language characteristics of English advertising from different angles,
each of them emphasizing some particular aspects or a type of
advertising in English.
1.6 Significance of This Study of English Advertising Language
Nowadays, English has become an international language,
advertising in English is growing increasingly influential throughout
the world. English advertising greatly influences our thoughts,
feelings and outlooks and of course our lives. Since advertising in
English occupies such an important position in modern society, we
need to be aware of how it operates, how it sells goods and services,
how it perpetuates images and values, and moreover, how to create
English advertising texts. To achieve this awareness, what is most
important is to have a good grasp of the language characteristics of
English advertising.
In modern society, English advertising has gradually formed its
18

own unique characteristics and has also formed an independent style

throughout history of development. The language of English
advertising is simple and direct, distinct from the characteristics of
other discourses. Therefore, an analysis of the linguistic features of
English advertising is worthwhile. In addition, with the development
of global economy, more and more foreign products are pouring into
Chinese markets and competing with the home-made products, while
Chinese products are increasingly flowing abroad. Under such
international economic circumstances, a study of the linguistic
features of English advertising is of great significance. If we have a
good command of the language characteristics of English
advertising, we will be able to appreciate, assess and write English
advertising, which will promote our cooperation and exchange with
foreign countries, facilitate and promote our imports and exports,
and benefit the development of our economy and world economy.
The language of English advertising possesses many linguistic
features. This thesis briefly deals with the most common linguistic
characteristics

of

English

advertisements

in

English.

advertising,
They

include

particularly
three

press

categories:

characteristics of wording, syntactical features and rhetorical

devices. In other words, characteristics of wording, syntactical
features and rhetorical devices will be discussed respectively with
19

typical examples in a fairly brief manner.

This thesis is made up of five chapters. Chapter one briefly explores
the definition, objectives, elements, classification and significance of a
study of English advertising as well as major research results on English
advertising language. Chapter two is concerned with major wording
characteristics of English advertising texts. Chapter three discusses
syntactical features of English advertisements. Chapter four deals with
major rhetorical devices in English advertisements. In the concluding
part, the thesis emphasizes again the importance of studying language
features of English advertising, and points out the influence of English
advertising on the English language, the trend of English advertising and
existing problems of English advertising, so as to provide some insights
for admen in their practices.

Advertising, the embodiment of commerce, is an essential part of

our life, and its colorful language is very interesting and charming. I
tend to buy those products that are advertised in a way which gives
me a favorable impression. I often wonder at the magic of
advertising, especially English advertising. That was why I hit upon
the idea of writing a thesis on the language characteristics of English
advertising. When I told my supervisor Professor Tan Weiguo about
my intention, I got his approval and encouragement. Then I began to
collect reference. I consulted many Chinese and English references
which either deal with advertising or contain advertisements, and I
selected plenty of advertisements from books, newspapers,
magazines and even from the packing of products. When I thought I
had collected sufficient materials, I started to write my thesis.

20

Chapter Two
Wording Characteristics of English Advertising Texts

An advertisers main purpose is to present and exhibit product or

service, and to spread their influence to the extent that the potential
purchasing population become real and actual. Generally, advertisers
try by the various means at their disposal to get people to buy the
product or service advertised. They attempt to construct an
advertisement that will fully involve the attention of the potential
purchaser and which will have a persuasive effect. So they will make
21

full use of every word to attract readers attention. English

advertising texts display many unique diction features, such as
frequent use of monosyllabic verbs, personal pronouns, and
compounds, as well as clever use of coinages, etc. which will be
discussed briefly and separately in this chapter.
2.1 Proper Names Are Frequently Seen
The extreme frequency of references to the advertised products
and to their component parts or elements or ingredients provides
good reasons for the constant presence of proper names. Products
may be referred to quite simply by the mention of brand names, such
as Motorola , Marlboro, Coca-Cola , Kose, Nokia.
Besides product names, proper names of places, countries, services
and people are often seen in English advertising texts. This is
especially true of advertisements for tourists. Let us look at the
following advertisements:
(8)

Just once in a lifetime

The Worlds Fair and New Orleans. Its a magical combination that
can only happen once. So come on down the river, join America and
other great nations in a celebration the likes of which the world has
never seen.
Sense firsthand the wonders of Egypt. Walk from the French
Quarter into a part of Chinas mysterious past. Stroll through an
22

Italian village. Tip a stein at a German beer garden. Travel to Japan,

Mexico---22 different countries in all.
See every kind of show---from a nonstop jazz and gospel tent to a
lavish Broadway-style aquacade. See every kind of entertainment
from Bob Hope to Oak Ridge Boys. Taste every kind of food in over
70 restaurants from around the world. See the Space Shuttle
Enterprise.
But first you have to get there. We have 25,000 hotel rooms
waiting. Just tell your travel agent or tour operator that you want to
go to Louisiana --- to the biggest celebration ever --- the Great
Celebration. For more information call (504)525-fair.
The Worlds Fair I n New Orleans
THE GREAT CELEBRATION!8
The italicized nouns or noun phrases are the names of places,
cities or services. Such proper names arouse interest and create
desire, which are very important to prospective tourists.
2.2 Monosyllabic Verbs Are Frequently Used
Verbs used in English advertising are mostly short and simple.
Typical ones are: be, do, get, buy, make, give, have, see, come, go,
call, try, know, keep, look, need, love, use, show, help, prove, mean,
meet, suit, save, feel, like, take, choose, select, start, taste, build,
grow, offer, provide, enjoy, savor, etc.
23

Any advertisements in English you come across may contain a

few or some of these verbs, no matter what products or services are
advertised. All these verbs are common and simple, and most of
them are monosyllabic. These common verbs make advertising in
English simple and easy to understand.
A number of the above-mentioned verbs have varying
grammatical functions and meanings that vary accordingly. The
linking verb be is usually used to express the advertised product or
service. The word do, which has many different meanings, can refer
to the practical functions or applications of the advertised product or
service. Get, buy, have, give, take, and keep are related to the
possession of the advertised product or service; have and have got
convey the idea of neutral possession; keep transmits the idea of
continuing possession; buy, get and take express acquisition and give
denotes the conferring of possession on somebody else. Another
group of verbs concern consumption: take (in one of its uses) and
have (in one of its meanings). Meet and suit are associated with the
practical functions of the advertised product or service. Like, love
and need denote mental disposition towards the product.
Choose/select and taste indicate some links between product and
consumer. Look, feel and taste can be descriptive of the consumers
sensation or feelings; with an inanimate subject, they can describe
24

the sensible properties of the commodity being advertised. The verbs

make, build and grow tell about producer and product, or about the
origin of the product. Offer, provide, present, and enjoy are favorite
items in estate and travel advertisements, where they are normally
preceded by impersonal subjects. At least one or two of these four
verbs often appear in an estate or travel advertisements.
A number of the above-mentioned verbs are frequently used in the
imperative clauses which encourage the audience to buy the product.
In imperative clauses the word buy is rarely used. The tendency to
avoid buy might be put down to the unpleasant connotations of
this verb. It is of course of vital importance to the adman that he
should not appear to be imposing himself on his audience, for if the
reader feels the advert to be too obtrusive, he/she is likely to react
negatively to its message, or simply forget about it altogether. The
adman is therefore confronted with a problem: on the one hand his
advert should make people buy the product; on the other hand he
must not say this in so many words lest they should take offence
(Vestergaard, T. and Schroder, K. 1985: 67). Leech (1966:154)
points out that in advertising language the most frequent word for
acquisition of product is get instead of buy. The reason for this
is undoubtedly that buy has some unpleasant connotations (money
and the parting with it) which get lacks. Advertisers usually make
25

very careful efforts not to use the word buy. Instead they often use
such synonyms as: try, ask for, get, take, send for, use,
choose, look for. Please examine the following ad of Microsoft.
(9) Come and learn how to leverage Microsofts family of
adaptable, scalable embedded platforms to enable you to quickly
develop your 32-bit connected Windows powered solutions. This is
the only event that will up-date you on all the latest developments in
todays supercharged connected device industry. Well deliver hardcore information for developers with both beginner and advanced
tracks.
Get an early preview of the Microsoft roadmap and direction in
embedded and appliance technologies.
Master the latest customizable embedded platforms for building
smarter devices---from simple data-collection tools to the fullfeatured.
Hear direct from the product team including the program
managers, developers and architects who are building these
technologies.
Learn all about the tools and business models that this new
market-place is demanding.
Register now!9
In the above-mentioned example, the action verbs show the
26

advertisements endeavor to persuade readers that needs can be

fulfilled and problems can be solved through consumption.
The following sentences are frequently seen or heard in
advertisements: Make X your toothpaste. Give him / her an X.
Discover the smoothness, etc. of X. Introduce your family to X.
Serve X. Let X solve your problems. In these imperative
sentences X stands for the product with a certain brand name. In
other cases, however, advertisers dont ask their customers to buy
the product or service, but try to make sure that their names will be
present in their mind in a buying situation. They usually employ
such imperative sentences as: Look for X at your dealers.
Remember theres only one X. This latter group requests the
customers to contact the dealer/agent with greater or lesser urgency.
Call /See your X agent. Come to our showroom. Come on /
hurry, book now. These sentences are particularly frequent in
advertisements for services such as insurance, travel, and provision
of luxurious accommodation or for products in the more expensive
range, such as cars.
In advertisements using more cautious, indirect ways of calling to
action, a variety of methods are employed. e.g.:
(10) You can use it at the table as well as in your cooking.
(She,August,1977)

(11)
27

Youll find X on all good cosmetic counters.

(Cosmopolitan, July 1977)
In the two examples mentioned above, indirect ways of persuasion
are resorted to. Obviously, different ways call for different verbs, but
which way and which verb to use depend on the context and the
advertiser.
Frequent use of monosyllabic verbs can help kill two birds with
one stone: on the one hand, it makes the language of English
advertising more concise and lively, and on the other hand, it saves
space and time and money.
2.3

Adjectives are frequently used

G.N. Leech a well-known linguist in Britain, lists in his

Language in Advertising (1966: 152) the following most frequently
used adjectives: (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.
The first item on the list, new, which implies the latest fashion or
style or quality or type, or unique feature of a product or service, and
connotes progress and development, is a word applied everywhere,
because it can almost describe all aspects of products, such as size ,
shape , look, brilliance, color, formula, also it can collocate with
abstract nouns : contest, fashion, competition, ideas, trend, tide,
28

wave, etc. It is frequently seen that new collocates with common

nouns, such as booklet, bottle, car, fish steak, newspapers, shampoo,
soap, toothbrush, tyre, weed-killer, tool, TV, cosmetics, and many
more. e.g. :
(12) Introducing Renurit Freshell. The new wave in air fresheners.
Renurit Freshell. Its a beautiful shell on the outside. And inside its
a long-lasting air freshenerthat freshens all day, all week, all
month. The new wave in air freshenersnew Renurit Freshell. In
your choice of 4 delightfully fresh scents.10
(13) Maybe you should ?????????for this:
New Le Menu Light Style entrees.
Healthyand delicious.11
However, new cannot be used too freely, and it must be used to the
point. Although it is a very positive word, yet new can not convey an
exact degree of the state of being new. For example, when we
encounter new packing, we cannot imagine how new the packing
is.
Good/better/best might appear to be another all-purpose epithet,
particularly in its comparative and superlative forms (Leech,
1966:152). Admen often use good/better/best collocating with two
kinds of products: food and tobacco. Good also collocates with
many nouns which dont denote concrete products, such as flavor,
29

gravy, sandwich, breakfast. The use of good with cigarettes and

tobacco probably reflects the difficulty of finding more suitable
adjective. e.g.:
(14) What a good time for a good taste of a Kent?12
(15) In just a few drops , this mans skin is going to feel better.13
(16) This claims its good for arthritis pain.
This guarantees, its better.
Two Medipren relieve minor arthritis pain better than two regular
aspirin. We guarantee it or your money back. 14
(17)

Whats on the best-seller list in IBM Personal Computer

software?
People prefer IBM Personal Computer software for a variety.
Because, for just about anything you want the IBM Personal
Computer to help you do, theres software to help you do it.
Software to help improve productivity, efficiency and planning. To
help teachers teach and students learn.
Or help you become an even more astute games player. Every
program in our software library makes the IBM Personal Computer a
truly useful tool for modern times. Thats why a lot of buyers like
you have made them best sellers. And the library is still growing.
So the best may well be yet to come.
---- IBM Personal Computer software15
30

Good and new are much more frequently used than any other
adjectives; wonderful, fine and great are adjectives of commendation
in most cases; delicious , crisp , fresh and rich are key words in
food advertising; fresh and clean are often used in the
advertisements of toothpaste; of course, clean can collocate with
cleaning products, too , such as :detergent, shampoo and soap; sure
is only used in the products which have something to do with human
beings; safe and sure are inevitably used in connection with products
related to hygiene, such as deodorants and germicides. E.g.
(18) This babys nappy is Lux-safe. Safe with the safety that you get
with pure soap.16
(19) Youre sure of personal freshness---lasting day and night
freshness---and sure of a lovely, lingering perfume. This winter be
sure. Use double-sure Body Mist, the perfumed deodorant.17
Extra and special have a function similar to that of new, but they
express the differences of products. There are other words frequently
used relative to new products, such as now, suddenly, announcing,
introducing, its here, improved, revolutionary, just arrived,
important development, miracle, surprising, challenge. Free,
obviously cannot collocate with nouns denoting products or brand
names. It is often used with an added attraction to consumers.
Delicious, good and fresh are used as adjectives to recommend
31

food products. Sometimes, they are found with other adjectives, such
as chunky, crunchy , crisp, flaky, juicy, homemade and light.
In English advertisements, good and wonderful are more
frequently used than nice and marvelous. The other adjectives
mentioned above are associated with products, and show their
qualities and properties.
2.4 Compounds
In English advertisements, you can see compounds everywhere.
Some compounds are written as single words and some with a
hyphen, but others appear as two separate words. Because lexical
restraints on compounds are few, the advertisers are relatively free to
create English compounds which are appropriate to the copy text.
As a result, English compounds become a conspicuous characteristic
of English advertisements.
As we know, compound nouns are coined in many different ways.
In the following examples, we can see structural types of the most
common compound nouns. (a) adjective + noun: high-fashion
knitwear, top-quality bulbs; (b) noun + noun: color freshness,
economy-size shredded wheat; (c) adverb + noun: the any-time
cereal, up-to-the-minute cycling; (d) present participle + noun:
arriving time, chewing gum; (e) past participle + noun: purified salt,
married couple.
32

