Abstract

Idioms are a specific yet very broad linguistic means and are important because they can convey a message to a receiver without saying the idea in literal words. They can be categorised and divided from multiple points of view formed from their meaning or structure. On the basis of different approaches, our research is grounded on such types of idioms as semi-opaque, opaque, and semi-idioms, with their further subdivision. Our aim is to clarify how idioms are used in advertising texts, considering the division of common and prestigious brands. Our corpus material includes examples covering such brands as automotive clothing, retail and fashion beauty and personal care food and beverages financial services and real estate, and travel and tourism. Semantic, quantitative, and contextual analyses give us the opportunity to specify which types of idioms and with what frequency they are used by each brand; comparative analysis of the advertisements of the products and services of common and prestigious brands vividly shows what kind of idioms prevail in each group under discussion. Advertising, which consists of offering products and services to people, is expected to generate profits. Thus, the methods and techniques employed by companies are constantly changing, with specialists working on their further improvement. In so far as advertising refers to the specific ways of using language, symbols, and visual communication to persuade audiences to buy products or services, taking into account cultural systems, societal values, and behaviours, it can be considered as a discourse. Many linguistic and stylistics means are very useful in the discourse of advertising, and idioms, as shown in the results of our research, are one of them.

Keywords

Idioms, Advertising, Prestigious Brands, Common Brands,

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