A Study Of Language Of Advertisement

3.0 THE ANALYSIS OF RADIO ADVERTISEMENTS AND JINGLES
The data will be analysed based on the linguistic devices used in the language of advertising. Its connotative meanings will be discussed equally. The devices to be dealt with include figurative language like hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeia, simile, alliteration, repetition. There are other devices like idiomatic expressions, rhetorical question, style, appeal, economy of words and nonce form etc. These devices will be illustrated using the advert pieces in the appendices.

3.0.1  Hyperbole
Hyperbole is a greatly exaggerated statement; not intended to be taken literally but used for stylistic effect.  This figure of speech deliberately exaggerates to create special emphasis or humour (Ndimele 1992:108). It is used a lot in advertising to project a product, service or idea, sometimes beyond proportion. It has the special effect of giving emphasis to the quality of a product.  Hyperbole features prominently in the following examples of advertisement.  
(a) Saclux paint (appendix 1 lines 1-2, 19-20)
 Saclux paint
 Okacha mma
 Saclux paint  
Penti ka ibe ya
(b) Dr Aladin’s 7 keys to power (appendix 3, line 7)  “
Ogwu bu okacha mma”
(c) Blue Band Margarine (appendix 9, lines 3&4)
 BB! BB!! Blue Band Margarine
No 1 everywhere.
(d) Lipton Yellow Tea (appendix 10, lines 8,9&20)
Because when it comes to premium quality
No other tea is quite like Lipton
No 1 wherever you go.
The examples from Saclux Paint and Dr Aladin’s 7 keys to power show that they cannot be compared with any other product. Even if there is any basis for comparison, they are believed to be the best among all others. The word “okacha mma” occurs in both of them. The hyperbolic statement “okacha mma” is derived deverbally from “kacha mma” (most superior) by the prefixation of the low tone nominalizing prefix “o”. As a result this prefix “o”, there was tonal adjustments. “kacha mma” which is high tone is changed into low tone “okacha mma”. “Penti ka ibe ya”, the advertiser used exact Igbo adaptation for “penti” simply for emphases.   
Blue Band Margarine and Lipton Yellow Tea are claimed to be the best. Blue Band Margarine is “No 1 everywhere” while Lipton Yellow Tea is “No 1 wherever you go”. Hyperbole is very persuasive in nature, because of its claims; anybody wanting good quality would opt for these advertised and supposed products of no mean repute.

3.0.2  Personification
 Advertisers at times personify their products. Oliphant (1962:162) says that personification is the attribute of life to inanimate objects. This simply means that human attributes are bestowed on non- living entities thereby giving them an animate characteristic. Advertisers make use of this device to give obvious human attributes to products. The use of personification can be found in the following copies of advertisement.
(a) In Lipton Yellow Tea (appendix 10, lines 15&21)  
      Lipton Yellow Tea smiles always in your stomach  
      The tea that kisses you all over.
(b) Saridon P (appendix 11, lines 5&13)
     …wrestles with aches
(c) Saclux paint (appendix 1 line 11)   
     Jiri saclux paint tee ulo gi ka i hu na ulo na –achi ochi.
 In the above examples, Lipton Yellow Tea is personified; the words “kisses” and “smiles” are human attributes ascribed to the product, Lipton Yellow Tea. It simply means that Lipton Yellow Tea will never give you stomach upset. The last example was drawn from Saculx paint: “Jiri Saclux Penti tee ulo gi ka i hu na ulo na-achi ochi”. (Use Saclux paint for your house and watch it smile).  It is a general concept that inanimate objects do not smile, but it has been portrayed here that when a house is painted with Saclux Paint, the house will smile, thereby giving the house an animate quality. It means that once you use Saclux Paint to paint your house, it will look very beautiful and people will admire it.
 
3.0.3  Onomatopoeia or Phonoenthetic Idiophone  
Advertisers make use of onomatopoeia, which is the use of words that sound like what they describe. In other words, such words suggest their meaning by their sounds.  The political jingle below (appendix 5, line 1) illustrates the use of onomatopoeia.
 â€œO ga –eme ha viam n’anya” “Viam” echoes the sound the word refers to and it contributes to the rhythmic structure. “Viam” conjures up the meaning of surprise. The claim and belief that Peter Obi will surely assume office again will come through without hindrance.  Another instance is drawn from IGNIS home appliances (appendix 7, line 12)  IGNIS splashes Saclux Paint (appendix 1, line 16) “O gbukepu buru igba” The words “splash” and “gbukepu” evoke their respective meanings through their sounds. This will arouse the interest of the target audience to use the products.

3.0.4  Simile
The figure   of speech, simile, is equally used by the advertisers. It involves a comparison of one thing with another. Simile makes use of such words like “as” and “like” (Ndimele 1992:106). In Igbo, the lexeme “ka” or “di ka” may be commonly used. Simile is observed in Ariel detergent (appendix 4, lines 8&9) “o bu sooso Ariel ka nwaanyi a ji asa akwa Mere o ji wee di ka akwa ohuru”
In the above example, “akwa” probably the old one is likened to “akwa ohuru” (new cloth). The word “di ka” conveys the idea of simile here.  Blue Band Margarine (appendix 9, line 5) B without BB is like a train without an engine.  Lipton Yellow Tea (appendix 10, line 9) No other tea is quite like Lipton.
The word “like” is used for comparison. To eat bread without Blue Band Margarine is likened to train coaches without an accompanying locomotive. The comparison here makes one see Blue Band Margarine as very vital. It implies that bread without blue band margarine has no taste. Likewise,
Lipton tea is claimed to be the best.  Andrews Liver Salt (appendix 6, line 7) “ i hula na afo m anaghikwa ada ka igba (see, my bowels no longer sound like a drum). The word “ka” is used to portray simile here. The sound of the man’s bowel here (which is usually associated with animate entities) is likened to the sound of a drum which is inanimate.