Abstract

Hedges, as a typical and universal language phenomenon in fuzzy language, are applied to every aspect of people's life. Along with the continuous development of economic integration and the sustaining expansion of commercial trade, commercial advertising has become an effective broadcast media and an indispensable means of marketing. In the meantime, the use of hedges makes the creation and issuance diversified while consumers can better understand the attributes and functions of goods through advertising. Therefore, hedges devote an indispensable pragmatic function to the commercial advertising. This dissertation is based on the studies of related theories and research achievements, mastering the language features of hedges, analyzing the collected commercial advertisements in a qualitative way so that the research of pragmatic functions of hedges in commercial advertising can be achieved.

Key words: hedges; commercial advertising; pragmatic functions

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1.Introduction1

1.1Objective of the Study.1

1.2Overview of the Study.1

1.3Significance of the Study.3

2.Definition of Hedges.3

3.Linguistic Characteristics of Advertising.6

3.1 Lexical Features.7

3.2 Syntactic Features8

3.3 Rhetorical Devices.9

3.3.1 Pun10

3.3.2 Simile..10

3.3.3 Analogy.11

3.3.4 Alliteration11

4. Pragmatic Functions of Hedges in Advertising.12

4.1 Cooperative Principle13

4.1.1 Violation of quantity maxim.14

4.1.2 Violation of quality maxim.15

4.1.3 Violation of relevance maxim.16

4.1.4 Violation of manner maxim16

4.2 Politeness Principle.17

4.3 Pragmatic Functions20

4.3.1 Showing price advantages20

4.3.2 Improving credibility and objectivity.21

4.3.3 Enhancing brand images.22

5. Conclusion22

References.24