![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.chinacenter.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/LiHongOnline-e1347326323890-80x80.jpg\" "\\"LiHongOnline\\"")
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In recent years online shopping has grown rapidly in China. According to Sina, online commerce has become an important sector in China\u2019s economy, accounting for 3% of total retail volume in 2010 (Sina).<\/p>\n
Among the many factors that contributed to this success: innovative language used by online shopping websites, particularly new vocabulary and novel usage of words. This paper presents an analytical study – from marketing and linguistic perspectives – of language that has played a pivotal role in attracting customers and promoting products.<\/p>\n
Research on the language of advertising in English that examines vocabulary used in television and commercial publishing, has effectively related the use of words with functional factors of advertising such as capturing attention, listenability, readability, memorability and selling power. Geis (1982) made an attempt to describe how language is used in American advertising, particularly in television advertising. He concluded that advertisers in general tend to prefer vague language to language with explicit empirical consequences, and they opt for subjective claims rather than objective claims. Mencher (1990) looked into the aspect of vocabulary in advertising and identified key personal and persuasive words.<\/p>\n
There have also been many articles scrutinizing Chinese advertising language from various perspectives, such as studies on advertising discourse (Guowen Huang, 2001) and pragmatics of advertising language (Junyuan Wang, 2005). Wang (2005) studied the marketing effects of novel usage of fixed expressions, such as four-character proverbs, folk sayings and idioms. He pointed out fixed expressions are used creatively in commercials by either changing their linguistic form or meaning. He argued that this type of novel usage of common expressions is effective in advertising because it grabs people\u2019s attention with its freshness and familiarity and leaves a deep impression.<\/p>\n
Since the popularity of online shopping is relatively recent in China, research on advertising language used by online stores is lacking. This paper aims to fill this gap by focusing linguistically on new vocabulary and novel uses of words on online shopping websites. The authors have collected data from China\u2019s most popular business-to-customer and customer-to-customer websites from January 2008 to March 2012. It is hoped that this study can shed light on the language features of online marketing.<\/p>\n
Internet advertising shares few qualities with its equivalents in newspapers, magazines and on television. It is an electronic, global and, most importantly, interactive format. Both sellers and consumers control the effectiveness of Internet advertising. Since \u201cbehavioral response and branding are two major objectives of Internet advertising,\u201d (Li & Leckenby 2004: 25) it must meet customers\u2019 needs for information, entertainment and value, by using a variety of elements including innovative use of language, multiple forms of media and interactivity. In China, more than \u201c90% of netizens are below the age of 35. In other words, Chinese netizens can be roughly categorized as young people.\u201d (Gao 2008: 362) The interactive nature of Internet advertising and its target population determine that the language used must be engaging and innovative.<\/p>\n
In China, new online shopping websites open on a daily basis. Competition among them is becoming fiercer. To stay competitive and generate more traffic, these websites must aggressively advertise their products and special deals, particularly before important holidays such as National Day, Christmas and Chinese New Year. New words and expressions and novel usages of existing words are used to catch potential customers\u2019 attention and provoke action.<\/p>\n
Vocabulary is probably the most versatile component of language. New words are consistently created to meet the needs of communication. In China, according to Gao (2008: 373), some of the Chinese Internet Lexicon (CIL) usages \u201chave already been used by the general public and beyond the modality of CMC (computer mediated communication).\u201d Among Chinese Internet Lexicon, many of the words originated from online shopping websites.<\/p>\n
Some words originating from online shopping websites are becoming new words in the Chinese language and are used in daily communication.