Compound adjectives are often used to describe products or

services. Leech (1966:135) pointed out: perhaps the most
conspicuous characteristic of
reader or listener is an

advertising language to a casual

abundance and variety of adjectival

compounds. The frequently used compound adjectives types are as

follows: (1) Noun + adjective: world-famous wine, feather-light
flakes; (2) Adjective + adjective: light-blue T shirt, dark-red skirts;
(3) present participle + adjective: shining-clean, piping-hot coffee;
(4) noun + adjective: brand-new, feather-light; (5) Adjective +
present participle: fresh-tasting milk, innocent-looking; (6) Adverb +
present participle: the best-selling toilet tissue, fast-foaming new
S.P.; (7) Noun + past participle: honey-coated sugar puffs, homemade; (8) Adjective(adverb) + past participle: perfect-textured cakes,
quick-frozen food.
Compound verbs are rarely used, but since the 19 century, some
compound verbs are seen in English advertisements more and more
often, such as: mass-produce, window-dress, air-condition, blueprint, cold rinse, warm iron, line dry etc.
Of particular interest are compounds which themselves contain a
compound as one of their elements: coffee-pot-fresh, brand-newclean, the so-many-ways cheese. In addition, there are a few
compounds which are created innovatively by the copy writers, such
33

as

better-than

leather-miracle-covering,

look

at

the

oh-so-

comfortable size, give that oh-so-good-to-be alive feeling. All these

compounds make advertisements more humorous, varied and
original, thus impressing people much.
The utility of compound pre-modifiers in English advertisements
is very difficult to explain. Leech pointed out (1966:139)
Compound pre-modifiers, like noun and adjective pre-modifiers, can
be used either attributively or designatively: they can add emotively
slanted description, or merely specify more exactly the referential
domain of the accompanying noun. Like noun pre-modifiers, their
semantic relation to the head is often not explicitly signaled, as it
would be in post-modification. Usually, the meaning of a
compound pre-modifier becomes quite clear when it is logically
paraphrased by means of putting it as post-modifier. Here are some
examples: feather-light flakes = flakes which are as light as a
feather; chocolate-flavored cereal = cereal flavored with chocolate;
stiff-tufted mud remover = mud remover with stiff tufts; economysize shredded wheat = wheat shredded in economic size; honeycoated sugar puffs = sugar puffs coated with honey.
Obviously, compound pre-modifiers contribute to rendering the
text much more concise and to saving space and money for
advertisers.
34

2.5 Personal Pronouns

The mode of address needs to be given more attention in studying
advertising. Advertisers aim to create a relationship between the
addressees and themselves and the relationship is more complicated
than it appears at first glance. Advertisers are, in fact, addressing an
implied readership based onwhat advertisers believe we are like or
, more importantly, would like to be. This can be described
diagrammatically: Real Writer ---- Implied writer ----Text ---implied Reader----Real Reader / Copywriter ---- Narrator ----TextAssumption made about us ---- Real Person

(Ronald Carter,

1997:199)
The real writer is the copywriter, although in the advertisement
the narrator will be masquerading as the text producer. The
advertisement

is addressed to an implied reader whose

characteristics may be expressed in the advertisement. These

characteristics may or may not coincide with the characteristics of
the real reader. Advertisers use pronominal forms to address,
through the narrator, the actual writer while directing their text at the
implied reader. In the similar field,for the modes of address, Guy
Cook notes (1992:155) that advertisers favor the use of pronouns
and tend to use them inparticular ways. We is the manufacturer,
I is often the advisor, the expert and the relater of experiences and
35

motives leading to purchase of the product, he/she is very often

the person who did not use the product. You can, however, refer
to many people simultaneously. for example, the advertisers can
direct their message at certain groups to the exclusion of others.
They can create an informal and friendly relationship which is more
detached in consumers mind.
The copywriter widely employs personal pronouns in English
advertisements. Just as Merril De Voe put it long ago (1956), Most
valuable are names of people and personal pronouns that enter upon
people. All first and second person pronouns are personal, but your
copy should be made up predominantly of the latter. Usually the
pronoun you, should occur with the greatest frequency. In most
cases, you and we and their possessive and objective forms are
utilized. Sometimes the third-person pronouns he, she, and they and
their possessive and objective forms are employed. Personal
pronouns carry important meanings in advertisements. As the
second-person pronoun, you is most frequently used in English
advertisements, it is natural that its other forms your, and yourself
should turn up in the context. Lets first look at some examples
involving you, your and yourself.
(20) The Elegant Continental Tea and Coffee Maker Is Yours
Free When You Choose to Purchase Johan Strauss
36

Stylishly designed, you will find the slim, classic lines of this
continental tea and coffee maker---known as a Cafetiere ---will set
the mood for a relaxing break at any time of the day. The easy-to-use
Cafetiere will give you the ideal opportunity for indulging yourself
with delicious tea and coffee while you soak up the music of
StraussThe perfect match.

(ibid.)

(21) All it takes to get a better picture is a better video tape. To

enjoy a good picture these days you need more than a good screen.
You need a video tape designed to bring out the best in all the video
equipment your own. You need a video tape that delivers crisp colors
and clear sounds. You need a video tape that looks every bit as vivid
on extended playing time as it does on standard. You need a video
tape so technologically advanced that it can keep your picture
perfect even after hundreds of replays. In short, you need Fuji video
tape. Because if you want to improve your picture, all you really
have to do is improve your video tape.18
(22)

POWERFUL SOFTWARE LINKED

TO YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS
Knowledge is power.

The strength of your management information system shapes your

business future.
Is your accounting software designed for the way you work?
37

Can that software deliver the quality of management information

that lets you plan and control your business?
Omicrons DOS, Unix and Xenix Power Products have been
molded to work for your business.
More than 6,000 Power users have turned to Omicrons power
and flexibility.
Find out why, call us today.
(OMICRON MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE LIMITED)19

In many advertisements you is repeatedly used. From the

examples quoted above, it is easy to see that through the use of you,
your, yours and yourself, the advertiser is communicating or talking
directly to you, which refers to any reader or audience. It sounds as
if he or she is putting across messages or giving desirable advice to
you in front of your face. In example (20), the advertiser describes
the appearance and ideal functions of Cafetiere, a continental tea and
coffee maker, as if face to face with you. In fact, the advertiser is
creating a charming image of his product, which is fascinating and
stimulating to you through the use of you, yours and yourself. In
example (21), the advertiser actually makes much effort to persuade
you to buy Fuji video tape. It is to be noted that in this example,
many reasons are given to suggest you possess Fuji video tape as
early as possible. From this example, we can see that the advertiser
38

makes full use of repetition: here you need is repeated six times and
video-tape six times too, impacting peoples nerves strongly and
repeatedly. Naturally, the most impressive are the two phrases : you
need and video-tape. They form a sentence with a clear meaning:
you need a video-tape. Example (22) is an advertisement of the
accounting software --- Omicrons DOS. Here, the advertiser aims to
persuade you to buy this kind of accounting software, but from the
text the advertiser seems to consider consumers interests, so that the
potential consumers might take real action.
why does the copy writer or advertiser favor the use of you in the
process of composing ads? Because you not only suggests a one-toone personal relationship, but also implies that the advertiser can not
know whom they are reachingThe use of you is powerful because
it is slippery, not because it picks up one person (Greg Myers,
1944:79). To sell like a sales person, ads have to address up
personally, even when they address millions of us at once.
Besides you, we is the second most common personal pronoun in
English advertisements. Since we often appears in ads, our, ours and
ourselves naturally emerge in the context. We has different
references in different contexts: we may refer to the advertiser, or the
secondary advertiser, or the sales person, or the producer, or the
agent, and it may or may not include the addressee. Since you
39

always turns up in ads, we naturally appears so often. But why is we

said to be the second most common personal pronoun? This is
because we is sometimes omitted or implied or need not be
mentioned and because you is more often required to express the
necessary information.
It is to be noted that we is always tricky, because it can be used in
both exclusive and inclusive senses, that is, either including or not
including the person who is spoken to. In ads, one use produces a
sense of solidarity with the customer, the other projects the image of
the company as personal(Greg Myers, 1994:81). Here are two
examples:
(23) Before you buy a new Skoda, shouldnt you read the small
print?
See those little words beneath our badge?
The ones that say Volkswagen Group?
They are testimony to our partnership with VW.
Together, weve spent the last three years challenging
and questioning everything that Skoda does.
The result of this process is the new Felica. Like all Skodas, its
spacious, yet, at the same time, economical enough to meet the
needs of a buyer who wants to make a sensible choice.
Moreover, it embraces Europes highest quality control and
40

safety standards. Free from the constraints of the cold war and with
the help of our friends at VW, our work force have built a car that
ranks alongside the best in Europe.
But, perhaps more importantly, the whole experience has
produced a company that ranks alongside the best in Europe.
Weve changed the car. Weve changed the company.
The question is, are you open enough to change your mind?
Weve changed the car. Can you change your mind ?
(THE TIMES MAGAZINE, NOVERMBER 18, 1995) (
)
(24) Lately youve been hearing a lot of auto companies talking
about safety. And at Ford, were proud to say that safety has been a
part of our heritage for years. After all, we were the first U.S. car
maker to offer safety class standard, and the first to offer a protection
package that included safety belts and padded instrument panel.
Because to us, safety is more than just the latest trend: its a key
ingredient in the trust weve built with our customers over the
years.20
In the above-mentioned examples, we and its possessive form
our turn up several times. It goes without saying that we and our are
used in the exclusive sense, that is, the customers are excluded.
Through the use and repetition of we and our, the advertiser, who
41

seems to be talking face to face with you, the reader or the customer,
is telling you what effort the company has made and what successes
it has achieved, thus creating a wonderful personal image of the car
company. Of course, the advertiser usually employs we and you in
the same context, where the two sides of discourse become quite
clear, as can be seen from the examples quoted above. However, the
copy writer will prefer using You attitude to using Me attitude,
because You attitude rings more cordial to consumers, and it can
express readers needs, desires, and hopes more effectively. Lets
observe the following examples.
Me attitude:
(a) We are pleased to announce our new flight schedule from
Cincinnati to Philadelphia, which is any hour on the hour.
(b) We believe this vacuum cleaner to be technically superior to any
other on the market.
You attitude:
(a) You can take a plane from Cincinnati to Philadelphia any hour on
the hour.
(b)Your house will be more beautiful because youll be using the
most powerful, easy-to-use vacuum we have ever offered.
From the above-mentioned examples, we can come to the
conclusion that You attitude can communicate an advertising idea
42

more convincingly and persuade potential consumers to accept the

advertisers promotion.
The first person I is sometimes used in ad texts. As we all know,
in some ads, such as book ads, particularly in commercials, products
or services are advertised through the mouths of famous people like
well-known actors and actresses, professors and scientists. Naturally,
in such cases, I is used to bring out the personal experience and
feelings or thoughts of the customer whose role is played by a
famous person who advertises the product or service. The qualities,
or properties, or advantages of the product or service made clear by a
secondary advertiser through the use of I are considered more
objective, more powerful, and so more believable and more reliable
from the psychological point of view. But I is also tricky and
slippery because it can refer to different people in different contexts:
I may refer to the sales-person or stand for an old or potential
customer, or speak as designer of a product. e.g.
(25)

TOM SEAVER
Gardener, Baseball Hall-of Fame
Gardening is an important part of my life.
Im often out in my garden by seven.
I love the smell in the air, the early morning light.
My wife Nancy gave me a bronze plaque.
43

It says : He who plants a garden plants happiness.

Thats the way I feel.
I use Miracle-Gro, to make everything in my garden
look its best.
I learned that secret back when I was a rookie gardener.
Tom Seaver21
(26)

Achieve the impossible?

