An Analysis of Advertising Language under the Framework of Speech Act Theory_英语论文

摘要

广告是传播信息的重要途径，它已经成为我们生活中不可或缺的一部分。许多学者从不同的角度对广告语进行了研究，但从言语行为理论的角度对广告语进行的研究却不多，特别是言外行为的五个类型和间接言语行为在以往的研究中都没有得到很好的解释。而本文以言语行为理论为基础，对广告语进行分析，重点研究了广告语中言外行为的五种类型和间接言语行为各自的特点。本文通过综合分析发现, 断言行为是通过客观地描述事物和心理状态, 以显示产品的质量；指令行为通常被用来表达其他要求的含义；承诺行为是通过做出承诺而获得消费者的信任；表态行为的目的是表达说话者的精神状态，以影响听者的未来行动；宣告行为不是由任何组织宣布的，但有足够的信心让消费者信任它。而间接言语行为则表达了不同于字面意义的深层意义。言语行为理论促进了广告语的发展，其在广告语中的成功应用也促进了其自身的发展。因此，言语行为理论与广告设计相结合，可以设计出更完美的广告，以满足公众的需求，也有利于广告语的进一步健康发展。

关键词：广告语  言语行为理论  言外行为  间接言语行为   

Abstract

Advertising is an important way to spread information, and it has become an indispensable part of our lives. Many scholars studied advertising language from a variety of angles, but not many they have studied advertising language from the perspective of Speech Act Theory. In particular, the five categories of illocutionary act and indirect speech act in advertising language have not been well explained in previous studies. Based on the Speech Act Theory, this paper analyzes the advertising language and focuses on the characteristics of five categories of illocutionary act and indirect speech act in advertising language. Through the comprehensive analysis, this paper finds that assertives is to objectively describe things and psychological states to show the quality of product; directives is usually used to express the meaning of other requests; commissives is to win consumers trust by making commitments; expressives’ purpose is to express the speaker's mental state as to influence the hearer’s future action, and declaration is not announced by any organization, but confident enough to make consumers trust it. Indirect speech act is that the deeper meaning which differs from the literal meaning. Speech Act Theory promotes the development of advertising language, and its successful use in advertising language also promotes its own development. Therefore, we should combine the Speech Act Theory with the advertising design, so as to design the perfect advertisement and meet the requirements of the public and to benefit the healthy development of advertising language.

Key words: advertising language  Speech Act Theory  illocutionary act  indirect speech act

Contents

Chapter One  Introduction 1

1.1  Purpose of This Thesis 1

1.2  Significance of This Thesis 1

1.3  Structure of This Thesis 2

1.4  Research Method of This Thesis 2

1.5  Definition of advertisement 3

Chapter Two  Literature Review 5

2.1  Introduction 5

2.2  Speech Act Theory on Advertising Language 5

2.2.1 Studies of Illocutionary Act on Advertising Language 6

2.2.2 Studies of Indirect Speech Act on Advertising Language 6

2.3  Other Studies on Advertising Language 7

2.4  Comment 8

Chapter Three  Theoretical Framework 10

3.1  Introduction to Speech Act Theory 10

3.2  Austin’s Three-point Theory 11

3.3  Searle’s Classification of Illocutionary Act 11

3.4  Searle’s Indirect Speech Act Theory 12

Chapter Four  Speech Act in Advertising Language 14

4.1  Introduction 14

4.2  Illocutionary Acts of Advertising Language 14

4.2.1 Assertives in Advertising Language 15

4.2.2 Directives in Advertising Language 16

4.2.3 Commissives in Advertising Language 17

4.2.4 Expressives in Advertising Language 18

4.2.5 Declarations in Advertising Language 20

4.3  Indirect Speech Act in Advertising Language 20

Chapter Five  Conclusion 22

Bibliography

Acknowledgements