Figures of Speech in Advertising English(3)

英语论文

1.3The Motivation of the Study

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

2 The Application of Figures of Speech in Advertising English

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

2.1 Simile

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