The Role of Metonymy in Shaping the Advertising Worldview (Based on the Appliance and Electronics Advertisements)

Abstract

This article explores the use of metonymy in advertising discourse through a detailed analysis of slogans in appliance and electronics advertisements. The influence of metonymy on one’s worldview in the context of commercial advertising was studied based on its contribution to the construction of the images of the object (product or service), subject (seller or manufacturer), and addressee (consumer), as well as to the development of connections between these three elements. The value and relevance of the research lie in the fact that advertising broadcasts ideas about reality and has the potential to influence the consumer’s mindset and behavior. This supports the concept of advertising worldview. It is also important to perceive metonymy as a linguistic and cognitive tool, yet in advertising discourse it is often viewed as a trope. The dynamics of the advertising situation can be defined as follows: the manufacturer/seller offers a solution to the consumer’s problems and promises them joy in the final result, with the product or service acting as a tool to achieve the desired outcome. A number of examples were provided to show that the knowledge about the components of the advertising situation is arranged in the categories of different conceptual structures which determine the type of metonymic transfer. In appliance advertisements, the most frequent metonymic models were found to be as follows: the product’s quality–the product, the result of using the product–the tool employed to achieve the result, describing the situation through the nomination of the stage of turning on the device or achieving the result. It was concluded that metonymy emphasizes the most important characteristics of the product and its role in human life, not only as a problem-solving tool but also as a source of positive emotions and joy, as well as a symbol of a certain lifestyle. Therefore, the metonymic approach is effective in fitting the product into the everyday life of the consumer with respect to their system of values.