Non-verbal ways and means of representing ethnic culture in Chinese polycode commercial advertising

Lin Chen PhD in Philology Postgraduate student; Department of General and Russian Linguistics; P. Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia Miklukho-Maklaya str., 6, Moscow, 117198, Russia nonnaling242@yandex.ru

Tsai Jiafeng PhD in Philology Postgraduate student; School of Foreign Studies, Southeast University, (Nanjing, China) Intern at the Department of Languages of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia No. 2 Southeastern University Road, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 211189, China 1172357478@qq.com

Introduction

The text material used in the polycode text of advertising is a multidimensional construct, the components of which are represented by a set of socio-cultural, psychological and economic phenomena. The need to create such texts is due to the demands of the time, which dictate the high importance of their structural and functional organization, which is maximally related to the formulated tasks of offering goods and services in the context of the technical capabilities provided. Despite the variety of types and forms of advertising products, the priority remains unchanged for the meaningful content of the commercial text, which must meet specific requirements that meet the interests of advertising consumers ^{[3, p. 114]}.

The cultural component of advertising texts is to demonstrate achievements that reflect the values of a particular society. In turn, each community of people is the owner of a unique cultural code, which is based on language as a means of communication, spiritual and material values, which together form an effective tool for influencing people's consciousness and behavior. The economic component of the advertising text is based on the ideological foundation belonging to the advertiser. This interdependence determines the manipulative functions of advertising content, designed to convey its ideas and intentions to consumers in order to attract attention and assign the values broadcast by advertising as their own.

This view of advertising in general and its content in particular allows us to recognize the importance of the content of advertising, the text of which should fully reflect the nationally determined features of the linguistic culture created by the nation in the long-term practice of communication. Initially, attention should be focused on the presence of a unique cultural identity inherent in a particular nation, which determines the peculiarities of perception, processing and translation of the information component of messages compiled taking into account the peculiarities of the cultural code of a particular nation ^{[11, p. 171]}. Due to the consideration of the criteria listed by us, it is possible to achieve maximum effectiveness, expressed in solving the socio-economic, cultural and communicative tasks assigned to advertising.

The recognition or rejection of the content of an advertising text depends on the degree to which it corresponds to the general value, emotional and aesthetic orientation of the nation and its national and cultural identity. In this context, we are missing the influence of variable factors, which in most cases include current national sentiments, which determine the effectiveness of the mechanisms of acceptance psychology. The unified orientation of the content of the advertising text determines the fine-tuning of all interrelated components, which makes it possible to recognize the importance of taking into account not only national and regional culture, established in accordance with the geographical environment of the ethnic group, but also to take into account its linguistic habits, customs, and patterns of thinking ^{[2, p. 218]}. An integrated approach allows us to take into account all factors of influence, offering a conceptual basis for the formation of consumption habits by representatives of a particular ethnic group. The reflection of cultural differences in the advertising content ensures the success of the actions taken by advertisers.

In this article, the object of research is modern commercial advertising texts in Chinese, and the subject is the national specifics of the linguistic features of non—verbal ways and means of representing ethnic culture in Chinese commercial advertising. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that in this work, for the first time, the linguistic and cultural characteristics of Chinese print commercial advertising as an important type of Chinese advertising discourse are given in depth and comprehensively.

The research methodology was based on scientific papers Meng Chen, Zhang Jiahui, Wang Junyuan, Wang Jin, Huang Yubin, the theoretical analysis of the results of which formed the basis of the toolkit for achieving the set research goal. Through a set of methods, including methods of description, systematization, generalization, and linguistic and cultural analysis, which allowed us to summarize the results of a theoretical analysis of advertising messages — slogans, the use of which affected the commercial component of advertising activities.

The theoretical basis of the study was the work of researchers devoted to the analysis of advertising discourse (Wang Yuzhi, E.N. Remchukova ^[18], Meng Chen ^[12], Wang Xiaohuan^[14], Wang Jing^[17]), cultural linguistics (N.V. Novospasskaya, Haddad Aida, Kolmykova Yana ^[4]; Zou Huajing ^[20]).

The main part

1. The communicative objectives of advertising

Turning directly to the mission of advertising, you should initially point out its main purpose, which is to broadcast an artificially created cultural image, the adoption of which ensures the purchase of goods or services. The presentation of the main content of the advertising text should be accompanied by an increasing desire to purchase an advanced cultural product that can significantly change the image of its consumer at the suggestion of the advertiser ^{[7, p. 78]}.

An example of such a "transformation" may be the purchase of coffee for the Chinese, despite the traditional culture of tea drinking in China. The success of coffee advertising, according to researchers of the phenomenon of Chinese acceptance of products that are not typical of them, is due to the use of certain phrases, for example, "excellent taste", which has received the meaning of "high-quality life" in the symbol-oriented society of China ^{[4, p. 56]}. As a reinforcement of the perception of personal success that accompanies coffee consumption, innovative technological advances are used at the final stage of advertising creation, allowing potential consumers to immerse themselves in the emotional background of feeling a high level of comfort.