\nTake T\u00e1ob\u0103o \u6dd8\u5b9d (\u201cto pan for treasure\u201d) as an example. It is the name of the largest online shopping website in Asia with more than 370 million registered users as of the end of 2010 (China Daily). As an indisputable leader in e-commerce, the word t\u00e1ob\u0103o has become a household expression, referring to a shopping strategy in which one goes through numerous stores online or off-line to find the best deals. Below are two examples:<\/p>\n
1) \u6709\u5e02\u6c11\u5411\u8bb0\u8005\u4f20\u6388\u6dd8\u5b9d\u7ecf\u9a8c\uff0c\u867d\u7136\u5546\u5bb6\u90fd\u8bf4\u4e0d\u80fd\u8fd8\u4ef7\uff0c\u4f46\u5927\u591a\u8fd8\u662f\u6709\u8bb2\u4ef7\u4f59\u5730\u7684\u3002<\/p>\n
(Citizens tell reporters about their experiences of panning for treasures. Although some businesses say that the prices are non-negotiable, in fact in most cases it is possible to negotiate the price.) (07SShz)<\/p>\n
2) \u5c71\u4e1c\u5546\u62a5\u793e\u533a\u6dd8\u5b9d\u8282\u5c06\u518d\u6b21\u6765\u5230\u5929\u6865\u533a\u3002<\/p>\n
(The Taobao Community Festival, hosted by Shandong Business Newspaper, will come to Tianqiao District again.) (WTOOW)<\/p>\n
The word t\u00e1ob\u0103ot\u012d \u6dd8\u5b9d\u4f53 (\u201ctaobao style\u201d) is another new word related to the online shopping website. It originated from the writing style of describing products or special deals on its website. Such descriptions usually begin with q\u012bn \u4eb2 (\u201cdear\u201d) and then adopt an informal, personalized, intimate tone. The popularity of this style of writing has caused some traditionally formal or official communications to adopt taobao style. The following examples illustrate this fact:<\/p>\n
3) \u4eb2\u4eec\uff0c\u6dd8\u5b9d\u793e\u6b63\u5f0f\u62db\u65b0\u5566\uff01<\/p>\n
(Dear All, the Taobao community is recruiting!) (Nanjing College of Information Technology)<\/p>\n
4) \u5357\u4eac\u7406\u5de5\u5927\u5b66\u5f55\u53d6\u901a\u77e5\u4f7f\u7528\u6dd8\u5b9d\u4f53\u3002<\/p>\n
(Acceptance notices to incoming freshmen from Nanjing University of Sciences and Technology adopt the Taobao style.) (ifeng.com)<\/p>\n
In November 2010 w\u00e1np\u0101i w\u0103ng \u73a9\u62cd\u7f51 (www.wanpai.com) was launched. As its name suggests – w\u00e1n \u73a9 (\u201cto play\u201d) and p\u0101i \u62cd (\u201cto auction\u201d) – this website is a unique platform combining social networking with online auctioning. Different from traditional auction websites on which shopping for deals is the only goal, users of this website can make and connect with friends, and play games while participating in online auctions. In addition, this website uses a variety of innovative auctioning methods, offering either zero-dollar or extremely low starting bids and allowing customers to decide how much they are willing to pay. This website quickly grew to be China\u2019s leading auction website. As a result, more competitive bidding websites have established. The new word j\u00ecngp\u0101i \u7ade\u62cd (\u201ccompetitive bidding\u201d) has also become widely used.<\/p>\n
1) \u767e\u5143\u7ade\u62cd\u4e00\u89e6\u5373\u53d1\uff0c\u957f\u57ce\u5e73\u677f\uff0c\u7b14\u8bb0\u672c\u62b1\u56de\u5bb6.<\/p>\n
(Competitive bidding at 100 RMB quickly became viral. People brought home flat screen desk tops and laptop computers.) (yesky.com)<\/p>\n
2) \u5f53\u665a\u7684\u62cd\u5356\u73b0\u573a\u9887\u4e3a\u70ed\u95f9\uff0c\u8bb8\u591a\u56fe\u4e66\u51fa\u7248\u516c\u53f8\u7684\u51fa\u7248\u4eba\u8d76\u6765\u7ade\u62cd\u3002<\/p>\n
