Advertising as a platform for language game

Abstract

The present study is devoted to the language game as a widespread advertising phenomenon. With reference to contextual analysis of language games in advertisements, the article considers the achievements of the main advertising goals (to attract potential consumers and influence their buying behavior) by virtue of various creative language means. The article discusses and analyzes different types of language games based on phonetics, lexical and grammatical means of the Russian language. Cases of language game with the use of onomatopoeia, homonyms and nonce words are emphasized. The specific features of the linguistic phenomenon in advertising are illustrated with appropriate examples. Reportedly, advertising makes possible the language game and, in certain cases, is an ideal environment for its implementation. Considering the language game as an integral part of the advertising discourse, the authors of the article draw conclusions about the similarity of the communicative goal in the language game and advertising. Apart from contributing to the theory of advertising from the standpoint of modern linguistics, and to the development of the language game theory, the results of the study explore creative possibilities of language, including in advertising.