Analysis of How and Why Stylistic Language Impacts Advertising with a Journalistic Approach

Abstract

Although the language of journalism is a plain language—with the exception of satirical journalism whose main language is literary—journalists familiar with literature use literary language in advertising; because this language has emotional appeal and also draws the audience's attention toward the "message." In fact, the effective transmission of a message from sender to receiver is a process that requires comprehensive attention to the influential elements involved. Our findings from analyzing journalistic texts show that the highest amount and variety of stylistic devices are employed in "satirical journalism" and after that in "reporting", while we find the least stylistic devices in "news" articles; and those are mostly of the metonymy type. This is because news is a simple, objective and pure recounting of an event, whereas a report is written based on literary arrangement and embellishment, involving depiction and illustration. Overall, metonymy, metaphor, simile, and allusion are the most widely used stylistic devices in journalism; although hyperbole, allegory, and personification also have some applications in journalism.