Full Article: PDF
Scientific Object Identifier: http://s-o-i.org/1.1/TAS-11-91-66
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15863/TAS.2020.11.91.66
Language: English
Citation: Al-Kawwaz, S. M. H., & Al-Tamimi, M. J. T. (2020). A Pragma-Rhetorical Study of Persuasion in American and Iraqi Billboards. ISJ Theoretical & Applied Science, 11 (91), 410-426. Soi: http://s-o-i.org/1.1/TAS-11-91-66 Doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.15863/TAS.2020.11.91.66 |
Pages: 410-426
Published: 30.11.2020
Abstract: The present study investigates the pragmatic and rhetorical aspects of the advertising message in an attempt to explore how persuasion takes place. It aims at identifying and analysing the persuasive appeals, rhetorical devices, and speech acts the advertisers use in the headlines of some American and Iraqi billboard advertisements. For this purpose, an eclectic model has been adopted which consists of Searle’s (1969) speech acts theory, Lucas’s (2009) persuasive appeals, McQuarrie and Mick’s (1996) rhetorical devices, and Cook's (2001) advertising context. The findings of the study showed that American and Iraqi billboards share a lot in common. To begin with, advertisers relied mainly upon the tropes of ellipsis and hyperbole in writing advertisements. Moreover, pathos appeal was employed as the basic tool to achieve persuasive impact upon the potential customers. Also, directives, representatives, and commissives were the main acts through which persuasion was realised. Interestingly, advertising context had been found indispensable by contributing a great deal not only to making the advertising message clear, but also to providing the necessary means for attaining the persuasive appeals.
Key words: Persuasion, pragma-rhetorical, advertising, speech acts, billboard advertisements, persuasive appeals, rhetorical devices.
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