(The auction scene this evening was quite lively. Many publishers came to participate in the bidding.) (Chinanews.com)<\/p>\n
The term mi\u0103osh\u0101 \u79d2\u6740 (\u201csec kill\u201d) denotes another popular sales strategy. According to baidu.com, mi\u0103osh\u0101di\u00e0n \u79d2\u6740\u5e97 (\u201csec kill store\u201d) on www.taobao.com<\/a> is the website\u2019s most popular feature (Baidu). 3) mi\u0103opi\u00e0o \u79d2\u7968 (\u201cto buy tickets using the sec kill strategy\u201d)<\/p>\n 4 ) mi\u0103osh\u0101q\u00ec \u79d2\u6740\u5668 (\u201csec kill device\u201d)<\/p>\n In terms of linguistic codes, some of the new words used on online shopping websites are mixtures of either Chinese characters and English letters or words or mixtures of purely Chinese characters. This type of lexicon is not restricted to the context of online shopping. It is in fact one important feature of Chinese Internet Lexicon (CIL). (Gao, 2008)<\/p>\n Hold zh\u00f9 hold\u4f4f (\u201cto maintain, to hold on to\u201d)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Hold\u4f4f was originally a Cantonese word. It became a popular online word in Mandarin Chinese in the summer of 2011 after a participant on a Taiwanese reality TV show used it repeatedly in her comedy performance (Sina). As an online shopping term, it can be used by both sellers and buyers. When used by sellers, it is either for the purpose of influencing and tempting buyers into taking action or for highlighting the advantages of the promotion. Below are some examples.<\/p>\n \u826f\u65e0\u9650,hold\u4f4f\u5168\u573a\u7684\u6027\u6bd4\u4ef7 Hold\u4f4f\u590f\u5b63\u4f53\u91cd\uff0c\u4e2d\u836f\u51cf\u80a5\u6b63\u5f53\u65f6 JM\u4eec (\u201csisters\u201d)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cJM\u201d represents the Pinyin initials for ji\u011bjie\u59d0\u59d0 (\u201colder sister\u201d) and m\u00e8imei\u59b9\u59b9 (\u201cyounger sister\u201d). Combining the English letters JM with the character for plural form men\u4eec, the term JM\u4eec is commonly used in online posts by and for females. The term adds a layer of intimacy and creates a sense of community. One example is listed below:<\/p>\n \u62a4\u80a4\u7cbe\u534e\u9732\u90a3\u4e9b\u4e8b\uff0cJM\u4eec\u5feb\u6765\u770b\uff01 In addition to shopping websites, consumers – particularly young female shoppers – often use the word to post product information for other female friends, as shown in the example below:<\/p>\n \u6700\u65b0\u6d88\u606f\uff0c\u56fd\u5185\u552f\u4e00\u7684OTC\u51cf\u80a5\u836f\u2014\u5965\u5229\u53f8\u4ed6\u80f6\u56ca\uff0c\u54c1\u724c\u540d\u597d\u50cf\u53eb\u505a\u201c\u96c5\u5851\u201d\uff0c\u5df2\u7ecf\u5728\u5728\u56fd\u5185\u4e0a\u5e02\u4e86! \u8fd9\u4e0bJM\u4eec\u6709\u798f\u5566,\u6211\u4eec\u518d\u4e5f\u4e0d\u7528\u8d39\u5c3d\u5468\u6298\u4ece\u56fd\u5916\u4ee3\u8d2d\u5965\u5229\u53f8\u4ed6\u4e86\uff01 In addition to these English-Chinese hybrids, online media has also created some purely Chinese collocations. Below are a few examples.<\/p>\n j\u00ecnb\u00e0o zh\u00edji\u00e0ng \u52b2\u7206\u76f4\u964d (powerful and explosive price cut) Online shopping websites often use Chinese idiomatic expressions in unexpected, creative and sometimes proactive ways. Because idioms are highly compact and rich in meaning, using them in advertising achieves the purpose of conveying more information in limited words. Additionally, using them in creative ways adds another layer of meaning, thus attracting people\u2019s attention. Y\u00ecw\u0103ngd\u0103j\u00ecn\u4e00\u7f51\u6253\u5c3d (\u201cto catch all in one net\u201d) is another idiom used in shopping