Its always possible.
Lets make things better.
Edward Tonino, Product Designer, Remote Control

Some people are always looking for the next mountain to climb.
The people at Philips are no exception. Im Edward Tonino, Product
Designer, Remote Control. As a product designer, its my job to
make remote control technology as simple and convenient as
possible. Im also exploring the possibilities of harmonizing all
aspects of remote controls, wherever theyre used in the home. And
who knows where the latest technology might take us: handset with
fewer buttons, or a cursor to run you home. Impossible? Well, that
has never stopped us before.
PH
ILIPS22
(27) Recently I had to go to St. Louis for a meeting. Instead of
44

flying, as I having been doing for the past four years, I decided to
take an overnight Pullman. It happened to be raining when I left . No
matter. The train was exactly on time, and whats more, I didnt get
drenched before boarding.
By the time I reached my roomette, my suitcase was there waiting
for me. I hung my suit in the locker and changed into a pair of
slacks. Then I settled back in that big, comfortable seat and managed
to get more work done---in an hour---in the privacy of my roomette
than I am able to accomplish in my own office in half a day.
I couldnt have slept better.
We arrived at the St. Louis station 30 seconds early. When I left
the train, I was fortified with a good breakfast, an unwrinkled suit,
shined shoes and a serene description. The cab ride to my
engagement was a matter of seconds. What all this adds up to is that
a journey I usually consider an ordeal turned out to be a pleasure
event. I am looking forward to many more trips by Pullman.23
Example (27) is a testimony provided by an American authority.
The personal testimony of the first-person narrator may become even
more confidential. Such device creates an impression of letting you
into the most secrete wishes and experiences of the author.
In some advertisements what ordinary customers or clients have
said is quoted as part of the advertisement to add force to it. e.g.
45

(28) WOMAN: One reason why I bought this Eagle Summit is that
I once tried to put all of my luggage in the back of a Toyota Tercel
and it just wouldnt fit.
OFF-CAMERA VOICE: Sounds like a bad experience.
WOMAN: Yeah, but its all behind me now.
Advantage : Eagle24
(29) Hi , my names Messy Marvin.
I got that name because no matter how hard I tried, my room and
my clothes were always messy. But then one day, Mom brought
home thick, rich, yummy Hersheys Syrup in the no mess squeeze
bottle. And before I knew it, I was making the best chocolate milk
Id ever had. But I wasnt making a mess. Its fun, too. I just pull the
cap and squeeze. Nothing drips, nothing spills.
Now Moms happy and so am I.
My room and my clothes are still a mess, but at least theres
hope.25
In Example (28), part of the original ad is quoted above----the
advertiser has quoted what the woman has said. In fact, what she has
said is linked to the advantages the Eagle offers, with the use of the
first person pronoun I, the advertisement becomes much more
persuasive and convincing and much more reliable and attractive
than if presented by the advertiser himself. Example (29) is an
46

advertisement of Hersheys Syrup, which is targeting at the children

from six to eleven years old, so the advertiser chooses this boy as a
spokesperson. Once the boy, Messy Marvin, appears, he is loved and
trusted by consumers, because many families have such a boy who
always makes his room and his clothes messy, so what he says will
be reliable for potential consumers. It is reported that a lovely and
likable spokesperson can increase the number of positive cognitive
responses to the commercial.
It is not difficult to find that ads set up relationships with readers
or customers by means of use of personal pronouns. Therefore,
appropriate application of personal pronouns plays an important role
in bringing about successful advertisements.
2.6 Clever Use of Coinages
New words and phrases coined by means of imitation or by free
compounding are invariably encountered in English advertisements.
New original words are created to attract addressees attention and to
meet their needs for curiosity and novelty. Such freshly made words
and phrases may suggest that the product or service being advertised
possesses peculiar qualities as well as the value of novelty. Many
words in advertisements, especially in trade names, are new words
newly coined, or deliberately misspelled and abbreviated. e.g.
(30)

Give a Timex to all, and to all a good time.26

47

(31)

Come to our fruice.27

(32)

The Orangemostest Drink in the world.28

(33)

Kwik-Kwik transport service.29

The underlined words are coinages. In example (30), Timex= time

+ excellent. In English advertising the suffix ex is often added to the
root, showing the good quality of a product. In addition, good time
here has double meanings: one means happiness, the other means
showing time exactly. In example (31), fruice = fruit + juice. This
newly coined word arouses peoples attention by its novelty in form.
When one reads or hears example (32),

he or she may think

Orangemostest is a wrong word, but actually it is deliberately

created by the advertiser, Orangemostest in this advertisement
consists of three parts: orange ,most and est. It is well known that
orange juice is a popular drink liked by the old and the young for its
nutrition and thirsty-quenching quality. Two superlatives most and
est are added to orange so as to stress the best quality of this
product. In example (33), the author makes clever use of a witty,
strange and eye-catching word Kwik-Kwik, which sounds like
quick - quick, and is very attractive to customers. The reduced
letters seem to show urgency and quick service to the customers.
Coinages of this kind are nowhere to be found in dictionaries, but
they seem familiar to readers in appearance. One can guess their
48

meanings by means of the context without help of dictionaries.

When customers come across newly coined words, their interest is
stimulated, and they want to go on reading and take action. Thus, the
aim of advertising is reached. But coinages must be well based on
after-taste and implication , without which
coinages can produce little effect and will be meaningless.
Misspelling some common words is also a clever use of coinages.
Now lets see the following example:
(34)
(35)

We know eggsactly how to tell eggs.30

Drinka
Pinta
Milka
Day31

(36)

TWOGETHER

The Ultimate All Inclusive One Brice Sunkissed Holiday.32

In example (34), eggsactly not only has the similar
pronunciation as exactly, but it has connections with the last word
eggs in this sentence, thus impressing people a great deal.
Example (35) is an ad of milk. The correct forms of these three
words are Drink, Pint, Milk . The sentence in standard grammar
should be Drink a pint of Milk a day.. The pronunciation of of
is similar to that of a, so the advertiser misspells it as above49

quoted, which not only attracts consumers attention to the

advertisement, but also achieves beauty and rhythm of the language
of advertisement. Example (36) is an advertisement on providing a
couple with a holiday inn. Twogether and together are similar
both in spelling and pronunciation. To is misspelled as Two on
purpose by the advertiser to indicate that the couple could get the
romantic yesterday once more if they spend their holiday together in
this inn. Psychologically, emotion between lovers tends to become
common and ordinary on the surface???????? after a long period,
which often reminds them of the past time. This
advertisement is just to cater for such need and psychology.
It is easy to see from the above examples that newly created
words vividly express the desirable features, qualities, or functions
of the product or service being advertised.

Chapter Three
Syntactical Features of English Advertisements
As a particular branch of language, advertising language should be
50

concise and attractive. It usually has its own characteristics in

syntax, such as frequent use of simple and elliptical sentences,
frequent use of interrogative sentences, frequent use of conditional
sentences, frequent use of comparative sentences, etc. However, no
matter which syntactical features advertisers would adopt, they
should perform the following functions: to get attention; to show
people an advantage; to arouse interest and create desire; to ask for
action. In order to realize these functions, the advertisers should pay
much attention to the selection of sentence variety, sentence
structure, and other grammatical forms. This chapter concentrates on
the major grammatical characteristics of English advertisements.
3.1 Frequent Use of Simple Sentences
Whatever product or service may be advertised, the advertiser
usually sets a limit to the length of the advertisement for the sake of
space and money. Normally, he or she makes much effort to convey
as much information as possible in a most concise and compact
manner. Therefore, simple sentences are frequently used in English
advertisements. Here are some examples.
(37)

IT COMES WITH A CONSCIENCE

Honda has always made good cars. People love them. But with a
loved one, things can sometimes get emotional.
Honda understands. And on our own we have set up a third party
51

arbitration program with the Better Business Bureau to give you

extra voice, if you need it.
But please talk to your dealer first. And follow the problem
-solving procedure described in your owners manual.
Our new program will help to resolve product-related questions
about your Honda. This program is free. Just ask at any Honda
dealer for a booklet.
Or call 800-521-1613. You see, Honda wants you and your Honda
to have a long and happy relationship. Its only right.33
(38)

STOUFFERS PRESENTS 14 DAYS

TO GET YOUR LIFE
ON THE RIGHT COURSE.

Dont just sit there. Get more active. Ride a bike. Take a walk.
Swim some Laps. Thats the way to begin.
And then, come home to Stouffers Right Course entrees. These
satisfying low-fat, low-cholesterol meals have great tastes youll
love. (All with less than 600 mgs of sodium and under 350 calories.)
So feast on Sliced Turkey, Chicken in Barbecue Sauce, Spaghetti
with Meatballs and more.
Discover Stouffers Right Course and get on the Right Course for
life!
STOUFFERS RIGHT COURSE34
52

Example (37) is an advertisement of Honda cars and Example

(38) is a food advertisement. They are mostly made up of simple
sentences, which render these two advertisements smooth and easy
to understand. Simple sentences can not only make English
advertising easy to read, hear and understand, but also leave a deep
impression on the readers minds.
3.2 Frequent Use Of Interrogative Sentences
In some English advertisements, interrogative sentences are used
at the very beginning of the body copy, so as to hold the addressees
attention and arouse their interest. Interrogative sentences often
require people to give answers, by which to arouse their attention.
Interrogative sentences break through consumers psychological
screens at first, then require them to reflect. Lets observe the
following examples.
(39) What will you do with the money you save using a faster, more
efficient computer?35
(40) That Baume & Mercier is thinner than ever, isnt it? 36
(41) Whats so special about Lurpark Danish butter? Well, can you
remember what butter used to taste like - real fresh from house
butter? Do you remember how you used to enjoy it when you were
young? Today the taste of Lurpark brings it all back to you--- thats
why its so special.37
53

One of the most effective ways of attracting attention to an

advertisement lies in the careful choice of the kind of headline that
should be used. A headline should not just be a catchy phrase or
slogan that seems all right, but a positive contribution to the style
and mood of the advertisement.(Frank Jefkins, ADVERTISING
MADE SIMPLE, 1985:261-262 ).
So interrogative sentences are often used in the headline, which is
called question headline, so as to produce this effect. In this way, the
copy writers put forward questions, which will arouse resonance and
thinking from consumers, and attract them to read the copy text. See
the following examples.
(42) How do you keep your head above water
when the market takes a drive ?
Learn to swim. With a strong Swiss bank. In these times of
volatile equities markets, political uncertainty and shrinking dollars,
we can help you stay afloat. With safe financial instruments invested
in solid currencies.
Of course, asset protection is just one aspect of working with BSI,
one of the leading Swiss banks. We provide a complete range of
offshore banking services tailored to suit your needs. A global
network of offices. And more than 100 years of banking and
investment expertise.
54

If you have questions about the future of your investments, give us

a call at 5-8466600 in Hong Kong or fill out the coupon below.
Together we can find the answers that are right for you.
BSI38
(43)

Looking For a Lifeline?

Let TUGU INSURANCE keep you afloat in the face of the worst
of elements.
TUGU INSURANCE
---the back-up you can count on.
TUGU INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED39

(44)

MOVING TO BANGKOK?

Exquisite House for Rent in Pratumwan area.

Brand-new house with small garden; European owner.
Large living, separate dining, fully equipped western kitchen, 3
bedrooms with marble bathrooms, study, spacious built-in closets
dressing area, 7 split air-cons, spacious tiled porch and terrace, car
park.
Rent Baht 80,000.00 For appt call/fax Jennifer in
Bangkok 391-0559 or contact Catherine in Hongkong
Tel:861-0616
Fax:861-307340
(45)

MARTINI
55

Whod ever let a long cool Martini Rosso pass by?

Martini Rosso. The right one.
Martini, M&R
are registered Trade Marks.41
Example (42) is a bank advertisement and Example (43) is an
insurance one. The headline in each of the two examples is a
question, which is very attractive. Then an answer is provided. Thus,
they propagandize their services well. Example (44) is a renting
advertisement, where the headline is also a question. Then in the
body copy, sufficient reasons are given for moving to Bangkok.
Example (45) is an alcoholic advertisement, where the headline is a
question, too. The advertiser promotes his product in concise words,
which will make a strong impression on his readers.
It is to be noted that in some cases, interrogative sentences appear
at the end of the body copy, which can produce a strong positive
effect. Lets see the following examples.
(46) Yes. You can afford it. Now you can afford the matchless
luxury of rich, supple leather furniture. At the Leather Collection
youll find the largest selection of traditional and contemporary
leather sofas, chairs, loveseats, soft-beds and modulars at discounts
of up to 50%. And because the Leather Collection is affiliated with
New Yorks largest furniture showroom, we can feature the widest
56

choice of decorator colors and a lifetime guarantee on everything we

sell. So why put off for tomorrow the pleasure you can afford today?
42

(47)

Were Not The Only Airline To Claim

Great Service.
Just The Only One To Prove It.

