Abstract

Since the beginning of commodity economy, advertisements have been attached great importance because such texts is so powerful that they could determine whether specific products could be popular among the public and whether the sales of their products could be increased. Actually, the influence of advertisements is closely related with the figure of speeches used in such texts. If advertisements designers could know enough about the figure of speeches that could make advertisements impressive, their advertisements are more likely to stimulate customers to memorize and purchase the products introduced in advertisements. In this thesis, the conceptual metaphors used in commercial advertising discourse will be analyzed in details. The analysis will be divided into three parts: structural metaphors, oriental metaphors and ontological metaphors. Besides, the enlightenment of the conceptual metaphors used in commercial advertising discourses on writing advertisements will be introduced. There is no doubt that such a thesis could help readers have a better understanding of the conceptual metaphor used in commercial advertising discourse and improve their competence to write advertisements.

Key words: Commercial advertising discourse; conceptual metaphors; advertisement writing 

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Research Background-1

1.2 Research Significance-2

1.3 Previous Studies Abroad and At Home-3

1.4 Originality of This Research-5

2. Theoretical Basis: Conceptual Metaphor Theory-5

2.1 Definition of Commercial Advertising Discourses-6

2.2 Features of Commercial Advertising Discourses-6

2.3 Functions of Commercial Advertising Discourses-8

3. Theoretical Basis: Conceptual Metaphor Theory-9

3.1 Structural Metaphors-10

3.2 Oriental Metaphors-10

3.3 Ontological Metaphors-11

4. Analysis of Conceptual Metaphors in Commercial Advertising Discourses-11

4.1 Metaphors in Commercial Advertising Discourses-18

4.1.1Structural Metaphors in Commercial Advertising Discourses-12

4.1.2 Oriental Metaphors in Commercial Advertising Discourses-13

4.1.3 Ontological Metaphors in Commercial Advertising Discourses-14

4.2 Suggestions about How to Use Metaphors in Advertising Discourse Design-15

4.2.1 Knowing About the Thinking Patterns of the Public-15

4.2.2 Using Typical Images as Sources in Metaphors-16

4.2.3 Referring to well-known Poems or Idioms to Write Metaphors in Commercial Advertising Discourses-16

5. Conclusion-16

References-18