| Title |
Smith, T. Jordan_MPC_2013 |
| Alternative Title |
Syntactic Structures in Advertising English |
| Creator |
Smith, T. Jordan |
| Collection Name |
Master of Professional Communication |
| Description |
The present study provides a diachronic stylistic analysis of syntactic structures in advertisements from 1885, 1950, and 2000. I selected 10 advertisements from the May 1885, January 1950, and January 2000 issues of Good Housekeeping magazine and analyzed five stylistic areas, namely the use independent minor clauses, the use of the subjunctive and imperative moods, the use of focusing constructions, the use of personal pronouns, and the use of anaphoric reference. The analysis found variations in the use of these syntactic and stylistic structures over time with a general move toward informal structures. Some of the more important findings included the use of independent minor clauses shifting from heavy (1885) to moderate (1950, 2000), the use of imperative mood shifting from indirect (1885) to direct (1950, 2000), the use of extraposition shifting from none (1885) to frequent (1950, 2000), the use of you as a form of direct address shifting from none (1885) to subject position (1950) to object position (2000), and the use of anaphora shifting from heavy (1885) to moderate (1950) to light (2000). The findings of this study benefit advertisers and marketers by helping them determine what types of structures are easily relatable to a modern audience, how certain structures may influence others, and which structures may be seen as old-fashioned or outdated. |
| Subject |
Communication--Research; Marketing; Advertising |
| Keywords |
stylistics; syntax; English; linguistics; language; copywriting |
| Digital Publisher |
Stewart Library, Weber State University |
| Date |
2013 |
| Language |
eng |
| Rights |
The author has granted Weber State University Archives a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce their theses, in whole or in part, in electronic or paper form and to make it available to the general public at no charge. The author retains all other rights. |
| Source |
University Archives Electronic Records; Master of Professional Communication. Stewart Library, Weber State University |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| ARK |
ark:/87278/s6pweacz |
| Setname |
wsu_smt |
| ID |
96744 |
| Reference URL |
https://digital.weber.edu/ark:/87278/s6pweacz |
