일본 신문광고 캐치카피의 감탄사 사용에 관한 고찰

Abstract

This paper compares and analyzes the use of the exclamation point in the catch copy (headline or slogan) in Japanese newspaper advertisements. First, although the exclamation mark is not used in formal Japanese writing, it is common in casual writing, fiction, and manga. Some researchers have argued that since the exclamation point is a forceful form of punctuation, it should be considered “masculine” in form. However, an analysis of a questionnaire suggested that most native Japanese speakers regard the exclamation point as neutral. This explains its frequent appearance in advertising copy, as advertising uses neutral expressions without personal pronouns or masculine/feminine contextual expressions because ads target a broad range of readers. The exclamation mark’s neutral nature makes it inoffensive to all genders. In addition, an examination of exclamatory sentences in the context of Japanese newspaper advertisements (context and background) in which advertisers seek to maximize their message showed that just adding exclamation marks to create emphatic monologues or dialogues was not sufficient. Readers were more moved by judicious selection and arrangements of words than by punctuation.