Processing ads: grammar, sentence types & indirectness Flashcards
grammatical parallelism=
repetition of similar grammatical structures (where it deviates can be used to create contrasts or equivalences)
types of deviation in ads>
change in dialect, register, spelling & other ling features
deviation & sentence patterns>
typical: SV (+object) (+comp)
deviant: any deviation from this (“you leave. Arrive before”)
sentence types in ads> (4)
- commands
- questions
- exclamations
- statements
features of commands in ads> (5)
-indirect
- make small impositions
- are backgrounded
- ask people something that is of benefit to them
- emotional in nature
- links to hard selling
features of qns in ads> (4)
- engage the reader/hearer
- always demand an answer
- can be used to introduce presuppositions
- often rhetorical
features of exclamations in ads> (2)
- imitate everyday speech & other informal genres (email, phone, msgs, social media posts etc)
- danger of sounding overly emotional (if used excessively)
features of statements in ads> (5)
- can be used to give product info
- regulations constrain actual claims about the product
- advertisers must be able to prove factual claims
- word choice can tone down statements
- room for vague claims
ellipsis=
leaving out an element in a sentence or utterance (up to hearer/reader to supply the missing info–>this increases processing load)
Indirectness>
relies on impliction
“im the superfood you CAN pronounce”> suggests there are others you cant etc
implicatures=
indirect and/or changed meaning; links to indirectness & rules of politeness (saving face)
indirectness & implicatures> (4)
- what we say doesn’t always correspond to what we mean
- the surface form doesn’t always match the intended meaning (declarative>qn)
-sometimes intended meaning could be opposite (irony, sarcasm) - such indirect meaning known as ‘implicatures’
Indirectness: we assume people are being indirect when they…> (4)
-say what we & they know to be false (QUALITY)
-provide less (or more) info than necessary (QUANTITY)
-say something that doesnt seem to be immediately relevant (RELEVANCE)
-express themselves in a vague or disorderly manner (MANNER)
Grice’s maxims (1975)> (4)
-Quality
-Quantity
-Relevance
-Manner
Grice’s maxims (1975)- in accordance to advertising>
-Quality= be truthful
-Quantity= give as much, but no more info than needed
-Relevance=give appropriate & relevant info
-Manner=be clear, unambiguous, orderly
breaking maxim of quality in ads> through?>
metaphor can break maxim of quality (“life changes shape”>doesnt actually/not truthful)
breaking maxim of quantity in ads> through?>
- elision of key details:
>this increases processing load ““there are 6 big reasons>doesnt give reasons”>think about what they are)
breaking maxim of relevance in ads> through?> (2)
- can be through not direct image/word correlation
- increases processing load (what does X have to do with Y?)
breaking maxim of manner in ads> through?> (3)
> e.g. graphological changes (i.e. S>format of text on page shifted 90 deg)
increases processing load
for different purposes:
(-i.e. specsavers–>suggest inability to read correctly)
why use indirectness in ads>(3)
-people don’t like being told what to do (negative face), so for politeness
-indirect statements take more effort to process than direct–>more likely to maintain attention–>maximise recall
-indirect ads might not look like selling anything
- allows ad producers to vary the styles of their ads
processing ads: conc (2)
> ads use variation in their sentence structure for many reasons–>: to get attention; to lead to indirect interpretations; to take on an informal, conversational voice
all copy-writing takes place against the background of regulations constraining literal claims
