A Study on Metaphor Generation in Advertising -- An Adaptation Model

DOI

10.2991/icmesd-18.2018.92How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Metaphor generation, Advertising, Adaptation, Communicative context.

Abstract

In view of the frequent use of novel metaphor in advertising language and its originality, it is necessary to analyze the causes and process of its generation from the perspective of pragmatics. This study can not only open a new research field for traditional study of metaphor, but also provide theoretical support to the practices of metaphor in advertising. The theoretical framework is constructed on the basis of the Adaptation Theory proposed by JefVerschueren, a Belgian linguist. In the continuous making of linguistic choices, the three properties of language??"variability, negotiability, and adaptability are fundamentally inseparable. As to novel metaphors in advertising, its variables are mainly identified at two dimensions: the word class and sentential structure. The syntactical functions of Vehicle and the position of Topic, Vehicle and Ground in the metaphor will determine the metaphorical effects. The negotiability is reflected in the advertiser’s adaptation to the communicative context that is the social world and mental world of relevant communicators. In the social world, the advertiser needs to identify its specific customer groups. Accordingly the social classes and social culture, which have unique features along different communities and nations, exert a pervasive influence on the construction of metaphorical meaning. As to the mental world, the advertiser will make linguistic choices to adapt to his communicative needs, such as attracting more attention of the audience, touching off the audience’s interest, strengthening the audience’s memory, and evoking association and developing a special atmosphere. Besides, the advertiser also needs to be inter-adaptable with his assessment of what the mental world of the audiences look like. Therefore, the generation of novel metaphors in advertising is the advertiser’s linguistic choices while adapting to the social and mental worlds with the ultimate purpose of achieving success in communication.

Copyright

© 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Shan-Shan Cheng
PY  - 2018/05
DA  - 2018/05
TI  - A Study on Metaphor Generation in Advertising -- An Adaptation Model
BT  - Proceedings of the 4th Annual International Conference on Management, Economics and Social Development (ICMESD 2018)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 524
EP  - 529
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/icmesd-18.2018.92
DO  - 10.2991/icmesd-18.2018.92
ID  - Cheng2018/05
ER  -