Abstract
Advertising is something that we are all exposed to everyday. It is also something that is likely to affect us in a number of different spheres of our lives. Advertising takes many forms, in most of which, however, language is of crucial importance. To sell commodities or increase sales is the ultimate goal of advertising, which decides that its language should be simple and sweet. Thus a comprehensive analysis on the linguistic features of advertising English is worthwhile.
The whole paper is divided into six chapters.
The first chapter is an introduction of the study background as well as the methods of research employed in this paper.
The second chapter traces back the origin of advertising and covers the definitions, classifications, functions, objectives, elements and the KISS rule of advertising.
The following three chapters respectively analyze the lexical, syntactic, and rhetoric features of advertising English. It is based on the employment of various devices under these features that the KISS rule is effectively applied to advertising.
The third chapter is a description of the lexical features of advertising English, including the utilization of monosyllabic, laudatory and comparative adjectives, monosyllable and forceful verbs, refined nouns, pronouns, compounds and intentionally misspelled words. The appropriate wording is conducive to catching the public’s attention, arousing their curiosity, and eventually building up in their mind a good image of the advertised product and producer alike.
The fourth chapter describes the syntactic features of advertising English. A lot of imperative and interrogative sentences and minor clauses are used in advertising English, so that English advertisements are made simple, direct, persuasive and more readable. As a result, the advertising message can be conveyed to the audience more powerfully and vividly.
In the fifth chapter, the writer explores the characteristics of the rhetorical devices in advertising at the phonetic, lexical and syntactical levels and tries to find out how the persuasive effect of advertisements is achieved.
The last chapter, the conclusion, briefly describes how the KISS rule can be effectively applied to advertising English by means of lexical, syntactic and rhetorical approaches.
It is hoped that by studying the linguistic features of advertising English this paper will be of some help in comprehending and translating English advertisements for those who are working in this field.
Key words: Advertising Advertising English
KISS rule Linguistic features
内容提要
广告在我们今天的社会几乎是无孔不入，它的传播介质多种多样，包括报纸、杂志、电视、广播、网络等等。虽然广告有多种表现形式，但语言是广告的精髓部分，是最能打动人心的部分。广告具有鲜明的目的性，即说服顾客进行购买，这种目的性决定了其语言的特色性风格：简洁甜美，因此广告很值得在语言学的范畴内研究。
本文解释了广告语言应遵循的KISS规则，分析了如何利用词汇、句子和修辞方法将这一规则应用到广告英语中，指出了广告英语的语言特色。文中引用了大量的英语广告实例，验证了作者所提出的广告英语的语言特征。
本文共分为六部分：
第一部分为引言，介绍了研究背景以及研究方法。
第二部分追溯了广告的起源，对广告的定义、分类、作用、目的、组成要素及广告创作中应遵循的KISS规则做了简单概要。
接下来的三部分分别从词汇、句法和修辞角度分析了KISS规则如何在广告英语中得以应用。
第三部分描述了广告英语的词汇特色。分析了形容词、动词、名词、代词、合成词以及特殊拼写的词在广告英语中的应用。
第四部分描述了广告英语的句法特色。广告英语中使用了大量的祈使句、疑问句和简短句，加强了广告的可读性与可听性，引起读者的注意并留下较深的印象。
第五部分分别从语音、词汇和句法角度介绍了广告英语中所使用的修辞手段，这些修辞手段的使用能吸引读者的注意力，使广告语言变得更受消费者的欢迎，从而使广告产品建立起受人欢迎的形象。
最后一部分即结论部分简单总结了广告英语所使用的词汇、句法、修辞等方法，这些方法的使用使KISS规则在广告英语中得以贯彻。
作者希望通过本文能够对理解，欣赏，创作和准确地翻译英文广告起到一定的帮助作用。
关键词:广告 广告英语 KISS规则 语言特点
Contents
2.2 Definitions of Advertising. 4
2.3 Classifications of Advertising. 6
2.4 Functions of Advertising. 8
2.5 Objectives of Advertising. 10
2.6 Elements of Advertising. 11
2.7 The KISS Rule in Advertising. 11
3.1 Use of Monosyllabic, Laudatory and Comparative Adjectives. 13
3.2 Use of Monosyllabic and Forceful Verbs. 16
3.4 Use of “You” and “Your”. 19
3.6 Use of Intentional Misspellings. 22
4.1 Utilization of Imperative Sentences. 25
4.2 Utilization of Interrogative Sentences. 27
4.3 Utilization of Minor Clauses. 30