For 16 straight years, Delta has been ranked number one in

passenger satisfaction among major U.S. airlines according to the
U.S. Department of Transportation. So when we claim that the Delta
system will give constantly good service on each one of our 4200
daily flights, you can believe us. After all, who wants to argue with
the U.S. Government?
Delta AIRLINES
We Love To Fly And It Shows.43
The question at the end of the body copy of each of the above two
examples is in fact a positive rhetorical question. We all know that a
rhetorical question need not be answered and that a positive
rhetorical question is equal to a strong declarative sentence. The two
rhetorical questions in the above two examples are very persuasive,
forceful, and impressive. They can be paraphrased as: There is
absolutely no reason to put off for tomorrow the pleasure you can
afford today. / After all, nobody wants to argue with the U.S.
57

Government. It is not difficult to see that the two paraphrased

sentences are not so persuasive as the two positive rhetorical
questions in the original.
Interrogative sentences are very much favored in English
advertisements, because they demand peoples response and can
arouse readers interest quickly. Positive rhetorical questions are
even more attractive and more persuasive.
3.3 Frequent Use of Imperative Sentences
As we all know, one of the functions of advertising is that of
persuasion, i.e. to persuade consumers to take immediate action.
Imperative sentences are very important in English advertisements,
because they perform the function of direct persuasion and
exhortation. Imperative sentences are most widely employed in
English advertisements. According to statistics, there is at least one
imperative sentence in every four in English advertising texts.
Therefore, frequent use of imperative sentences has become a
distinct phenomenon in English advertisements. e.g.
(48)

Get Super Snowcem.44

(49)

Get the shave thats extra close - the Remington shave.45

(50)

Get your copy free.46

(51)

Get more income from your income telephone lines.47

(52)

Get Volvo power behind you to take you far and away.48
58

(53)

Always buy Cadburys.49

(54)

Buy your new suit direct from the UKs premier manufacturer
and save literally hundreds of pounds .(The Times, 15th Dec.
1995)()

(55)

Let your child in on a world of wonder: Things of Science.50

(56)

Let the New York Times find you.51

(57) For the brightest gloss choose from Gaymels wonderful color
range.52
(58)

Have some Harveys with your Christmas.53

(59)

Have a little fruit after dinner.54

(60)

Look for Top Shelf on your grocers shelf in the new

microwave entre section, and go places with it.55

(61) Always ask for Gallahers Blues.56
(62) Try our smooth feeder system.57
(63)

Try new Rice Krispies.58

(64)

Enjoy the worlds No.1 Scotch whisky.59

(65)

For lovelier hairstyles use New Amami Waveset and

conditioner.60

(66)

LookNo meniscus reading problems!61

(67)

Just see how marks and smudges disappear when you use
Handy Andy.62

(68)

Watch the Daxaids instant dispersal test.63

59

(69)

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 Watch64
The above-mentioned imperative sentences chosen from various
advertisements are always seen in newspapers and magazines. If you
carefully look at them, you will find that such verbs as get, buy, let,
choose, have are directly associated with the acquisition of products;
that verbs like look for, ask for, try are indirectly associated with the
acquisition of products; that verbs like enjoy, use are obviously
associated with the consumption of products or with the use of
service; and that verbs such as look, see and watch act as appeals for
notice or attraction.
look, see, and watch are common in commercials of the
demonstration type, where they call the consumers attention
to what is happening before the consumers eyes.(Leech,
1966:46)
Other verbs such as remember, make sure are favored by the
admen, too. In imperative sentences such verbs perform the function
of advising consumers to note some important points in the process
of choosing or using the product or service.
60

It is to be noted that there are few negative imperative sentences

in English advertising. Negative imperative sentences are employed
only for the purposes of expressing admonishment or warning.
3.4 Frequent Use of the Simple Present Tense
In English advertisements, the copy writer tends to use the simple
present tense, although he or she employs other tenses as well when
necessary. Obviously, the simple present tense is ubiquitous in
English advertisements. Please look at the following examples.
(70)

Indulge your senses with the freshness of Fa

Gently clean and moisturize your skin with the freshness of Fa

Shower Gel. Its rich emollients and ideal PH balance leave your skin
soft and smooth to the touch.
Fa, Europes most popular brand of bath and shower products, is
now available as a complete line with a choice of three enchanting
fragrances.

Freshness you

can feel.65
(71)

PONDS DISCOVERS HOW TO

FIGHT DRYNESS
EVERY TIME YOU WASH YOUR
FACE

Instead of soap, try a whole new way to wash your face. Ponds
Facial Cleaning Foam. Its a light, refreshing foam that cleans
61

thoroughly, cleans gently, but doesnt dry your skin like soap.
New Ponds leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth every time
you wash your face. Try it and see. No one knows more about
beautiful skin than Ponds.
PONDS CLEANS LIKE NO SOAP CAN.
-Also available for sensitive skin66
Example (70) is an advertisement of Fa Shower Gel. It shows that
Fa Shower Gel enables your skin to be soft and smooth with
enchanting fragrances. Example (71) is an advertisement of Ponds
Facial Cleaning Foam. The use of the simple present tense in these
two examples shows the eternal particular characteristics and special
functions of the two commodities, Fa Shower Gel and Ponds Facial
Cleaning Foam, enabling customers to think of them as things
beyond any shadow of doubt.
As a matter of fact, the simple present tense is always employed in
advertising texts. Why is the simple present tense always preferred
in English advertisements? This is because A much more frequent
meaning of the simple present tense in anchoring advertising texts is
the eternal truth variety (Greg Myers, 1994:39). As the simple
present tense is used to express a habitual, permanent, or repeated
action, or a perpetual condition or state, its frequent use in
advertising texts adds eternity and durability to the products being
62

advertised. By using the simple present tense, the advertiser intends

to tell the audience or readers the hard facts and the permanent truth
concerning the advertised product or service. And customers usually
believe messages conveyed by advertising texts characterized by the
use of the simple present tense.
3.5 Frequent Use of Conditional Sentences
In English advertisements, conditional sentences introduced by if
often occur in the first line, so as to strengthen promotion and
persuasion. The conditional sentences can be divided into two types:
real conditional sentences and unreal conditional sentences. In
advertising texts, real conditional sentences are generally preferred.
Lets observe the following examples.
(72)

If you suffer from indigestion, this is something you want to

know.67
(73)

If youre a wife who believes that the best Home-made Bread

is made with good honest plain flour then this flour, made by
McDougalls, is the flour for you68
(74) JAMAICA, THE PERFECT PLACE TO UNWIND
Soft golden sands, shady blue lagoons, heart-stopping scarlet
sunsets, wherever you look, Jamaica is stepped in romance.
If youve ever dreamt of strolling hand in hand across glorious,
unspoilt beaches as the warm Caribbean licks gently around your
63

ankles and the smell of tropical blooms fills the air, then this is the
place for you(THE TIMES MAGIZINE, NOVEMBER 18 1995,
P24)()
(75)

Handmade Sterling Silver

If youre happy with ordinary flatware, fine.

If you want something really outstanding, have a look at our
handmade sterling silver.
We invite your visit and comparison.
James Robinson
15 east 57th street, NEW YORK 10022-255669
(76)

IF YOUR FEET COULD DREAM!

THIS IS WHAT THEYD DREAMT ABOUT.

Theyd dreamt of softness. Of luxurious comfort. Of delicious

colors and supple leathers. Theyd dreamt about Soft Spots. Casual
shoes. Sporty shoes. Really comfortable shoes. So make these
dreams come true. Just call 1-800-468-4684 for the Soft Spots
retailer near you.
SOFT SPOTS
Really comfortable shoes70
(77) YOULL HAVE MORE FUN ON THE BEACH
IF YOU FORGET YOUR SWIMSUIT.
- SLIX71
64

From the above quoted examples, we can come to the conclusion

that conditional sentences introduced by if single out the particular
type of customers or clients. The if-sentence in example (72) singles
out the particular type of people who suffer from indigestion, while
the main clause suggests that they use the product. In example (73),
the if-sentence singles out the particular type of wives who believe
that the best Home-made Bread is made with good honest plain
flour, then the main clause suggests that they buy the product. In
example (74), the if-sentence singles out the particular type of lovers
who have dreamt of strolling hand in hand across glorious, unspoilt
beaches, while the main clause invites them to visit it. In example
(75), the if-sentence singles out the particular type of people who are
happy with ordinary flatware and want something really outstanding,
while the main clause invites them to see it. Examples (76) and (77)
are advertisements of the shoe and the swimsuit, where the ifsentences are used in the headlines. Thus, the advertisements can
capture the readers attention.
Another type of conditional sentences assume this form: imperative
sentence + and + sentence of result or effect. Lets see the following
example:
(78) Push this blue button, and you flush out goods and loose
mineral deposits that clog up steam vents, choke off steam. Push this
65

button, and youve made life a lot easier.72

Obviously, the above quoted example actually consists of two
conditional sentences, which assume the form of imperative
sentences. As a matter of fact, such conditional sentences play the
double function of introducing indirectly the desirable or favorable
aspects or characteristics of the advertised product or service, and of
calling prospective customers to take action in an indirect way.
3.6 Frequent Use of Comparative Constructions
In our competitive society, how to get big sales is really an art. A
comparison of products in an advertisement can show the advantages
of the advertised product over others of the same kind. So, the copy
writer is inclined to use the comparative construction in English
advertisements.Comparative constructions abound in advertising,
and for good reason. They are used to say that some product is better
than used to be, or that it is better than competing products, or that
consumers will be better off if they use some product than if they
dont. Comparatives are also used in advertising to say that
consumers can get more of something for their money than they used
to be able to, or to get more of something than before for less money
than they used to have to pay. The fact that comparatives are used so
frequently in advertising makes the study of the language of
advertising very interesting, but it is how they are used and abused in
66

advertising that makes them most interesting (Michael L. Geis,

1982:85 ).
Usually, in the simplest sort of case, a comparative sentence
contains two individual objects or two types of objects along some
dimension. Lets see the following examples.
(79)

Oranges are sweeter than lemons. Our oranges are sweeter

than they used to be.

(SUNDAY MIRROR, May 1996.p.6,London)?????
(80)

GILLETTE Sensor

Even rinsing is innovative. The new blades are 50% narrower than
any others allowing water to flow freely around and through them,
for effortless cleaning and rinsing.
Gillette73
(81)

You manage a business, stocks , bonds , people

And now you can manage your hair

For the first time, theres a remarkable gel that can give your hair
any look you want sleeker, fuller, straighter, curlier, more natural,
even wet- without a drop of alcohol or oil. It gets your hair into
shape in the morning and keeps it under control all day. Whatever
your management style, Maltplexx is for you. Get the full facts at the
Aramis counter.
ARAM
67

MALTPLEXX natural hair gel for men.74

In Example (79), oranges and lemons are compared along the
dimension of sweetness in the first sentence; in the second sentence,
two kinds of oranges---the oranges the speaker used to have and the
oranges he or she now has---are compared also along the dimension
of sweetness. In Example (80), different types of blades, the new
blades and any other blades are compared along the dimension of
properties. In Example (81), the advertiser directly claims that the
product possesses more effective quality. He doesnt point out the
compared object, so he can say boldly that his product is more
effective.
As it is well known, many of the comparatives employed in
advertising are complete sentences in that the compared object
appears, but many are elliptical in that the objective terms of
comparatives are not identified. In elliptical comparative sentences
sometimes ambiguity is bound to arise. Lets observe the following
example.
(82)

All new Mitsubishi Galant has more power and economy, less

weight and noise.75

The above-mentioned example is taken from a car advertisement.
The comparative in it involves ambiguity, for it can be understood in
different ways: a) All new Mitsubishi Galant has more power and
68

economy, less weight and noise than old Mitsubishi Galant. b) All
new Mitsubishi Galant has more power and economy, less weight
and noise than the same competing type of cars. c) All new
Mitsubishi Galant has more power and economy, less weight and
noise than old Mitsubishi Galant and the same competing type of
cars.
It is easy to see that the copy writer creates countless comparative
constructions, many of which contain implied or ambiguous
comparison. But no matter how deep the implied comparison is, no
matter how ambiguous the comparison may be, the message of
comparison is always positive, invariably in favor of the advertised
product or service. Moreover, as implied and ambiguous
comparisons usually bring about profound thinking, and are capable
of being understood in different ways which are favorable to the
advertised product or service, so they are conducive to creating a
wonderful image of what is being advertised.
3.7 Disjunctive Elements
It is often observed that the advertising copy writer has a tendency
to chop up sentences into shorter bits by using full stops, dash, semicolon and hyphen, where ordinary prose would use commas or no
punctuation at all. Leech (1966:90-7, 113-16,148-50, 170-4) refers to
this phenomenon as disjunctive syntax. Disjunctive elements
69

which are widely used in English advertisements, have become a

special phenomenon in advertising language in English. e.g.
an automatic applicator gently smooth on soft crme or

(83)

high-shine color for a smooth silky finish that lasts. And

lasts.76
(84)

colors that look lastingly tempting. Longer.77

(85)

Finally. The convenience of Silver Stone combined with

glass! Its a cooks dream true78

(86)

.Italys masterpiece. A delightful liqueur created from wild

harenuts?????, herbs and berries.

Ah!
Frangclico.79
(87)

The California Wine Festival

December 5-8,1982.
On the beautiful Monterey Peninsula.
The oldest, most established wine event in the country.
A sellout success over the years.
For years of Wine testing. Californias Finest Wineries.
Taste Hundreds of Select Wines. Extravagant Gourmet Meals.
Famous speakers from the world of Wine and Food. Complete
Program, $250 per person. Special Festival rates at fine Monterey
Peninsula Hotels.80
70

Examples (83), (84), (85), and (86) contain disjunctive elements:

And lasts.; Longer.; Finally.; Italys masterpiece. and
Frangclico.. Each of these is separated from the preceding sentence
by a full stop. In fact, each is an element or a constituent of the
preceding sentence. The effect of this is to cut up the sentence into
more information units. As each information unit is articulated in a
stressed falling tone and, therefore, emphasizes the message
contained, more information units means more emphasized
messages. It is easy to see that by frequently using disjunctive syntax
advertisers want to emphasize those key or important messages, to
render them more attractive to the addressees and to achieve the
purpose of promoting consumption. Example (87) advertises
California Wine Festival. It introduces the unusual festival, telling
and making attractive the time, place, activities, etc. of the festival
through proper use and vertical arrangement of elliptical sentences
and disjunctive elements.
As can be seen from the examples, disjunctive elements or
sentence fragments end in full stops and look as if they were
complete sentences. In fact, they are just parts of the sentences
concerned. The separate parts are often the key ones that are
emphasized in advertising texts. They are very attractive. They are to
be read in a stressed falling tone. They usually project or highlight
71

the special features, or characteristics, or fantastic functions of the

advertised product or service.
3.8 Listing language
Advertising is a style of immediate impact and rapid persuasion. In
general, whether the medium is print, radio, television or Internet,
the advertiser can rely on peoples attention for only a very short
time. Therefore, the sales message must be short, clear, distinctive
and memorable. In many English advertisements, the benefits,
amenities, or advantages of the advertised products or services are
listed in the form of a catalogue, or of an index, or in the form of a
table. Lets observe the printed advertisement below.
(88)

Whats the best way to care for your skin?

