Abstract：In modern society, advertising has already penetrated every corner of our lives. It is an art of persuasion and propagation, through which advertisers achieve the effects they want. Pun, as a rhetoric figure, is often used in advertising, which has made it a special field analyzed by linguists. Through real examples, this paper tries to analyze and summarize the classification of puns in advertisements and their pragmatic functions via authentic materials. 

Through the analysis, we have found that “pun” can achievement three functions in English advertising discourse, they are: 1) Attracting attention: As an intelligent use of language, pun can easily attract the attention of the audience, which enables advertisers to achieve their purpose of propagation; 2) Making advertisements brief: Because of the limitation of time and space, pun, which can express two or more than two meanings in one word, has always been used in advertisements; 3) Making advertisements aesthetic: Advertising is a kind of art, and as an artificial use of language, pun used in advertisements can offer the audience with an experience of beauty.

The study on the pragmatic functions of pun in English adverting is beneficial for the mastering of this rhetorical device, and at the same time is better for the further understanding of this special genre—advertisement. 

Key Words：advertising discourse; pun; pragmatic function; cooperative principle; conversational implicature

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

1 Introduction-1

1.1 The Background of the Research-1

1.2 The Purpose of the Research-1

1.3 The Significance of the Research-2

1.4 The Structure of the Research-3

2 Literature Review-4

2.1 Studies on Advertising-4

2.1.1 The History of Advertising-4

2.1.1.1 The History of Advertising Abroad-4

2.1.1.2 The History of Advertising at Home-5

2.1.2 The Classification of Advertising-6

2.1.3 Advertising and Related Disciplines-6

2.1.4 Rhetoric and Commercial Advertising-7

2.2 Studies on Pun-8

2.2.1 The History of Pun-8

2.2.2 The Definitions of Pun-9

2.2.3 The Types of Pun-9

2.2.3.1 Paronomasia-9

2.2.3.2 Antanaclasis-10

3 Theoretical Foundation of the Study: Cooperative Principle and Implicature-11

3.1 Cooperative Principle-11

3.2 Conversational Implicature-12

4 Pragmatic Functions of Pun in English Advertising Discourse-13

4.1 Attracting Attention-13

4.2 Making Advertisement Brief-15

4.3 Making Advertisements Aesthetic-16

Conclusion-18

5.1 Major Findings of the Research-18

5.2 Limitations of the Research-19

5.3 Suggestions for Further Research-19

Bibliography-21

Acknowledgement-22