When dresses enchant and bracelets seduce, i.e., animisations of feminine accessories in press articles

Justyna Samsel

Uniwersytet w Białymstoku

Abstract

In the article the author is analyzing persuasive metaphors that are functioning in contemporary female press. The collected material shows that the texts’ authors use two kinds of animisation. In the analyzed linguistic messages we can find both personification and anthropomorphisation. Advertising texts’ authors use lexis referring to man, his character and temper in a metaphorical manner. Thanks to the use of personification in descriptions it is possible to create idealized images of advertised products: cosmetics, clothes, or even jewelry or cars. Messages contained in advertisements also use another variety of metaphors, which is anthropomorphisation. This variety of animisation is present in texts which depict the effectiveness of cosmetics through a metaphorical message. The use of anthropomorphisation enables to show advantages of cosmetic products exclusively. Three notional metaphors, distinguished by Jolanta Maćkiewicz, function within this domain: “skin is a woman”, “environment is the enemy”, “cosmetics are your defenders”. Moreover, press articles conceptualize fashion objects within the human dimension. Metaphors realized in press articles refer to positive emotions and connotations, they strongly affect recipients’ imagination. Their essential function is connected with persuading to purchase a specific product. Metaphors in texts used in advertisements fulfill, most of all, persuasive functions.