Abstract

Based on relevance theory, this paper analyzes how metaphors can be understood from the perspective of pragmatics through a number of examples of product advertising and explains why advertisers choose this strategy to attract the public to ensure a successful communication. Metaphor is based on the similarity between things and similarity of the acquisition is subject to context and people's cognitive ability and other factors, but because any discourse is related to the similarity of the process of seeking metaphor, which is just to seek the process of relevancy. Relevance theory is "every ostensive communication action, passing a hypothesis: the action itself has the optimal relevance." The success of this communication not only lies in that the hearer can understand the linguistic meaning of discourse, more importantly, if the expresser makes ostensive behavior, the hearer can reason the real intention. Thus, Advertisers want audience to be able to infer from the context and obtain the implied meaning.

Keywords: metaphor; product advertising; relevance theory

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Literature Review-1

2.1 Previous studies on metaphor-2

2.2 An overview of product advertising-3

2.3 An introduction to relevance theory-4

3. Applictions of Metaphor in Product Advertising-6

3.1 Definition of metaphor-6

3.2 Analysis of metaphor in product advertising-7

4. Applications of Relevance Theory to Metaphor in Product Advertising-8

4.1 Applications of ostensive-inferential to metaphor in product advertising-9

4.2 Applications of optimal relevance to metaphor in product advertising-10

4.3 Applications of cognitive context to metaphor in product advertising-10

5. Conclusion-11

Works Cited-13