websites. In this proverb, w\u0103ng \u7f51originally refers to a fishing net. However, when used by online shopping websites, it gains another layer of meaning, referring to w\u0103nglu\u00f2\u7f51\u7edc, the Internet. The proverb thus shows that this website has everything one needs. It is used either to highlight the comprehensiveness of information and goods or to lure customers into buying large quantities or varieties of goods. Below are some examples:<\/p>\n 1) \u5357\u4eac\u65b0\u95fb\uff0c\u672c\u5730\u62a5\u7eb8\uff0c\u5e7f\u64ad\uff0c\u7535\u89c6\uff0c\u65b0\u95fb\u4e00\u7f51\u6253\u5c3d\u3002<\/p>\n (Get news about Nanjing from local newspapers, TV and radio on one website.) (Longhoo.net)<\/p>\n 2) \u5408\u80a5\u8d2d\u7269\u7f51\uff0c\u6253\u6298\u3001\u670d\u9970\u3001\u5bb6\u7535\u3001\u7f8e\u5bb9\u4fe1\u606f\u4e00\u7f51\u6253\u5c3d\u3002<\/p>\n (Hefei online shopping website where you can find everything you need, such as discount clothes, household appliances, electronics and beauty products.) (gouwu.hefei.cc)<\/p>\n Another sales promotion around the 2011 Chinese New Year was x\u012bnni\u00e1n d\u00e0s\u0103och\u00fa\u65b0\u5e74\u5927\u626b\u9664 (\u201cthe New Year clean-up\u201d). One of the great traditions of Chinese New Year is to clean house and put things in order as a way to sweep out the old to usher in the new. On shopping websites such as Taobao, this term was used as a banner for cleaning and personal hygiene products right before the Chinese New Year.<\/p>\n D\u00fay\u012bw\u00fa\u2019\u00e8r \u72ec\u4e00\u65e0\u4e8c is a proverb meaning \u201cunique.\u201d The advertisement changes the second character y\u012b \u4e00 (\u201cone\u201d) into y\u012b \u8863 (\u201cclothing\u201d). Since the two characters have the same pronunciation, the proverb\u2019s sound is unchanged, so it retains its original meaning when spoken. However, as a clothing advertisement, this change highlights the sales items in the proverb, signifying that the products and the sales are unique and hard to come by.<\/p>\n Some words gain new meanings on shopping websites.<\/p>\n Sh\u00e0i\u6652 (\u201cto share\u201d)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In A Modern Chinese-English Dictionary, the verb sh\u00e0i\u6652is described as \u201cto shine upon\u201d and \u201cto dry in the sun, to bask.\u201d Its meaning strictly indicates actions related to the sun. In the Internet era, the semantic scope of this verb is greatly expanded to refer to a wide range of activities online. Basking in the sun, the root meaning of sh\u00e0i\u6652, implies the absorbance of sunshine and heat, practices considered beneficial and enjoyable. Similarly, when used online, sh\u00e0i\u6652metaphorically refers to information sharing among Internet users, ranging from sh\u00e0i g\u014dngz\u012b \u6652\u5de5\u8d44 (\u201csharing salary\u201d), sh\u00e0i q\u00edngg\u0103n \u6652\u60c5\u611f (\u201csharing feelings\u201d), sh\u00e0i g\u014dngzu\u00f2 \u6652\u5de5\u4f5c (\u201csharing work experiences\u201d), sh\u00e0i y\u00f9\u2019\u00e9r j\u012bng\u6652\u80b2\u513f\u7ecf (\u201csharing chid bearing experiences\u201d) and sh\u00e0i g\u00f2uw\u00f9 j\u012bng \u6652\u8d2d\u7269\u7ecf (\u201csharing shopping experiences\u201d). The purpose of information sharing online is to focus on the interaction and community-building among Internet users.<\/p>\n Sh\u00e0i\u6652 is also frequently used as a verb on online shopping websites. Some websites generate shopping lists, (i.e., g\u00f2uw\u00f9 sh\u00e0id\u0101n\u8d2d\u7269\u6652\u5355) \u201cto promote clearance or sales items\u201d on m\u00edngp\u012dn d\u0103og\u00f2u w\u0103ng\u540d\u54c1\u5bfc\u8d2d\u7f51 (mplife.com).