THE PRAGMATICS OF MANIPULATIVE INFLUENCE IN CHINESE ADVERTISING DISCOURSE

Abstract

This article examines the pragmatic devices of manipulative influence in Chinese advertising discourse based on authentic advertising slogans and promotional texts. Advertising is considered as a form of persuasive communication in which linguistic choices are strategically employed to shape consumer perception and stimulate purchasing behavior. Particular attention is paid to the interaction between rhetorical devices, pragmatic strategies, and culturally conditioned implicit meanings. The study identifies the most recurrent manipulative devices in Chinese advertising, including techniques aimed at creating a sense of necessity and urgency, parallel constructions, repetition, quotation, exaggeration, inversion, evaluative vocabulary, superlative adjectives, and implicit meaning. The findings demonstrate that the construction of urgency and necessity is the most frequently used strategy, reflecting the competitive nature of China’s rapidly developing digital advertising environment. The analysis shows that rhetorical devices such as parallelism and repetition enhance memorability and rhythmic organization, while quotation and implicit meaning establish cultural resonance through references to classical poetry, idioms, and shared values. Exaggeration and evaluative lexis intensify the perceived value of products, whereas inversion foregrounds key information and increases expressive impact. Overall, the study confirms that manipulative influence in Chinese advertising is achieved not through isolated linguistic means but through their systematic interaction within a culturally specific pragmatic framework. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of advertising discourse from a pragmatic perspective and may be relevant for further research in media linguistics, pragmatics, and intercultural communication.