英语广告是一种独特的语言形式，它遵循正规的英语语法规则，但是仍有许多独特的处理方式。下面举例分析英语广告的特色。

         1、词汇特色

        在用词方面，英语广告可以说是兼收并蓄，不拘一格，绚丽多姿。

         1）在政府颁发公文、学校招生等的广告中，用词极为严肃正统。

         例 Our present Principal/Chief Executive has reached retirement¹ age and the Goverving Board wants to make the crucial appointment of his replacement² in 1994. If you are a well-qualified and experienced individual and you think you have the vision, energy and enthusiasm to lead the College from the current solidly based nineties into the next century, then please write for further information and post particulars to:

         这是一篇招生广告，其中用词是非常正规的，所以，反映了广告的内容也是严肃认真的。

         2）在许多情况下，广告为了产生一种幽默和诙谐的效果，故意使用一些不正式的语言。

         例 1  Each transfer weight advantage and power into real, all round performance at prices we know won’t freak you out.

         在这则广告中，freak out 是一非正式词组，意思是精神恍惚，极度兴奋（尤其指吸毒之后），它在此的意思是frighten（使人害怕），或是scare 的意思。

         例 2  What’s more, in our new Appllance sale we’ve knocked up to 50% off top name brands.

         knock 在此的意思是defeat（击败），但比起defeat来，却很不正式，但是表达效果比defeat要生动得多。

        例 3  Keep the frog out of your throat. 这是一篇咽喉片的广告中的最后一句话，广告策划者故意用这样一个非正式的短语取得一种幽默的效果。

        1）在许多广告中，使用了大量的俚语和非正式的词汇，使广告显得通俗活泼，给人留下深刻的印象。如在一件外衣的广告中，为了强调该衣的特色，衣袋设计的不同凡响，甚至可以防盗，文字是这样的pity the pickpocket³ （可怜那些三只手吧），其中pickpocket 就属于口语体，相当于汉语中的“三只手”或“扒手”。假如把它换成thief（贼），效果就不如pickpocket 生动有趣。

        2）专有名词的使用在广告中也很广泛，利用名人或名地等可以增加广告的说服力，引起读者的注意。如 ”This is one place Mick Doohan will never race”中，Mike Doohan 就是一位著名的赛车手，这是本田汽车公司的广告，意思是“这是一块连Mike Doohan 都不去比赛的地方。”又如，From the country that brought you Alain Delon. A new range of traditional cast-iron pots and pans, with smooth bottoms for use on all types of hob. 广告中Alain Delon （阿兰德龙）是一位著名影星。

        2、句型特色

       英语广告的句型也多种多样，但最常用的句型有以下几类：

       1） 祈使句   这是出现最多的句型。

       例 1  Ask any one who owns one.           （汽车广告语）

       询问一下有这种车的人吧。

       例 2  Lay down your arms.                      （桌子广告语）

       放下您的胳膊吧。

       例 3  Please do not leave it too late.

        事不宜迟。

        2）  一般疑问句   通常用在广告的前面。

        例 1  Have you ever dreamed of ascending⁴ the steps of great temple built to the Gods?  （旅行社广告）

        您是否梦想过登上为众神修建的宏伟庙宇的台阶？

        例 2  Can a tired overworked voice command attention in class?

        一个疲惫、过劳的声音能吸引全班的注意力吗？

        又如下面这个广告全部由一般疑问句构成：

        Ph. D. s should have acquiring minds. Considering this a simple test.

        A ) Do you want to work in world class research laboratories?

        B ) Do you want to apply your research skills to keep successful business at the leading edge of world technology?

        C ) Do you want to build your career with a major international company headquartered in Australia?

        If your answers to these questions are positive, BHP would like to talk to you.

       Your first challenge is to discover more by calling Theoni Parthimos, our Senior Personnel Officer.

       3） 省略句   在英语广告中，省略句比比皆是，甚至整篇广告都由省略句构成。

       例    Serviced  greenfield sites aplenty. Ready for development. For sale. For manufacture. For business. For services. For leisure. A million square feet of ready-to-wear premise⁵. Brand new business parks. Four-star conference facilities. Backed by 14 years’ success in helping⁶ business to relocate, set-up, prosper⁷, expand.

        4)  比较级   比较级在广告中用得非常多，这是由于英语广告中有大量的形容词和副词做修饰语的缘故。

        例 1   Today in business fast is no longer fast enough, even faster is still too slow to keep pace with the incredible demands placed on people and the computers they work with. That’s one reason why IBM developed P60/D. 60MHz 64-bit Pentium Chip computers so fast, so powerful, it makes today’s conventional computers like they are moving at a snail’s space.

        例 2   These days succeeding in business means getting more competitive and making tougher decisions.

        例 3   The new Minolta Riva Zoom⁸ 105EX is the most compact camera in a very prestigious⁹ class.

        例 4   In short, the stronger your character, the brighter your future.

        5)  直接引语   在英语广告中直接引语出现得很多，原因：一是直接引语使得广告显得形式活泼、新颖；二是采用直接引语从心理学的角度看可以增强说服力。

        例 1   “It’s like we’re all in the same office. The office just happens to spread across 7000 miles of ocean,” Tom Hughes MIS Director, Construction.

         这是IBM公司的一则广告的开头语，通过该公司经理的话，使广告显得生动具体。

        例 2   “Through the NVQ initiative we have discovered talents and competencies we would never otherwise have known about.” Says Ian McDermot of Philips Components¹⁰ in Blackburn.

        这是用人单位对NVQ职业培训机构的赞扬。

        例 3   “I was afraid to drive in the snow. Not great when you live in Alaska.” Fortunately, Carol Kineaid, who lives in Anchorage, saw a Suzuki 4-door Sidekick on display and decided¹¹ to give it a try. “From the time I got behind the wheel, it was the one for me. You sit up so high, like you have so much control.” With four-wheel drive and 1.6 liter, 16-value engine, it’s understandable. And her snow—o—phobia? “My Sidekick just goes right through it, I never knew what I was missing.” Apparently¹², husband John knew exactly what he was missing. “He wanted to drive my Sidekick from the moment I got it, but I just said, ‘no way ‘” There was only one thing left for John to do. “You should have seen the neighbor’s faces when he drove up in his Sidekick,” Carol reports. Who knew that after raising two kids, John and Carol would have twins?

         这是一则汽车广告，通过直接引语生动地表现了汽车的功能。

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