摘 要

随着社会经济的不断发展，广告已成为人们生活中不可或缺的一部分。广告商为了引起更多消费者的关注，在广告中运用了各种语言表达手段，双关语就是其中一种。恰如其分地使用双关语，能使广告更特别、更精炼、更富有创造性，给消费者留下深刻的印象，有效促进产品的销售。因此，双关语被广泛应用在广告语中。

本文依据关联理论中的明示-推理交际、最佳关联、认知语境以及隐义，对广告中的双关语进行案例分析，探讨了双关语在广告中的作用，解释了双关为什么能有助于达成成功的交际。本文分三个部分。第一部分是对全篇文章的简介。第二部分是论证，介绍了一些双关语的基本信息，包括双关的定义及特点，广告中双关的语义作用等，以及本文的理论框架—关联理论。同时，从明示推理交际、最佳关联、认知语境以及隐义四个方面对广告中的双关进行案例分析。第三部分是总结。研究结果表明广告中的双关语有助于吸引消费者、促使他们购买产品。

关键词：双关语；广告；关联理论

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Demonstration 2

2.1 Definition and characteristics of puns 2

2.1.1 Definition 2

2.1.2 Characteristics of puns 3

2.2 Pragmatic function of puns in advertisements 3

2.3 Theoretical Framework of Relevance Theory 5

2.3.1 Ostensive-inferential Communication 5

2.3.2 Optimal Relevance 6

2.3.3 Cognitive Context 7

2.3.4 Implicature 7

2.4 Analysis of puns in advertisements from the perspective of Relevance Theory 8

2.4.1 Ostensive- inference and Puns in Advertisements 8

2.4.2 Optimal Relevance and Puns in Advertisements 10

2.4.3 Context and Puns in Advertisements 12

2.4.4 Implicature and Puns in Advertisements 13

3. Conclusion 14

Works Cited 16

Bibliography 17

A Study of Puns in Advertisements from the Perspective of Relevance Theory

1. Introduction

Advertisement is a common commercial marketing in people’s daily life. Advertisement is also an efficient promotion method in business that has great influence on the brand building of firms, which has great impact on customers’ buying behaviors. However, countless advertisements have been ignored by audience for their boring language. To avoid this problem and promote their products, firms including the multinational firms or medium or small firms are all trying to make excellent advertisements to catch the eyes of customers. There is a famous principle in advertisement whose name is KISS, which means keep it simple and sweet. KISS principle indicates that advertisement should be simple and the language should be pleasant.

Pun is a word play with humorous effects in communication by using one word or phrases that has two or more meanings with the forms of similar sounds or meanings (Guo，2011). Ambiguity of puns brings two or more contexts in sentences. Using puns is to make advertisement simple and stupid. Using puns in advertisement is also a way to make the advertisement special, simply and creative leaving customers deep impression. When advertisers use puns in advertisement, customers will be required to pay more efforts to understand the advertisements seeking from their cognitive contexts and build double or even more contexts, which can bring joy to customers as well.

Since advertisement is a one-way communication connecting with customers, to which the concepts of Relevance Theory can be applied. Advertisers promote their products through language and audiences analyze, infer and understand the meaning of advertisements with cognitive context. The process of understanding advertisements is also the progress of seeking for optimal relevance (Tang，2003) and understanding the implicature.

As a common rhetoric, pun has the characteristics of ambiguity and double contexts, so when advertisers use puns in advertisements, customers will be required to pay more efforts to understand the advertisements seeking from their cognitive contexts and build double or even more contexts, which can bring joy to customers as well. And if used properly, pun can make advertisements more special, simple and creative leaving customers deep impression. So pun is widely used in different kinds of advertisements which can promote customers to purchase the products.

2. Demonstration

As puns are widely used in advertisements, it is essential to introduce the basic concepts of puns such as its definition and characteristics, pragmatic functions of puns in advertisements.

2.1 Definition and characteristics of puns

In order to help us understand pun better, its definition and characteristics are displayed.

2.1.1 Definition

As a rhetorical device, the use of pun has a very long history. It may trace back to Greek. About 2000 years ago, Aristotle said that pun could be used in some writing works. Since then pun has been widely used by many people. For example, Shakespeare used almost 3000 puns in his works(Li, 2000).