<\/p>\n B\u00e0i \u8d25 (\u201cto buy\u201d)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n B\u00e0i \u8d25 (\u201cto fail\u201d) is used in place of the verb m\u0103i\u4e70 (\u201cto buy\u201d), because it is similar in pronunciation to the English word \u201cbuy.\u201d Some websites\u2019 names use B\u00e0i\u8d25, such as b\u00e0iw\u00f9n\u01da xi\u0103o w\u011biw\u011bi \u8d25\u7269\u5973\u5c0f\u709c\u709c (Taobao.com), a flagship store on Taobao\u2019s website. Below are some examples:<\/p>\n \u5e05\u7238\u751c\u5988\u5fc5\u8d25\u590f\u88c5\u60c5\u4fa3\u88c5\u7eaf\u68c9\u6302\u8116\u8fde\u8863\u88d9\u7537\u80cc\u5fc3-\u76f8\u4eb2\u76f8\u7231 \u5185\u5730\u6e38\u5ba2\u9999\u6e2f\u5fc5\u8d25\u5316\u5986\u54c1\u63a8\u8350 One common feature in word choices is the use of emotive and strong adjectives that can stimulate extreme emotions and desires.<\/p>\n F\u0113ng \u75af (\u201ccrazy\u201d)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n One of the most common words used by online shopping websites is f\u0113ngqi\u0103ng \u75af\u62a2 (\u201cto snatch crazily\u201d). Examples include t\u00e1ob\u0103o qu\u00e1nm\u00edn f\u0113ngqi\u0103ng \u6dd8\u5b9d\u5168\u6c11\u75af\u62a2 (\u201ceveryone shop madly on Taobao\u201d) and tu\u00e1ng\u00f2u f\u0113ngqi\u0103ng \u56e2\u8d2d\u75af\u62a2 (\u201cmad snatching by group-shoppers\u201d).<\/p>\n B\u00e0o \u7206 (\u201cexplosive\u201d)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n B\u00e0o \u7206 forms the word b\u00e0oku\u0103n \u7206\u6b3e (\u201cproducts that are in high demand\u201d). B\u00e0o \u7206 is also used in j\u012bngb\u00e0o ji\u00e0 \u60ca\u7206\u4ef7, referring to extremely low prices that are surprising and newsworthy.<\/p>\n The use of figures of speech is a common and universal advertising technique. In a survey of 24,00 ads, 75% used at least one figure of speech (Leigh 1994). On Chinese shopping websites, one common type of figure of speech are those related to war and violence. These figures of speech shock people into paying attention and becoming energized, encouraging them to buy products. The use of exaggeration is also a traditional advertising technique. It overemphasizes properties of products – be it their prices, functions or styles – to the extreme, encouraging consumers to buy them. On online shopping websites, words are often used in literary and exaggerated ways to promote sales. As shown in previous examples, adjectives such as f\u0113ng \u75afand f\u0113ngku\u00e1ng \u75af\u72c2are often used in adverbial position to modify verbs, thus exaggerating the emotive aspect of the actions. J\u00f9 \u5de8, meaning \u201chuge,\u201d is used to exaggerate the scope and benefits of promotions, as in j\u00f9hu\u00ec \u5de8\u60e0, j\u00f9xi\u00e0n \u5de8\u732e,and j\u00f9 hu\u00e1su\u00e0n \u5de8\u5212\u7b97.<\/p>\n Puns are amusing uses of words or phrases that have two meanings. Called the game of words, puns leave a deep impression on readers by their readability and humor. The nature of puns in advertising is nicely captured by Attridge. \u201cThe pun is the product of a context deliberately constructed to enforce an ambiguity, to render impossible the choice between meanings, to leave the reader or hearer endlessly oscillating in semantic space.