A. Take steps to help prevent skin cancer.
B. Protect from pollution.
C. Moisture.
D. Promote healing.
CABOTS VITAMIN E.
All Of The Above

In todays world, your skin demands extra special care. The kind
youll find with Cabots Vitamin E. From extra rich moisture creams
to smoothing masques and skin oil. Cabots Vitamin E products give
you all the skin care you need.81
72

In the above-quoted body copy of a cosmetics advertisement, the

steps for how to care for your skin are listed in the form of a
catalogue or index. The language style is indeed terse and concise,
yet plenty of information is put across, and the message is clear at a
glance.
(89)

An Equal Opportunity Employer

How would you solve this problem?
A. Deductive reasoning.
B. Perseverance and dedication.
C. A sword.
Mobil
We like people with fresh ideas.82
In the above-mentioned body copy of an employment

advertisement, the requirements for the vocation are listed in the

form of a catalogue. And they are made clear by short phrases.
Listing language, by which I mean language in the form of lists or
tables or indexes, is most commonly witnessed in modern English
advertising. This type of language is often used to list the features or
advantages, or benefits of the advertised product or service and to
render them crystal clear at a glance. Geoffrey N. Leech (1996:
) said The most straightforward kind of
advertisement is one which describes what special need the product
73

fulfils, or what special advantage it offers. In fact this kind of ads

are ubiquitous: many brief advertisements are entirely presented in
catalogue or index language while many long body copies consist of
both paragraphs with complete standard sentences and sections of
short phrases or very short sentences in the form of a catalogue or
table. Undoubtedly, such listing language contributes greatly to their
straightforward and easy comprehension. That is why such listing
language is usually used in English advertisements.
3.9 Frequent Use of Elliptical Sentences
Advertising language must be persuasive and economical. This
requires advertisers to use concise and brief language. In other
words, the advertiser should make great effort to convey the greatest
quantity of information in a most concise manner, which calls for
simple syntax and terse diction. In order to render advertising texts
brief, concise, and forceful, the copy writer normally makes good
use of elliptical sentences. e.g.
(90) Into this glass, washing powder. Into this one, soap flakes.
Now, into this---new label improved Rubbly Stergene.
(Rubbly Stergene-Detergent)83

(91) Love in your heart peace in your mind lifeguard in your

home the disinfectant you trust completely.84
(92)

A mild way.
74

Make it a Mild Smoke

Smooth, rich, rewarding.

(Mild Seven Cigarette)85

(93)

Italy, perhaps the most beautiful country in Europe. The

towering ALPs. The Floretine hills. And the ancient ruins of

Pompeii. The great cities In fact, when you fly Alitalia, the Italian
experience starts the moment you take off

---Alitalia Airlines86
(94)

Champion Golf shoes styled by Damon Hunter 3 Times Open

Champion.

---Champion Golf Shoes87

(95) More than a timepiece. An acquisition.

-PIAGIT WATCH88
(96) Canadian Airlines .
A convenient way to Canada .
And a fast way to the USA .
(Canadian Airlines )89
(97) Safe. Easy . Quick and with Fun .
( KITCHEN WONDER Vegetable Processor )90

In example (90), prepositional phrases replace complete sentences;

example (91) is formulated by sentences without subjects and
predicates; example (92) is made up of three elliptical sentences, the
75

first is merely a nominal group, the second has no subject, the third
consists of three adjectives; example (93) is made up of five
elliptical sentences and one complete sentence, the first is without
predicate, the second, third, fourth, and fifth are nominal groups, the
last one is a complete sentence; in example (94), participle phrases
replace complete sentence; example (95) is without subjects and
predicates, this sentence tends to be colloquial.; example (96) is
made up of three nominal groups; example (97) is a verbless
expression made up of three adjectives and an adverbial group. (

)
The point of an advertisement is to persuade people of the merits of
a particular product or service, in order that they will part with some
of their money. In the above-mentioned examples, what is omitted
can be clearly understood, it is easy to scan and find the key words.
these words are usually what people would like to find in such
advertisements. Elliptical sentences
are likely to render the style more concise and compact. They are
rhythmical and forceful. They are easy to remember and more
appealing to customers.

76

Chapter Four
Rhetorical Devices in English Advertisements
Rhetorical devices are various forms of expression deviating from
the normal arrangement or use of words, which are adopted in order
to give beauty, variety or force to a composition. Many of them are
used in English advertising to achieve three goals: first, it is to form
the brand image or corporate image in consumers mind; second, to
stress the uniqueness of the advertised product; thirdly, to stress the
unique sales proposition of the advertised product. Among them, the
third is the most important because of its attraction.
Hegel says, beauty comes out of image(Albert E. Dipippo,
1986:3). The beauty of English advertising is first characterized by
its idiographic image. It embodies the materialized labor in a lively
and vivid way. Psychologically, image is realized through
imagination. With the help of rhetorical devices advertising leads
people to an artistic conception.
In order to make their advertisements unique and eye-catching,
the copywriters have to make elaborate designs and draw up
remarkable verbal blueprints by working creatively and aptly
applying rhetorical devices. It can be said without any exaggeration
77

that the success of English advertisements has much to do with apt

employment of rhetorical devices. Frequently used rhetorical devices
are: simile, metaphor, personification, pun, antithesis, alliteration,
parallelism, parody, etc. The following rhetorical devices are often
used in English advertising, which are discussed briefly in this
chapter.
4.1 Smile
It is a figure of speech which makes a comparison between two
unlike elements having at least one quality or characteristic in
common. To make the comparison, words like as, as...as, as if and
like are used to transfer the quality we associate with one to the
other. ( , English Pizza
Landhttp://epizza.nease.net). In other words, simile is a direct or

explicit comparison between two unrelated things, indicating a

likeness or similarity between some abstract qualities found in both
things. The connective word like or as serves as a bridge linking up
the two. The use of an apt simile creates a clear and vivid image of
the advertised product or service in consumers interest and
achieving their mental and emotional resonance. Lets analyze the
following examples.
(98)

Like a good neighbor. State Farm is there.

(State Farm Insurance )91
78

Here, State Farm Insurance is compared to a good neighbor. The

Bible instructs people to Love thy neighbor as thyself. In a
Christian society such as America, almost every one is familiar with
this instruction, so they will feel intimate and be moved by the
advertisement. People suddenly feel affection towards State Farm
Insurance. This advertisement is well based on the western culture.
(99)

Breakfast without orange juice is like a day without sunshine.

( Greg Myers , 1994:125)

This example is also a case of simile introduced by the connective

word like. The adman here compares breakfast without orange juice
to a day without sunshine. How vivid and imaginative the simile is!
As we all know, a day without sunshine is not warm and cheerful.
People usually do not like a cloudy or overcast day, or a day without
sunshine, and some people might feel sad or gloomy during days
without sunshine. In the opinion of the adman, for some people it is
not desirable to have breakfast without orange juice. So how nice to
have a breakfast with orange juice!
(100). The welcome is as warm as the climate at this friendly
complex, quietly positioned at the top of Puerto Rico hillside. 92
Sentence (100) is an example of simile in which the two parts
compared are linked by the words as...as. From the simile, we can
see that the climate is warm there, and so is the welcome extended to
79

the tourists. The use of simile in this example paints a vivid picture
of the people and climate there : the climate is warm and
comfortable , and the people there are friendly and enthusiastic and
always ready to offer you welcome as warm as the climate there.
Though simile is an important rhetorical device in English
advertisements, it is far less frequently employed than metaphor,
which is one of the most frequently used rhetorical devices in
English advertisements.
4.2 Metaphor
There are some definitions about metaphor, such as It is like a
simile, also makes a comparison between two unlike elements, but
unlike a simile, this comparison is implied rather than stated. For
example, the world is a stage. ( ,
English Pizza Landhttp://epizza.nease.net); Myers described it in

this way, Metaphor sets up a relation of similarity between two

referents, as if they were the same thing. X is described in terms of Y
(Myers, 1994:125); C. Hugh Holman, defines metaphor in A
Handbook to Literature as An implied analogy which imaginatively
identifies one object with another and ascribes to the first one or
more of the qualities of the second or invests the first with emotional
or imaginative qualities associated with the second. (
1987125).
80

From the above-mentioned definitions, we can gain a general

understanding of metaphor. Metaphor is an implied comparison
between two usually unrelated things indicating a likeness or
analogy between attributes found in both things. Metaphor, unlike
simile, does not use like or as to indicate the comparison. Without
the word as or like, it is more concise and always has a strong
feeling with some exaggeration. Metaphor is considered by many to
be the most important and the most common rhetorical device in
English advertisements. e.g.
(101) Kodak is Olympic color.93
(102) To spread your wings in Asia share our vantage point.94
(103) Its a country rich in art, with a wealth of museums. Blessed by
year round good weather, Spain is a magnet for sun worshippers and
holiday-makers.

(Holiday

France

and

Europe

,1996,p.148,

published by Stena Line???????)

In Example (101), Kodak is compared to the color of Olympic.
Kodak shows the real color just as Olympic shows the real essence
of the sports. The metaphor in this implies that Kodak develops itself
by the Olympic spirit---higher, faster and stronger.

In Example

(102), readers are compared to big birds who spread their wings,
which creates a vivid picture. In Example (103), Spain and magnet ,
two different things, are compared along the dimension of
81

immensely strong attraction. The advertisement may be changed in

different ways: (a) Spain is just like a magnet for sun worshippers
and holiday-makers; (b) like a magnet, Spain is irresistibly
attractive to sun worshippers and holiday-makers; (c) Spain is so
beautiful and so strongly attractive that it attracts, like a magnet, so
many sun worshippers and holiday-makers; (d) Spain is as
strongly attractive as a magnet, drawing a large number of
worshippers and holiday-makers to its alluring places; (e) Spain is
such a country that many sun worshippers and holiday-makers are
irresistibly attracted to it and can not resist the temptation to go there
for sightseeing. Compare the original metaphorical sentence with the
given paraphrased sentences, and you will find the original
metaphorical sentence is much more concise and the two referents
involved in the metaphorical sentence are made to be more directly
associated with each other.
Metaphors are valuable in advertising language because they can
help to suggest the right kind of emotive associations for the
product. The way we interpret a metaphor is to see a connection, or
symbolic identity, between the literal and figurative meaning of an
item (So in Bacons apothegm, we understand an equation
books=food.). Such irrational identifications epitomize in language
what in more general terms is meant by building up an image for a
82

product. Or, to put the matter the other way round, a brand image is
a metaphor by which a product is identified with an object of the
consumers desires (Leech, 1966:182).
Obviously, appropriate application of metaphors plays an
important role in English advertisements, which can not only render
advertisements attractive and picturesque, but also informative and
persuasive. So metaphors contribute to promoting the sale of
products and help make advertised service thrive and flourish.
4.3 Personification
According to A Hand Book to Literature, published by the Bobbs
Merrill Company in 1972, personification is a figure of speech
which endows animals, ideas, abstractions, and inanimate objects
with human form, character, or sensibilities; the representing of
imaginary creatures or things as having human personalities,
intelligence, and emotions; whether real or fictitious, by another
person. However, the definition in Oxford Advanced Learners
Dictionary

Of

Current

English

With

Chinese

Translation

(1991:1163) is more concise, it defines personification as treating

sth. that is without life as a human being or representing it in human
form. However, the definition in English Pizza Land is more vivid,
It gives human form of feelings to animals, or life and personal
attributes to inanimate objects, or to ideas and abstractions. For
83

example, the wind whistled through the trees. ( ,

English Pizza Landhttp://epizza.nease.net).
By personification we mean that something without life is
represented or thought of as a human being, or as having qualities or
feelings of human being. Personifying the advertised product and
giving it feeling and emotion, which only people possess, make an
advertisement more acceptable. Personification is often employed in
English advertisements. Lets observe the following examples.
(104) 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.95
(105) Flowers by Interflora speak from the heart.96
(106) Oscar de la Renta knows what makes a woman beautiful.97
(107) She has her own spirit and it graces everyone she comes
near.98
(108) The outspoken Chanel.99
(109) Unlike me, my Rolex never needs a rest.100
In Example (104), the grapes of Aldmen are personified: they
seem to be children of grape cultivators and wine makers, the date of
wine making seems to be the birth day of the wine, and the place of
grape cultivating seems to be the home town of the wine. By
84

personification, the adman paints a vivid and imaginative picture. In

Example (105), flowers are personified: they seem to be human
beings who speak from the heart. In other words, they are endowed
with human feelings of love, kindness, friendships, so theyre really
invaluable gifts. When customers see this advertisement, they would
like to buy the flower to express their true and profound feelings. In
Example (106), Oscar de la Renta is personified because it knows
how to make women beautiful. Means of personification is more
effective than plain promotion for ladies who have strong affection
for beauty. In Example (107), the perfume, Lauren, is personified as
a graceful lady. She refers not only to the perfume itself, but to the
beautiful lady who loves the perfume. The use of the feminine
gender she indicates that the perfume is used exclusively by
females. In Example (108), Chanel is endowed with a human
characteristic--- being outspoken. Obviously, it is compared to a
straightforward and honest person. In Example (109), Rolex is
endowed with a human characteristic, but it never needs a rest,
which implies that the watch strikes the hour exactly, and it is the
most important quality expected of all watches.
We can come to the conclusion that the use of personification in
advertising attracts the audiences attention, stimulates their interest
in what is being advertised and helps create an impressive image of
85

the product or service.

