Earticle

This study focuses on print advertisements utilizing “A-series” demonstratives, analyzing the contexts in which these demonstratives are used to refer to their targets. Existing research on demonstratives has primarily examined the distinctions and functions of Ko,So,A demonstratives and the expressive characteristics of advertising language. However, this study analyzes the contexts of demonstratives within advertising texts using advertisement examples, a topic not previously explored. The results of the analysis are summarized as follows:1. Formal Context　: The referents of “A-series” demonstratives can be identified from linguistic information such as sub-copies, body copies, and company names. In this context, “A-series” demonstratives function to attract consumers’ interest in the referents, guiding them to read the detailed parts of the advertisement. 2.Situational Context: This context involves photographs or illustrations within the advertisement, where “A-series” demonstratives direct the recipient’s gaze to distant objects, effectively creating a sense of viewing a scene from afar. 3.Shared Knowledge Context: The referents are general concepts likely understood by many through common experiences or general knowledge. The content of the catch copy indicates that it is based on shared knowledge. 4.Additional Context: This context involves cases where the referents can be inferred from linguistic information or images within the advertisement. The referents are shared targets, but they refer to specific targets that can be commonly understood through individual memories. Thus, it has been revealed that in advertisements, the demonstrative “A” is used primarily as a memory pointer, relying more on additional contexts that allow abstract recall and empathy towards the referent, rather than on substantial shared memory pointers. Unlike “Ko” and “So” series demonstratives, “A” series demonstratives possess the characteristic of pointing to unseen memories in the mind. This aligns with the additional context in advertisements, where consumers abstractly recall and empathize with the referents, making such usage prevalent. Additionally, advertisements often aim to enhance a sense of unity by expressing information in a way that mimics shared knowledge, even if it is not actually shared.