\u201d (Attridge 1988) Keenly aware of the limits of a computer screen display, shopping websites employ puns to maximize the information conveyed to customers. \u4eba\u7c7b\u5931\u53bb\u8054\u60f3\uff0c\u4e16\u754c\u5c06\u4f1a\u600e\u6837? In this advertisement, li\u00e1nxi\u0103ng \u8054\u60f3 is the brand name of Lenovo computer. At the same time its general meaning of associating ideas and thoughts is also employed. It makes readers think about the world without Lenovo and the world without man\u2019s ability to think in connected ways. In addition to effectively using puns, this advertisement also resembles lines of poetry in the number of characters and rhyme structure. It is thus catchy and easy to remember. Lenovo\u2019s ad was so popular it inspired similar ads from other companies, such as the one seen below:<\/p>\n \u4eba\u7c7b\u5931\u53bb\u82f9\u679c\uff0c\u4e16\u754c\u5c06\u4f1a\u600e\u6837\uff1f The rapid expansion of online shopping markets has provided vitality for China\u2019s e-commerce and the Chinese language. Many of the new words and usages on shopping websites are vivid, dynamic and sometimes witty. They seem to appeal to e-shoppers, mostly people in their teens and early 20s.<\/p>\n In addition to their popularity, the new words quickly adapt to changes in e-commerce and marketing strategies. Lastly the new words also reflect changes in social and cultural spirits in China. One notices that the new expressions serve to build and maintain online communities and help establish net users\u2019 identities. New address terms such as JM\u4eec use kinship terms to address site visitors, thus shortening the distance between the online stores and their customers and generating the feeling of a big family.<\/p>\n Since online shopping websites attract millions of users, particularly young people, the impact of the new vocabulary and novel usage of words cannot be underestimated. Some of the expressions already have been used by the general public, even beyond the modality of shopping websites. As demonstrated in this paper, lively and vibrant new words – particularly when used by young people who are regarded as \u201cin the vanguard of most [language] changes\u201d (Wardhaugh 1998: 202) – have the potential to become integral parts of the Chinese language and contribute to linguistic changes. Despite the mixed effects on new words and novel usages on China\u2019s online shopping websites, one cannot ignore their popularity and increasing influence on communication, particularly among the younger generation. Due to their potential impact on language change and development, they warrant more linguistic research.<\/p>\n[dcs_head top=”0″ color=”#666666″] [\/dcs_head]\n Introduction In recent years online shopping has grown rapidly in China. According to Sina, online commerce has become an important sector in China\u2019s economy, accounting for 3% of total retail…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[188],"tags":[218,215,217,216],"topic":[],"journal-year":[1076],"coauthors":[193],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nThe word mi\u0103osh\u0101 \u79d2\u6740 was officially included in the Ministry of Education\u2019s 2007 new word list (Baidu). At the time, however, the word was used in the context of computer games, referring to a strategy of attacking opponents. It wasn\u2019t until around 2010 that the word became a popular term for online shopping. It refers to a promotion in which potential buyers go to a website at the same time and hit the \u201corder\u201d or \u201cbuy\u201d button in quick succession. Deep discounts are awarded first come, first served and the process takes mere seconds, hence the \u201csec(ond) kill\u201d reference.
