A Sociolinguistic Study on Linguistic Deviation in Apple’s Advertisement

Abstract

Apple Inc. is a globally leading company in the electronics and technology industry, whose remarkable success is attributed to the high quality of its products. However, the popularity of any product cannot be achieved without its advertising. Linguistic deviation is a common phenomenon and language strategy in English advertisement. English advertisement, as a means to attract consumers, uses a lot of language deviation, which makes the advertising language novel and unique, and stimulates people’s strong desire to make a purchase. This paper adopts a qualitative analysis method and studies six types of linguistic deviations in Apple’s advertisement----phonological, lexical, graphological, grammatical, semantic deviation and deviation of register under the guidance of Leech’s language deviation model and further explores the social factors behind these linguistic deviations in Apple’s advertisement. The study finds that phonologically, Apple’s advertisements frequently employ rhetorical devices such as alliteration, repetition, and consonance to create a harmonious and catchy rhythm. Lexically, the advertisers coin novel terms to communicate the innovative nature of the products. Graphologically, they offer readers a fresh experience by altering the visual form of words, even if it involves intentional misspellings. Grammatically, Apple’s advertisements tend to favor simple sentences and imperatives, often eschewing traditional grammatical norms. Semantically, the advertisers excel at utilizing personification and metaphor to bridge the psychological gap between the audience and the products. Finally, at the register level, they introduce unconventional expressions, despite their apparent mismatch with the electronics context, to highlight the uniqueness of Apple’s uniqueness.