4.4 Pun
According to Websters Third New International Dictionary
(1986:1642), the pun is a humorous use of a word in such a way as
to suggest different meanings or applications of words having the
same sound or nearly the same sound but different meanings: a play
on words. Another definition from English Pizza Land is, It is a
play on words, or rather a play on the form and meaning of words.
(

English Pizza

Land http://epizza.nease.net). Nida ( 1993:87 ) described it in

such way, Plays on the meaning and formal resemblance of words

(punning) is a universal phenomenon, and in some languages this
rhetorical device is extensively encouraged and practiced.
I found an interesting phenomenon: the definitions or descriptions
about pun always have a noun phrase---a play on words. Why is it a
play on words? Because puns rest on a superficial or accidental
similarity: two words sound the same, or one word that happens to
have two separate meanings. In other words, it takes advantage of
homophones and homonyms to suggest double meanings of words at
the same time, making a linguistic twist in advertising language. So
it is often said a play on word.
Appropriate application of pun can attract readers attention, make
86

the body copy readable and memorable and arouse consumers

interest and imagination. e.g.
(110) Make you every hello and real good buy.
(A Telephone Ad) 101
(111) From sharp minds. Come Sharp products.102
(112) Every Kid Should Have An Apple After School
( Apple IIC )103
(113) All you need is some good company, good coffee, and vivid
imagination. Lets take care of the coffee. Only Tasters choice is
good enough.104
(114) Which lager can claim to be truly German?
This can. ( A big can of lager beside this ad)105
(115) The unique spirit of Canada: We bottled it.
Right to the finish, its Canadian spirit stands out from the
ordinary. What keeps the favor coming. Super lightness. Super taste.
If thats where youd like to head, set your course Lord Calvert
Canadian.106
From above-mentioned examples, we can see, according to its
different occurrence, pun varies in different situations. At first, in
term of homophone, which means word pronounced like another
word but with a different meaning or spelling.(

Oxford Advanced

Learners Dictionary Of Current English With Chinese Translation ,1991:750).

87

Example (110) is very typical of this kind of pun. The copy writer
makes good use of homophones good-bye and good buy to satisfy
customers psychology , to attract them and to promote the sale of
the product. A play on words in this advertisement is used to draw
the attention ofthe reader to the product because people might be
amused by such a pun .
Secondly, in terms of homonym, which means one word can be
taken in two senses. For instance, in example (114), can in the
second sentence is used as a pun: it can be regarded either as a
modal verb or as a container (can=tin ) containing drink or beer. So
can in this advertisement has double meanings, which is humorous,
witty and impressive; in example (115), spirit is used as a pun with
double meanings: one is the strong distilled alcoholic drink, the other
refers to the characteristic quality or mood of something. In addition,
bottle here has double meanings, too---one means putting the wine
into bottles, and the other means keeping the unique spirit of Canada
in by sealing. This example is an implicit pun.
Thirdly, there is another type of pun, which means a word have
two different senses: one in its common use, the other representing
the brand name or the name of company. For instance, in Example
(111), Sharp is used as a pun. In the first sentence, it is used as an
adjective in its actual literal meaning, in the second sentence, it has
88

double meanings: one is an adjective in its habitual sense, the other

means the brand name of the typewriter, and also the company that
produces the products. In example (112), Apple refers to either the
fruit we eat, or the computer with this brand name: Apple. American
children usually eat some fruits or candies as their desserts. The
advertisement means that children should not only eat apples, but
also have an Apple computer, which is the spiritual food for them.
The noun Taster in example (113) is used as a pun: it means either
the brand name of the coffee or the person whose job is to judge the
quality of coffee, wine, tea, etc. by tasting it. The ambiguity of the
pun adds good quality to the coffee with this brand name. It seems
that the coffee has been confirmed by the person of authority.
Puns which are often emp1oyed by the manufacturers to seek
first-hand attention, are almost the most attention-getting device of
the rhetorical figures. The nature of puns in advertising is nicely
captured by Attridge??????: the pun is the product of a contest
deliberately constructed to enforce an ambiguity, to render
impossible the choice between meanings, to leave the reader or
hearer endlessly oscillating in semantic space ( Richard, 1983:141).
As far as I know, the pun is one of the most favored rhetorical
devices employed by copy writers and one of the most common
rhetorical devices used in English advertisements.
89

4.5 Antithesis
The definition in Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary Of
Current English With Chinese Translation (1991:55), contrast of
ideas marked by the choice and arrangement of words might sound
abstract. We can quickly catch the meaning of antithesis by the
following definition, It is the deliberate arrangement of contrasting
words or ideas in balanced structural forms to achieve emphasis. For
example, speech is silver; silence is golden. (,
English Pizza Land http://epizza.nease.net). In other
words, antithesis means that words of opposite meanings are used in

coordinate or balanced positions or structures. The function of

antithesis is to bring out a sharp contrast between the two things or
two persons, etc. in some aspects, so as to emphasize a certain point
and create a deep impression on readers minds. Antithesis is also
frequently employed in English advertisements, e.g.
(116) Going East. Staying Westin.
Breathtaking by day, electrifying by night. The view from the
Westin Standford, Singapore, the worlds tallest hotel.107
(117) With all taste, without all the fat and cholesterol.108
(118) Once tasted, always loved.109
(119) Exclusivity
Sought-after by many, acquired by only the few.110
90

In example (116), the first sentence is the headline of the ad of

The Westin Standford, Singapore. Westin reminds people of Easts
opposite: West; day and night in the body copy are opposite in
meaning. The meaning expressed by the antithesis is very attractive
to the prospective consumers. In example (117), with and without
form a contrast: with all taste but without all the fat and cholesterol.
The attraction created by the antithesis is really irresistible to the
people who love to eat but try to get fit and slim. In example (118),
once and always contrast strongly, which shows the power of the
product. Once the product is tasted, it is always loved by you. In
Example (119), many and the few are antonyms, the meaning
expressed by the antithesis is very attractive to the potential buyers:
although the product is sought-after by many, yet it is acquired by
only the few, which will stimulate readers interest and urge them to
get it. The use of antithesis in this example greatly contributes to
bringing out the unique effect --- exclusivity.
4.6 Alliteration
According to Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current
English with Chinese Translation (198938), The occurrence of
the same letter or sound at the beginning of two or more words in
succession is called alliteration. Now lets see another definition of
alliteration, which is more definite in my opinion, It has to do with
91

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.( , English
Pizza Landhttp://epizza.nease.net). Alliteration is a common

technique used in poetry, but advertisements often transplant it to

achieve beauty and rhythm in the language of advertising. In order to
produce a special effect, the copy writer sometimes makes much
effort to build up a pattern of similarity in advertising texts. That is
why alliteration is often used. e.g.
(120)

PULLING
WEEDS CAN BE
REPETIVE AND
REDUNDANT
NOT TO MENTION
REPETIVE AND REDUNDANT
Or you can kill the roots with Roundup
And those weeds wont be back.
NO ROOT.
NO WEED.
NO PROBLEM.111
92

(121) UNCROWDED. UNSPOILED. UNDER $800

One week hotel and airfare.
8000-2-TAHITI
UTA
French Airlines112
(122)
(123)

Health, Humor $ HappinessGifts wed love to give.113

Spare, shapely and sensational.

One-step dressing at its very best. 114

Example (120) cited above, which is an advertisement of a weedkiller, repeats the /r/ sound. The use of alliteration in this
advertisement renders it smooth to read and easy to remember. In
example (121), the letters UN are found in three words, which
makes a strong impression on the readers mind. Example (122) is
an advertisement of a magazine, the letter H is found in three
words, which creates a favorable impression on readers, some of
whom will be likely to buy this magazine. Example (123) is an ad
of clothing. The letter s is used in these three words. The use of
alliteration in this ad renders it smooth to read and easy to
remember, and evokes a wonderful impression of the clothing on
the readers minds. With the development of economy, people
begin to pay much attention to their life quality. Alliteration is
employed with these three words---spare, shapely and sensational.
93

It catches peoples psychology of wanting to be slim, elegant and

beautiful. These three words tell us that the advertised clothes not
only make people lean and well-formed, but also cause them to
feel wonderful and exciting. So I think that it is hard for ladies not
to be attracted.
4.7 Repetition
Repetition is defined as saying the same thing again, though
perhaps with a significant difference. Repetition, including
repetition of key words and key phrases and that of similar
structures, is an important rhetorical device employed to stress the
tone, to bring out the message, and to link up what goes before
with what comes after. In English advertising, repetition,
especially that of key words or sentences, is used to emphasize
some important aspects of the advertised product or service or
certain information, so as to attract and stimulate consumers.
Aptly used, repetition is very impressive and rhetorical. e.g.
(124) Look.
Lustrous eye-shadows with new Silkglide Formula.
Look again.
Colors that last so long. Blend so smooth. Stay so true. (Thats no
lie!)
Look again. 35 jewel-like tones to try. 7175 combinations
94

for just 2 eyes.

Look again. A life of perfect coordination. CUSTOM EYES from
Relvon.
Look again. And youll never look again. 115
(125)

NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER
NEVER COMPROMISE QUALITY
EVER116

(126)
Pick up on mighty Pentium Processor power.
Pick up on outstanding value for money.
Pick up on better desktop choice.
Pick up on increase mobility.
Pick up on assured peace of mind.117
(127) ARE YOU
Looking for that special place to relax?
95

Looking for that special place with peace and quiet?

Looking for that special place with safe play areas and tennis
court?
Looking for that special place as a base for golf, touring or
walking?
LOOKING NO FURTHER
The Scandinavian lodges are ideal for your self-catering
holiday118
In Example (124), look again is repeated five times, which
projects the remarkable qualities of the product and leaves a deep
impression on readers minds. Example (125) is an advertisement for
Bijan perfume, here never is repeated nine times, which impresses
readers deeply. Negative form, because of the strong negative effect
this form carries, is the least used syntactic feature in advertising.
Whenever it is used in advertising, a negative sentence expresses a
strong positive meaning by negating a certain undesirable aspect.
Example (125) is a negative sentence with the word of negation
never repeated nine times. The verb compromise means bring
shame to or put into a dishonorable position. Example (125)
undoubtedly expresses a highly positive idea: Quality always goes
first with us. The negative sentence implies that the greatest
importance is attached to the quality of the product, and that the
96

greatest effort is made to achieve the best quality, thus creating a

wonderful image of the brand. In current society, people tend to be
more sociable and attend some kinds of parties. They often like to
use perfume to make them more attractive. The advertised perfume
with top quality will be their first choice.
In example (126), the phrasal verb Pick up on appears five times,
respectively in the headline and in the sub-headlines. Undoubtedly,
the idea expressed by Pick up on is what the advertiser wants to
emphasize. Also, the repetition of the phrasal verb renders the
headline and the sub-headline parallel and forceful, which will
arouse readers interest and possess strong persuasive effect. In
example (127), Looking for that special place turns up four times in
succession in four consecutive questions, rendering the questions
parallel and rhythmical and very impressive. In fact, the repetition of
Looking for that special place makes the ad text smooth to read,
enhances its rhythm, and adds to its persuasiveness, which draws the
readers attention to the amenities of the lodges being advertised.
Psychologists hold the view that for a message to cross the stage of
perception and enter into memory, people need to be exposed to it at
least for three times or even more. This explains why some
advertisers use repetition in their advertisements to express the
message and to reinforce memory. Furthermore, the repetition serves
97

as an reinforcement to the initial impression the audience get when

coming across an advertisement. As a result, the audience will
possibly remember the promoted product for quite a long period.
4.8 Parallelism
Formal schemes, or parallelisms, are often rhetorical in a
familiar sense of the word, in that they heighten the emotional tone
of the message, giving insistent emphasis to points of strategic
importance (Leech ,1966:190). Parallelism also could be thought as
a kind of repetition due to accompaniment of repetition, but phrases
or sentences with the same or similar structure, relative meaning and
consistent mood are coordinately used in the sentence. It can show
strong feelings easily, stress the information and strengthen the vigor
of language. Meanwhile, its orderly drills??????, trenchant rhythm
can add to the rhyme of advertising language. Parallelism is a
powerful rhetorical device frequently employed in English
advertisements. Lets analyze some examples.
(128) On this planet, more people get their news from Time than
any other single source---over 30 million people, worldwide. Well
tell you the odds before they are out. Well publish what other
publications dare not. Well give you inside information you wont
find elsewhere.119
(129) It is made differently. It is made using skills and techniques
98

that others have lost or forgotten. It is made with attention to detail

very few people would notice. It is made, we have to admit, with a
total disregard for time.120
(130) CHRISTIAN DIOR
Christian Dior
MASCARA PARFAIT
PERFECTION IN THE WINK OF AN EYE.
PERFECTION IN ITS FORMULAR.
PERFECTION IN ITS BRUSH.
PERFECTION IN A LOOK.121
(131) Embrace change, and you will win
Tiptronic transmission provides ultimate driving pleasure
Stay in the lead, and you will win
Unsurpassed power from a 2.8l V6 30v engine
Go the distance, and you will win
Fully zinc galvanized bodywork with a 12year anti-rust
guarantee
Expect the unexpected, and you will win
Four front and side airbags provide better protection
Triumph over adversity, and you will win
ABS/EDS system makes light work of the most harsh road
conditions
99

Always have room in heart, and you will win

Enlarged, spacious inner cabin provides maximum driving comfort
Stand firm, and you will win
Overall car body strength is increased by superior laser welding
technology
Drive Passat, and you will win
Achievers of tomorrow
(CHINA DAILY DEC.25 2002
)
In the above-quoted advertisements, example (128) is the body
copy of a press advertisement. It consists of four sentences, three of
which begin with well and form a typical parallel structure, which
sounds rhythmical and powerful. Appropriate application of
parallelism underlines the characteristic of the magazine and builds
up a good image of the advertiser. Example (129) is the body copy
of a clock advertisement. The parallelism is supported by repetition
of It is made. Appropriate application of parallelism reinforces the
traditional characteristic in the clock manufacturing. Example (130)
is the body copy of a mascara parfait advertisement. In this
advertisement, perfection in appears four times. The parallelism
involved in this example, together with the repetition builds up a
wonderful image of the effect of using this cosmetic in the readers
100

minds. Example (131) is an advertisement for promotion of the sale

of a type of cars with the brand name Passat. In this advertisement,
The conjunction and and the main clause you will win are repeated
seven times. The parallelism involved in this example, together with
the repetition builds up a wonderful image of the car in the
readers mind, which will deeply impress the prospective consumers
and stimulate their desire to get it.
Parallelism is widely found in English advertisements, where
parallel sentences usually build up to a climax. By applying
parallelism, the copy writer intends to heighten the emotional tone of
the advertising theme, to project the main idea, or to create a good
and reliable image of the product or the service being advertised.
4.9 Parody
Mottoes, proverbs or idioms are fixed famous sentences in daily
life, which reflect simple but real morals. Because they have already
been accepted as truths for a long time, the use of them makes
advertisements easier to be accepted. Parody is the deliberate
imitation of them with some words changed to express a new idea.
Parody is concise, implicative and profound in meaning. With a
remarkable rhetorical effect, parody enables readers to take account
of implied meanings.
Advertisements are designed to sell things or ideas. The essence of
101

an advertising copy aims at relating designative and associative

meanings in the closest possible way, since selling usually
depends far more on associative meanings than on designative ones.
Most people buy with their emotions, not with their minds (Nida,
1993: 40-41 ). Associative meanings are closely linked to rhetorical
devices. That is why parody as a rhetorical device is often employed
in English advertisements. Now lets see some examples.
(132) All roads lead to Holiday Inn .
(Holiday Inn)122
(133) Not all cars are created equal.
Performance or economy? Thats the question every car buyer
asks, and which every manufacturer must find a better answer to. Or
is it?