\nMany other related words have been invented highlighting its popularity.<\/p>\nNew Collocations<\/h4>\n
\n(We have an unlimited number of excellent products! These goods provide more bang for your buck than you will find anywhere else.) (Taobao.com)<\/p>\n
\n(Take charge of your weight this summer! Now is the time to lose weight with the help of Traditional Chinese medicine!) (Rayli)<\/p>\n
\n(Sisters, come and take a look at these skin care products!) (Onlylady)<\/p>\n
\n(This is the latest news. The only OTC weight loss drug, Orlistat Capsules, are
\nnow available in China. This is indeed a blessing for sisters! We won\u2019t have to go
\nthrough the trouble of buying from abroad.) (ifeng.com)<\/p>\n
\ng\u011bil\u00ec j\u00f9xi\u00e0n \u7ed9\u529b\u5de8\u732e (awesome and gigantic promotion)
\ng\u011bil\u00ec f\u00e0ngs\u00f2ng \u7ed9\u529b\u653e\u9001 (awesome giveaway)<\/p><\/blockquote>\nInnovative and Unusual Usages of Existing Words<\/h2>\n
Idiomatic Expressions<\/h4>\n
\nCh\u012bh\u0113w\u00e1nrl\u00e8\u5403\u559d\u73a9\u4e50 (\u201ceat, drink and be merry\u201d) is an idiom describing indulgence in eating, drinking and having fun. During the holiday shopping season of 2011, however, online shopping websites used this expression to promote their holiday sales. Using y\u00ecyu\u00e1n mi\u0103osh\u0101\u4e00\u5143\u79d2\u6740 (\u201cone Yuan sec kill\u201d) as a marketing strategy, the promotion called ch\u012bh\u0113w\u00e1nrl\u00e8\u5403\u559d\u73a9\u4e50 included deep discounts and coupons for beauty salons, restaurants, theaters, gyms and travel. In this holiday shopping season, ch\u012bh\u0113w\u00e1nrl\u00e8 \u5403\u559d\u73a9\u4e50, an idiom with negative connotations, was transformed by being given an atmosphere of merriment and celebration. To enhance the call for action, the website Taobao created a sales area titled Ch\u012bh\u0113w\u00e1nrl\u00e8GO\u5403\u559d\u73a9\u4e50GO. The word \u201cgo\u201d referred to travel packages, as in going somewhere, in addition to images of energy, vigor and liveliness.<\/p>\nNew Meanings of Existing Words<\/h4>\n
\n(Lover\u2019s outfit! Skirt and shirt for sweet parents! A must-buy for the summer!) (PaiPai)<\/p>\n
\n(We have recommendations for cosmetics for Mainland tourists to Hong Kong.) (zhuguo.com)<\/p>\nLinguistic and Rhetorical Features<\/h2>\n
Word Choices<\/h4>\n
Rhetorical Devices<\/h2>\n
Figures of Speech<\/h4>\n
\nIn December 2011, before Christmas and the Chinese New Year, many shopping websites started sales promotions called x\u012dy\u00edng shu\u0101ngji\u00e9 b\u00e8izh\u00e0n ni\u00e1nhu\u00f2 \u559c\u8fce\u53cc\u8282\uff0c\u5907\u6218\u5e74\u8d27 (\u201cHappily awaiting the double holiday and stocking up on New Year goods\u201d). The word b\u00e8izh\u00e0n \u5907\u6218 literarily means to prepare for war. In this context, it was used metaphorically to stress the intensive shopping rush to get ready for the holidays. It added a sense of urgency and intensity.<\/p>\nExaggeration<\/h4>\n
Pun<\/h4>\n
\nOne unique type of pun is to combine the brand name with the general meaning of the word. It conveys the product information, as well as the meaning of the word. One famous example is the advertisement for Lenovo computer:<\/p>\n
\n(What the world would be like if man loses Lenovo?) (Baidu)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n(What the world would be like if man loses Apple?) (IT Time)<\/p><\/blockquote>\nDiscussions and Conclusions<\/h4>\n
\nThe generation and development of the new Chinese marketing vocabulary also has had several negative impacts. For example, most words come from the more profitable and influential online shopping websites. Websites that are less profitable and popular tend to copy the popular words used on major websites and as a result create confusion among consumers. The quality of the products often does not match the description, generating dissatisfaction and complaints.<\/p>\nReference<\/h4>\n
\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.chinadaily.com.cn\/bizchina\/2011-06\/17\/content_12720292.htm<\/a><\/li>\n
\nMencher, Melvin. Basic News Writing. New Delhi: Brown Publishers, 1990. Print.<\/li>\n
\nhttp:\/\/baike.baidu.com\/view\/2724065.htm<\/a><\/li>\n
\nhttp:\/\/hi.baidu.com\/hujingjian\/blog\/item\/312c564e67a61c0bb2de051e.html<\/a><\/li>\n
\nhttp:\/\/video.sina.com.cn\/p\/ent\/v\/2011-08-12\/144861443235.html<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"