Філологічні науки

Стилістика

К. п. н. Томіліна  А. О.,

Криворізький державний педагогічний університет,

Імплементація маніпулятивного контенту “пустих” слів в рекламному тексті

Ph.D. Tomilina A. O.,

Kryvyi Rih state pedagogical university,

The implementation of the manipulating content through the use of so called empty words in commercials

The content of the advertising text should be clear, at the same time it has to intrigue the reader, make one’s offer more attractive compared to the others.

The advertising text is characterized by a certain structure and lexical content, including: a headline, 2) subhead, 3) main advertising body, 4) echo-phrase (or endline).
In the process of creating the advertising text the question what word to choose to make the right impression appears. Thus, a number of principles by which words take an advantage when are used in the text of commercials can be identified:
1. multiple meaning words (taste, freshness, purity, etc.)
2. the presence of a positive kind of  association (good, excellent, unique);
3. abstract concept that is denoted with a word (beauty).
The absence of the objects of the material world unites some of these words. The interpretation of the names is connected with the concept of denotation (or subject matter). If denotation of a name does not exist as a real object, this name is considered to be denotatively deprived and has only one meaning. In such cases these words are called “empty”. The term "empty words” corresponds to the notion of figurative speech, in which there is no image. Due to the fact that a customer is influenced via advertising not by a product itself but its image which is created by an advertiser lexical and semantic content of commercials is essentially important. Therefore empty words play a significant role in the matter in question representing a special system of words which are responsible for the creation of product image. They serve as a tool of influence on a recipient of the message lifting him/her out of indifference and realizing a copywriter’s aim. The main peculiarity of empty words as their name implies is the absence of an exact denotation or substantive issues. This very feature of the semantics of empty words ensures a favourable image of a product/ service and is an essential prerequisite for the achievement of a desired influence on a recipient. Empty words imply suggestiveness; the presence of a semanteme of positive assessment which suggests associations; abstract nature. Empty words can be represented by nouns, verbs and adjectives as well. The ‘emptiness’ in question arises as a result of the fact that advertisers seek to use an approach which implies not to use the whole semantic potential of a word but only that part of it which provides a bright catchy and attractive image in order to distinguish it on the market. This peculiarity of empty words leads to the absolute interchangeability of some of them. These are words which include connotations (additional meanings) in their semanteme structure under the circumstances of the absence of denotation. The words in question transform into empty ones in the context (that is in terms of texts of commercials), in other texts they preserve their meanings. 
On this basis we can classify some words of advertising texts as "empty ones". It has been noticed that there are lots of abstract names among empty words. Abstract nouns can be classified into the following groups with the meaning of “quality”, “action” and “state”. Having studied the available advertising material, it can be stated that the largest group of abstract names is the group with the meaning of "action" (49%). The next group of abstract nouns (29%) is the group with the meaning of "state". The third group (22%) includes the abstract names of "quality".
As it has been mentioned above, an advertising text is divided into four main parts: the headline, subhead, the main advertising body and the endline. Having calculated the percentage of empty words in each part of advertising texts, it is possible to claim that the main advertising body is the biggest part, so it logically has a bigger amount of empty words. Though the researchers claim that the information in the other three parts is easier to remember and they all together contain 55% of empty words. 
Thus being aimed at stimulating economic benefits, an advertising text uses a rich arsenal of stylistic techniques of psychological influence. One of these stylistic techniques is the use of the special nature of vocabulary – so called empty words. Analysis of different types of "empty" words suggests that advertisers intentially do not use the whole semantic potential of words in order to get the customers’ interest, to enchant them, to make them believe in the effectiveness of the advertised product.
 

References:

1. Goddard A. The Language of Advertising. Written texts — London and New York: Routledge, 2001. 134p.

2. Lazar G. Meaning and Metaphors. Activities to practice figurative language -Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. 133p.

3. Schmid H.-J. English nouns as Connectional Shells. From Corpus to Cognition. – Berlin : N. Y. : Mouton de Gruyter, 2000.