( Mitsubishi Car)123

(134) By

the

people.

For

the

people.

To

the

people.

(AST computer )124

(135) A Mars a day keeps you work, rest and play .125
Example (132) is an advertisement for Holiday Inn. Seeing this
headline, you will be reminded of the famous saying: All roads lead
to Rome. This saying is often related to success, which will create a
pleasant impression on the prospective consumers. People might
think living in Holiday Inn will bring them good luck. Example
(133) is an advertisement for promotion of the sale of cars by the
102

Japanese company in U.S.A. The headline will remind American

people of the most famous saying All men are created equal. in
the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson, who is
considered as one of the most talented presidents in American
history. The headline, which imitates this famous saying, attracts
great attention, its negative form projecting the remarkable qualities
of the product. The advertiser cleverly makes good use of the
famous saying by changing All men are created equal. into Not
all cars are created equal. The parody, on the one hand, gives
prominence to the superiority of the product, and on the other hand,
leaves a deep impression on the Americans by means of originality.
In addition, seeing the body copy, Americans with some knowledge
of English literature all know that it is a variant of the famous
opening sentence in Hamlet by Shakespeare, so it creates a strong
literary atmosphere. Example (134) is an advertisement for
promotion of the sale of AST computer. It is a parody of a famous
sentence in Address at Gettysburg by President Lincoln, whose
reputation among US presidents remains unsurpassed. Lincoln is one
of the most influential men in the history of mankind. He overcame
insurmountable obstacles and challenges to become the sixteenth
president of the United States of America. His famous saying
and that government of the people, by the people, for the people,
103

shall not perish from the earth. in Gettysburg is considered one of

the most inspiring speeches ever written. It is hard not to be moved
by these words. The copy writer changes government of the
people, by the people, for the people into By the people. For
the people. To the people. How apt and vivid the imitation is!
People with some knowledge of American history might be attracted
by the advertisement. Whats more, the mental link established
between the product and a famous person will prevail for some time,
hence, the retention of the message in readers minds. As a result,
some prospective purchasers would take real action. Example (135)
may make almost all native speakers and learners of English
immediately remember the two proverbs An apple a day keeps the
doctor away. and All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Naturally, it seems that people will be healthy ( keeps the doctor
away)and clever(not become a dull body) if they eat this kind of
chocolate every day . This advertisement also reminded me of the
famous remarks: Advertising is the main weapon that manufactures
use in their attempt to produce an adequate consuming market for
their products. To this end advertising works to create false needs in
people (false because they are the needs of manufacturers rather than
consumers)(Jhally, S. 1990: 3). In modern society, people wish to
be healthy and successful at the same time. The advertiser makes
104

much effort just to stimulate peoples consumption desire. The two

proverbs are familiar to most people, who will accept and memorize
this advertisement easily.
In addition to the above mentioned frequently used rhetorical
devices, other devices such as hyperbole and rhyme are likewise
often used in English advertising. In fact, rhetorical devices are
frequently and properly employed in English advertising, creating
charming images of commodities, services and advertisers,
projecting special features or unique characteristics of advertised
products and services, and promoting the sale of products and
services.
It is to be noted that rhetorical devices are frequently employed in
English advertising to emphasize the special features or unique
characteristics of the product or service being advertised, to project
good images of the brand and the manufacturer, to persuade
potential customers to take action, etc. When persuasion is the main
objective, the method in which the statement is expressed may be
more important than its content. In advertising, strict regulations
require that any information imparted has to be legally binding and
therefore absolutely correct, so the advertiser may choose to employ
a rhetorical device in order to shift the emphasis from concrete
facts to a less concrete and more emotional level. As a result, a car
105

may be advertised as being reassuring rather than making the claim

that it is reliable.

Chapter Five Conclusion

Today in China, while our economic structure is shifting from the
entirely planned economy to the socialist market system, advertising
is becoming more and more active and sophisticated. In 1992,
Chinas advertising expenditure reached $862 million, among the
fastest growing countries in Asia. Now with Chinas entry into
WTO, this expenditure figure will undoubtedly rise up, which will
support the view that advertising is an indispensable means for
106

providing the information that all market-oriented industrialized

societies need for economies to function efficiently.
And as English is one of the most widely used languages in the
world, it is necessary to study and analyze the language features of
English advertising. Current advertisements reflect radical changes
in the technology, media, the social and economic relations, the
sense of personal and group identity. For the insight they provide the
nature of these changes; and for the way they prepare us for further
changes to come. It is a particular valuable field of study.
It goes without saying that research into the language of English
advertising is both interesting and rewarding. To achieve this
awareness, we should not only have a good understanding of the
language of English advertising, but also know its influence on the
English language, its trend and existing problems.
5.1 Influence on English Language
One obvious influence of English advertising on the English
language lies in the fact that English advertising contributes a lot of
new words to the vocabulary stock of modern English.
Some products or services are so popular that they have
significantly changed peoples life patterns. Their brand names,
product names or words appearing in their advertisements enter the
lexical items instead of being the privilege of English advertising.
107

For example the word mackintosh originally was the brand name
of raincoat. It was named after its inventor, Charles Mackintosh.
However, in modern English, it almost becomes the substitute for
any raincoat. The association between the brand name and the
product has been cut off. In this category we also can include
jacuzzi, the brand name of a bathing service; crock pot, the
brand name of an electric cooker; aspirin, the brand name of a
medicine treating headache; xerox, the brand name of photo copier
; biro, the brand name of a ball-pen.
The other type of words contributing to the English language are
the advertising coinages, whose abundance is one of the lexical
features of English advertising. The most typical example is the
word pinta in the advertising slogan of British milk: Drinka pinta
milka day, which is mentioned in the second chapter. This slogan
acquired its popularity immediately after its appearance and became
a household word. And later the coined word pinta became the
substitute for milk, and many people would use pinta rather than
milk, although the latter are also found in everyday usage. The
other advertising coinages coming into the common core of the
English

language

include:

cellophane,

escalator,

travolator, ??????????????etc.
All of these words contributed by English advertising are used by
108

modern English speakers so commonly that even lexicographers

have to include them in the dictionary as lexical entries. In this way,
their legal status in the English language has been confirmed.
Some of them become so common and even get derivatives, such as
escalatory from escalator, xerography from xerox, etc.
Theres a paradox about such words, especially those words from
brand names. Advertisers always want consumers to notice their
advertisements and remember the advertised products longer so they
make great endeavor to create eye-catching and easy-to-remember
brand names. Nevertheless, with the popularity of the products,
some brand names turn out to be common words and lose their
originality as advertising coinages. But, on the other hand,
advertisers often have to apply for patent right to protect their
privilege of using brand names, and prevent competitors from taking
advantage of their inventions. For example, in order to protect its
privilege of the word Xerox, the companys legal adviser even
warns the general public not to say Ill xerox a copy for you, but to
say Ill make a duplicate for you on the xerox copier. However,
the extensive utilization of the promoted product usually makes such
efforts end in vain. At last, these brand names will inevitably become
common words of the English language in general and are used by
the public to refer to types of products. So when they create some
109

extraordinary brand names, advertisers have to face the reality that

one day they will lose their privilege of such brand names. This is
the price they have to pay for the popularity of their products.
Another main influence on English advertising is so-called
movement of colloquialisation, which is also a main contribution
of English advertising to the English language.
Advertising has been in the vanguard of this tendency, which has
gained impetus in the 20th century particularly through the
development of the popular press and radio and television
broadcasting. Together with the overwhelming popularity of
advertising, English advertising with the public-colloquial style,
produces much influence on the English language as a whole.
English advertising contributes a great deal to the movement of
colloquialisation and is partly responsible for the rise of the
public-colloquial style.( 1997:7 )
At present, colloquialism seems to be the general trend. For
instance, if we compare contemporary prose with that of the 19th
century, we will find that prose today is generally simpler, easier and
livelier. When we appreciate modern prose, we should pay tribute to
English advertising. It is partly through the influence of English
advertising that modern users of the English language acquire the
public-colloquial style for public communication.
110

The influence of English advertising justifies the relationship

between a language and its users; people create a language form as
desired; this form, in turn affects peoples conception of the
language as a whole.
V.2

Trend of English Advertising

When describing a products qualities, advertisers prefer a

sincere suggestion rather than an explicit declaration. These

advertisers act as multi-sensory authors who use a style of literary
deceptiveness for commercial purposes. Through weak implications,
advertisers aim to influence and direct consumers behavior based on
advertising language that is very secretly constructed. Advertisers
control inference possibilities by both demarcating message
parameters and by skillfully accessing audience prior knowledge.
Message recipients are then more likely to construct inferences that
have a limited substantiated base.
One trend of English advertising, as many linguistics have feared,
is that the advertising language becomes elusive and manipulative.
Authors like Aldous Huxley and E.B.White have warned of its
manipulative nature. As Barbara Stern aptly rationalizes, the
deceptive nature of advertising language lies in the fact that it
frequently uses poetic license to say one thing and mean another,
borrowing literary tactics to convey messages by means other than
111

or in addition to the words ( Charles A. ONeill , 1986:72 ).

The other trend of English advertising is: the language is getting
oral and the grammar is getting simpler. All these changes, if
carelessly used, may easily lead to ambiguity and misunderstanding,
which affects the products image negatively. The most authoritative
critic of advertising is journalist Edwin Newman. In his book
Strictly Speaking, he worries that the careless utilization of language
might some day threaten the survival of the English (Charles A
ONeill, 1986:127).
Now lets see the following example.
Tired of cleaning yourself ? Let me do it.
The ad is a company that provides all kinds of service to family
like cleaning windows, carpets and etc. But from its sentence
structure, it is obviously misleading and even ridiculous to the
readers. If

yourself is used as an object, cleaning yourself

simply means taking a shower or a bath. As a consequence the whole

sentence means: if you are tired of taking a bath, our company will
do this for you. But if the sentence order is like this : yourself tired
of cleaning ? Let me do it. This meaning is what the company
really intends to convey to the customer.
The above-mentioned sentence is a typical example of ambiguity
caused by words, conjunctions, and modifications. If we dont pay
112

much attention to this tendency, it will lead to vagueness in

expression , leading the consumers to misunderstanding.
The language of advertising appeals to our emotional needs under
the skillful craftsmanship of the copywriter. At the same time,
language is always on the way of changing. So does the language in
advertising. Charles A. Oneill(1986:117) states: over the years the
texture of advertising Language has frequently changed. Styles and
creative concepts come and go. But there are at least four distinct
general characteristics of the language of advertising that make it
different from other languages.
The language of advertising is edited and purposeful.
1. The language of advertising is rich and arresting: it is
specifically intended to attract and hold our attention.
2. The language of advertising involves us; in effect, we
complete the advertising message.
3. The language of advertising holds no secrets from us; it is a
simple language.
In summary, though some of the language characteristics of
English advertisements are developing to the linguists worry and
dismay, its propaganda and practical roles still cannot be underlined
and advertising will never fade into history.
5.3 Problems of English Advertising
113

Nowadays, a lot of international products are pouring into the

Chinese market, and at the same time more and more Chinese
products are entering the international market. In order to meet the
international standard, advertisements for products should be written
in English language.
Of English advertisements designed and created in China, there
are some really good ones which not only promote products by
bringing out their advantages and features but also conform to the
cultural psychology and reception aesthetics of intended customers.
However, there are many bad advertising texts which not only lower
reputation and sale of the products, but even affect the image of our
country .
Asia Week (Sep. 1987) once carried an article Mind Your
Language by an American lady Mrs Mary Gornety. In this article,
the comment made towards the English advertising on Asian
exported products is cited. In this article, the writer said that many
Asian exports are accompanied by odd English advertisements so
that the customer may judge the products to be shoddy, too, when
shoddy English reaches him. This is the sincere advice and impartial
judgement made by a foreigner. We must pay much attention to this
problem and make great effort to solve it.
According to the various materials I have collected, existing
114

problems can be classified into the following.

