A SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF ADVERTISING LANGUAGE IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE

Authors

  • Thai Cong Dan Senior Lecturer, Dr., School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho City, Vietnam
  • Tran Ha Tu Ngan School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University, Can Tho City, Vietnam
  • Thai Phan Bao Han Faculty of Social Sciences, Can Tho University of Technology Can Tho City, Vietnam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejals.v7i2.535

Keywords:

advertising language, descriptive analysis, figurative languages, semantics

Abstract

The study provided the analysis of advertising language in English and Vietnamese from a semantic point of view and specified semantic means used in aforementioned languages’ advertising writing. The paper was addressed to English for Special Purposes (ESP) students and teachers, as well as linguisticians and people working in the advertising industry. The research was carried out on 100 advertising slogans (50 in English and 50 in Vietnamese). The findings from descriptive analysis and comparative methods revealed that the lack of semantic figurative languages and equivocal statements served as the most distinctive difference between Vietnamese and English. The most and least adopted figurative devices in the two languages were identified. Based on the results of the study, the researchers also proposed suggestions and implications for further research.

Author Biographies

  • Thai Cong Dan, Senior Lecturer, Dr., School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho City, Vietnam

    Mr. Thai Cong Dan, is currently a senior lecturer of English, School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University (CTU), Vietnam, -cum-a project manager. He has held his PhD at Naresuan University, Thailand since 2010 in Educational Administration (English program). He got his MA in Cultural Aspects and Literature from the University of Notre Dame du Lac (ND), Indiana, USA in 1999. His main research interests are TEF/TESOL issues, intercultural communication, high school and higher education levels in English learning and teaching, English program management, curriculum design, testing and evaluation, ESP for Tourism and Hospitality, Political Education, Food Technology, professional development, and educational administration. He can be reached at tcdan@ctu.edu.vn.

  • Tran Ha Tu Ngan, School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University, Can Tho City, Vietnam

    Ms. Tran Ha Tu Ngan has held her BA in English Studies Program from Can Tho University since 2018. Her main research interests are TEF/TESOL teaching and learning at any level, linguistics, ESP for Economics and Industry, Intercultural Communication (ICC), and professional development. She can be reached at tranhatungan@gmail.com.

  • Thai Phan Bao Han, Faculty of Social Sciences, Can Tho University of Technology Can Tho City, Vietnam

    Miss Thai Phan Bao Han is presently an English lecturer at Can Tho University of Technology (CTUT). She earned her MA in TESOL in 2022 from Can Tho University, Vietnam. Her main research interests are TEF/TESOL teaching and learning at any level, linguistics, ESP for Technology and Engineering, Intercultural Communication (ICC), testing design, and professional development. She can be contacted at tpbhan@ctuet.edu.vn.  

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Published

2024-06-18

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2 (2024)

Section

Articles

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