Misprints and Spelling Errors
When I collected English advertisements, I found many misprints
and spelling errors. Here are some of them.
(136)

MOUTAI

Moutai is one of Chinas renowned liquors which enjoys acclaim

both at home and abroad.
Production of Moutai beganin 1704 in the town of that name in
Renhuai county, Kweichow province. Selected wheat, the choicest
sorghum and excellent local water go into its preparation. Traditional
brewing expertise together with long aging gives Moutai its
characteristically distinctive bouquet.
In this English advertisement, beganin is obviously a misprint.
It should be began in . Even the brand name is wrongly spelt.
Moutai should have been spelt as Maotai.
(137)
Clearing away heat and relieving exterior syndromes, soothing the
liver and regulating the function of the stomach. It is used for
aiternate spells of fever and chills, feeling of fullness and discomfort
in the chest and hypochondrium, vexation and vomiting with nausea,
bitterness in the mouth and dryness in the throat.
This is an advertisement for Chinese medicine--- Xiao Cai hu.
115

Here alternate is misspelled as aiternate. hypochondria is an

uncountable noun, but the author took it for granted that
hypochondrium was the plural form of hypochondria , so he or
she used hypochondrium in the advertising text.
(138)

BUTTER COOKIES

Feast is the concept. The purpose is to present the visual

preception of the richness and variety of a handsome gift, which
consists of product an blessing; to share with friends and family not
only delicate taste but also joy and happiness.
This is an advertisement for President Butter Cookies,
perception is misspelled as preception , and product and
blessing is
misspelled as product an blessing , .
(139)
Double-conditioning of hair and scalp keeps your hair healthy
looking, manageable and shing.
This is an advertisement for Shu Lei Shampoo, shing is
obviously a misprint. It should be shiny. Moreover, the word
looking is superfluous.
Diction Mistake
(140)

This

product has been to be insured for the foodstuff quality and hygiene
116

by the China Peoples Insurance Company.

Even in this one-sentence example you can find a few mistakes
which are misleading. The correct sentence should be: This product
has been insured against food accidents by the Chinese Peoples
Insurance Company.
(141)
PH deviates basicity, be similar with peoples skin. Nature
mildness, rich foam. Protecting the skin of children especially,
forming natural sheltery

membrance on the surface of skin to

increase resistant ability. Meantime, throwing away prickly heat,

preventing

itch,

resisting

bacteria.

Leaves

children

clean,

comfortable and activity feeling .

- Kids Children Healthing Bath
In this example, there are several diction mistakes and spelling
errors: PH deviates basicity, be similar with peoples skin,
sheltery

membrance

and

Healthing

Bath,

ect.

The

advertisement can be improved as:

Ideal PH balance, similar to peoples skin. Nature mildness, rich
foam. Protecting childrens skin especially, forming natural shelter
membrane on the surface of skin to increase resistance ability.
Meanwhile, throwing away prickly heat, preventing itch, resisting
bacteria. Leave children clean, comfortable and active.
117

-Kids Children Shower Gel

Grammar Errors
(142) This product contains snakes bile, Liusheng and pearls
hydrolytic liquid. It can make skin feel cool and remove uncomfort
causing by mosquitoes and insects.
This is an advertisement for LiuSheng toilet water. In this
example, uncomfort is a wrong word, it should be discomfort ;
causing is used wrongly too, for the word cause here should be
in past participle: caused. There is another mistake in the last
sentence. As mosquitoes are small flying insects (esp. the type that
spreads malaria ), so they belong to the category of insects, and so it
can not be coordinated with insect.
(143)
It contain with AHA and protein. It is good for eliminate
inflammation, anti-wrinkles when often use. And it can cleanwhite,
moisture your skin.
-LYOLAN Anti-wrinkle AHA milk
In this advertisement, there are several grammar mistakes.
Contain is a transitive verb used after the third person singular
noun, so the correct form is contains without with; eliminate
after the preposition for should be a gerund; inflammation and
anti-wrinkles are coordinated according to the meaning, but anti
118

should be omitted; use here should be in the past participle. In

addition, cleanwhite and moisture are diction mistakes. As the
former is an adjective, and the latter a noun, they can not be
coordinated. This advertisement may be improved as follows:
Containing AHA and protein, it is good for eliminating
inflammation, wrinkles when used daily. It can clean and moisturize
your skin.
Logical Mistakes
(144)
It is proven by morden science research that Jinsi date contains
richly 18 kinds of amino acids, trace elements, calcium, phosphorus,
iron and kinds of vitamins needed by human body. Its content is 700
mg/100g, 100 times higher than apples. It is known as the living
vitamin ball.
In this example, there are several logical mistakes. In the first
sentence, contains richly is inappropriate, the following number
18 has already shown the meaning of rich; calcium, phosphorus,
and iron belong to the category of trace elements, so they can not
be coordinated with trace elements.?????? In the second sentence,
what Its content refers to is also logically unclear. According to
the advertisement, we think it refers to the content of Jinsi date, but
actually it should refer to the content of vitamins. In addition,
119

there are a spelling error and a diction mistake: modern is

misspelled as morden; science research normally should be
written as scientific research. This advert can be rewritten as:
It is proven by modern scientific research that Jinsi date contains
18 kinds of amino acids, many kinds of trace elements: calcium,
phosphorus, iron and vitamins needed by the human body. The
content of vitamins is 700 mg/100g, 100 times higher than that of
apples. It is known as the living vitamin ball.
Redundancy
If it is redundant, an advertisement can not capture readers
attention, so the objectives of the advertisement cannot be achieved.
In order to catch the readers attention, the advertising text should be
concise and explicit. E.g.
(145) On the basis of traditional formula, Sterculia Scaphigera pear
syrup prescription is extracted and concerned with modern hitech,
which material belongs to a breed of A food, also a drug issued by
Ministry of Public Health. Take a strict human function test by State
Functional Designated Experimental Hospital China Academy of
Traditional Chinese Medicine Xiyuan Hospital . Be only a health
food in sterculia scdphigeras (scaphigeras) approved by Ministry of
Public Health at present. Through marketing trial for many years,
get the title of A Trustful Product in Quality & Measurement in
120

The New Century .

The above-mentioned advertisement is not only full of misspelling
and grammatical mistakes, but redundant and difficult to read. Now
lets see the translated version. In the first sentence,

Sterculia

Scaphigera pear syrup prescription is extracted and concerned with

modern hitech. is obviously wrong. prescription cannot be
extracted and concerned with modern hi-tech, so it should be
omitted; modern hitech should be written as high modern
technology; which material belongs to should be whose
materials belong to; in the second sentence, Take here should be
a present participle: Taking; in the third sentence, there is a word
misspelled, scdphigeras, it should be scaphigeras. I venture to
rewrite this advertisement as:
On the basis of traditional Pear Syrup formula, Sterculia
Scaphigera Pear Syrup, whose materials belong to a breed of A
food, also a drug issued by Ministry of Public Health, has won the
title of A Trustful Product in Quality & Measurement in the New
Century through marketing trial for many years. It is refined with
high modern technology and tested on human function by State
Designated Experimental Hospital Xiyuan Hospital under China
Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
(146)
121

Royal jelly can nourish the body, stimulate the appetite. It has the
function for chronic diseases with supplementary curative effect and
restored health. It is helpful for youth and children to build up their
intelligence and physique.
There are three sentences in this advertisement, and the last two
sentences are redundant. In addition, restored health is a
grammatical mistake. This advertisement can be rewritten as :
Royal jelly can nourish your body and stimulate your appetite. It
has a supplementary curative effect for chronic diseases and can
restore health. It is helpful for youngsters to build up their
intelligence and physique.
At present, when many copywriters begin to write advertising
texts of products, they know little about the products and dont take
a lot of time to read through the related materials. Without sufficient
knowledge of the products, the advertising texts will be poor.
Advertising is certainly a science as well as an art. It covers several
fields of knowledge, including language, culture, marketing,
aesthetics and consumers psychology. As a science, it should follow
the norms of languages. As an art, it attempts to create desirable
advertisements with cultural and aesthetic value. If the advertiser
does not have such kind of senses, how can he convey the essence of
an advertisement appropriately in another language?
122

In order to give foreign customers a sensible and explicit

description of the products and services and to achieve success in
advertising, the copywriters are supposed to meet the following
requirements. Firstly, the copywriters should be bilingual, i.e. they
should master both Chinese and English. Secondly, the copywriters
should be bicultural, i.e. they should take into account TL customers
culture and psychology, and have some knowledge of marketing,
aesthetics, etc. Last but not least, the copywriters should have
adequate knowledge and good appreciation of the nature,
specification , uses, etc. of the product or service being advertised.
Language is a carrier of advertisements. Advertisers must
continually adjust their language to conform to changes and
grammatical rules. I conclude my paper with the slogan for Toshiba:
In touch with the world.

123

NOTES
1---6. 8.
1992, pp.33-34, p.22.
7. 9.
, 2002 p.64, p.66.
10.11. 12.13.14.15.17. 1---6. pp.77-78, p.271, pp.77-78. p.271 .
16. ,
1987p.42.
18. 3000 :
, 1993pp.172-173.
19. 1---6. p.194
20. 21. 18. p.130.
22.23.:
, 1999p.69, p.108.
24.25. 22. p.69.
26. 27. 1---6. p.282.
28.29.30. ,
2001 2 , p.24
31.32. 33.34.35. 1---6. pp.265-266, p.274, p.89, p.275.
124

36. 18p.57.
37. 38.39.40.41. 1---6. p.275. p.214, p.218, p.227, p.73.
42. 16. p111.
43. 1---6p.209.
44. 48. 49. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 60.61. 63 16. p111, p112, p113.
p.120.
64.65.66. 1---6. pp.125-126.
67.68. 16. p.122.
69.70.71.72.73.74. 1---6. p.171, p.107, p.98, p.150, p.2, p.66.
75. 18. p.133.
76-79. 1---6. p.277.
80-81. 16. p.127.
82.83-88. 1---6. p.278.
8990. 91. 92., ,
(),2000 1 18 1
93.:
2002 1
94. 18. p.197.
95.96. 16. p133.
97.98.99.100. 18. p.83, p.82, p.86, p.53.
101.102. 28. 29. 30. p.24.
103. 105
125

2001 5
104. 18. p.36.
105. 103.
106. 16. p.136.
107.108.109.110. 18. p.12, p.20, p.33, p.35
111-112.113.114.115. 18. p.79, p.120, pp.89-90.
116.
2000 19 3
117.PC DIRECT, Pentiums and Spreadsheets Buyers Guides, Fast
CD-Rom Drives, Internet-Ready PCs, Plug and Play, November
1995, p.2)
118.ST. ANDREWS, 1996, SCOTLAND, P.9
119.120. 18. pp.72-73, p.57
121. 1---6. p.115
122-124.125. 103
126-130. 18. pp.113-115,p.119.
135. 103
136---146. cited from the packings of products.

REFERENCES
[1] Carter, R. 1997. Working with Texts [M]. London: Longman.

126

[2] Chandan, J. S. 1990. Essentials of Advertising[M]. Oxford:

Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. PVT. Ltd.
[3] Clark, Eddie M. et al. 1994. Attention, Attitude And Effect in
Response To Advertising [M]. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates Inc.
[4] Cook, G. The Discourse Of Advertising[M].
[5] David, A. A. 1993. Brand Equity & Advertising [M]. New Jersey:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
[6] Dyer, G. 1982. Advertising As Communication[M]. Oxford:
[7] Guo Jianzhong. 1997. Reading In Translation Theory [M].
Hangzhou: Zhejiang University Press.
[8] Jefkins, F. 1985. Advertising Made Simple[M]. London:
William Heinemann Ltd.
[9] Jefkins, F. 1985. Advertising[M]. Plymouth: Macdonald.
[10] Jhally, S. 1990. The Codes Of Advertising[M]. London:
Routledge.
[11] Leech, G. N. 1966. English In Advertising [M]. Longmans:
Green and Co. Ltd.
[12]

Merril, D. V. Effective Advertising [M].

[13]

Michael, L. G. 1982. The Language of Television Advertising

[M]. London: Academic Press Inc. Ltd.

[14]

Myers, G. 1994. Words In Ads [M]. Green Gate Publishing

127

Services, UK.
[15]

Nida, Eugene A. 1993. Language, Culture, And Translating

[M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.

[16]

Nida, Eugene A. 1964. Towards A Science Of Translating

[M]. Leiden: E.J. Brill.

[17]

Peter, N. 1988. A Textbook of Translation [M]. London:

Prentice Hall International (UK) Ltd.

[18]

Rijkens, R. 1992. European Advertising Strategies [M].

London: Bookcraft (Bath) Ltd.

[19]

Vestergaard, T. & Schroder, K. 1985. The Language Of

Advertising [M]. Basil Blackwell Publisher Ltd., UK.

[20]

The Subsiding Sizzle: Shifting Strategies In Twentieth

Century Magazine Advertising.

[21] [J]2002 1
[22] , 3000 [M]
, 1993
[23] , , [M],
, 1989
[19]

, , [M]
, 1995
128

[20]

[J]
2001
2

[21] [M], 1997.

[22], [C], 1992.
[23]

,[M]

,
1999.
[23]

, [M], 1987.

[24]

[J]2001 5

[25]

, [J]
2002 1

[26]

, [J]
2000 2

[27]

, , [M]
, 1994.

[28]

, [M]2000
5

[29]

, [M]
, 2002

[30] ,
129

2001 2 .
[31] , [M], 1992.

130