The complete identification of the advertised product with its potential consumer is achieved by repeatedly repeating information about it, built according to a cultural code, thereby establishing a stable and intensive communication relationship that can be established at the level of an identity relationship with the audience. The use of means to increase the concentration of attention of a potential consumer of a product or service also contributes to achieving sustainability, value orientations are destroyed as part of the formation of "new" fashion habits.

Turning directly to the context set by the research topic, attention should be paid to the differences existing between representatives of different nations, which should be taken into account in the creation of texts pursuing a commercial purpose. The differences in this case are the basis of culture, which establishes diversity in the interpretation of initially identical symbols ^{[8, p. 123]}. Thus, according to one of the representatives of the advertising company, Gao Jun, Chinese culture contains "... not just historically formed and preserved traditions, but the specifics of language and symbols, the possession of which allows Chinese representatives to identify themselves with all the elements of Chinese culture, expressed in the global perspective of all mankind and regional affiliation" ^{[16, p. 165]}.

Examples of such identifiers that accurately establish the relationship of Chinese representatives with their country, people, history, religion, and traditions are primarily language, as well as symbols depicting, for example, a dragon and hieroglyphs. The identifiers we have named, unlike abstract spiritual values, have specific material characteristics that make it easy to establish a communicative relationship between representatives of one nation. The above tools, combined with their capabilities, are able to create a space that is unique in its impact, immersion in which determines the degree of perception and acceptance of the values of the advertised product and service by creating a new concept of consumption based on previously formed (traditional) beliefs.

2. Features of Chinese advertising

Among the features of advertising created and broadcast in China, first of all, it should be mentioned its high degree of connection with the history of the formation of the Middle Kingdom through an extensive system of "cultural roots" that permeates all spheres of modern Chinese life ^{[10, p. 49]}. The rich arsenal of traditional tools with prevailing signs of symbolism allows to attract individual funds as a material for the practical implementation of advertising messages to this day. As part of the innovative transformations that determine global changes around the world, China continues to apply cultural heritage, which has a specific aesthetic unique to the Middle Kingdom.

The commercialization of aesthetic means is unique to Chinese advertising design, allowing it to create a special "attraction environment" that is incomparable with advertising in other countries of the world. The peculiarity of the formation of new consumer behavior is carried out mainly with the active use of a rich range of components of Chinese culture, which in most cases have aesthetic appeal for Chinese residents ^{[12, p. 235]}. In this regard, attention should be paid to the decrease in their importance in the perception of the Russian consumer, who, most often, does not realize the values of China, and, as a result, does not cause changes in consumer behavior.

As a modern trend in the creation of advertising products in China, it is necessary to indicate the priority in the use of literary Chinese, contrasting with its everyday forms. The ideologization of literary forms in the content of an advertising message has become conceptual in the Chinese advertising industry in recent decades, which emphasizes the inseparability of cultural ties between generations of native Chinese speakers ^{[12, p. 236]}. When writing an advertising message, advertisers purposefully emphasize the differences that exist between literary and everyday Chinese in order to enhance their influence on potential consumers of the advertised product or service.

Despite the close relationship we have indicated, we should pay attention to the changes that have been observed since the beginning of the 21st century. in the literary language used in advertising ^{[9, p. 206]}. Our analysis of the changes that have occurred and are continuing to occur has made it possible to identify the features of the transformation of the Chinese advertising language and related content. First of all, attention is drawn to the frequency of use of literary vocabulary and the brevity of the presentation of the meanings embedded in the text message. In the course of specifying the changes, we identified the "renewal" of archaisms, the use of neological vocabulary, and the transformation of literary rhythm, which, in our opinion, have the greatest impact on the formation of the vocabulary of the Chinese advertising language.

1) The "renewal" of archaisms.

According to the position taken by Chinese advertisers, idioms unique to the Chinese language, as well as poems created in full accordance with Chinese traditions, are able to fully convey the value of the advertised product or service to Chinese consumers. In addition, the frequency of their use causes a certain return to the "literary literacy" of the bearers of Chinese traditions through a return to values formed on a subconscious level that prevail over their modern forms and contents ^{[13, p. 253]}.

This position has caused changes in idiomatics, updated and noticeable in well-established proverbs, idioms, poems and maxims, for example:

赏"芯"悦目,而赏"芯"悦目便是对赏心悦目 "赏"芯"悦目" [Enjoy the "chip" ] — it means to please the eye and "赏"心"悦目" [Enjoy the "core" ] — what it means to be pleasing to the eye. The presented example reflects the successful translation of not only the characteristics, but also the advantages of the advertised product by substituting the word "core".

As another example, we can cite another advertising product in which its creators have taken steps to update poems created in Ancient Chinese times in order to attract attention to the advertised product.:

举杯邀明月,对饮成三人。[It's a pity that I have to drink alone on this day. When I drain the cup, my shadow will change. In this case, we see an example of a successful text update from the point of view of an advertising message, built by integrating a sample of ancient Chinese poetry into the characteristics of the advertised product using a literary language.

2) The use of neological vocabulary

Increasing the perception of advertising in modern society and the transformation of values is possible through the use of innovative vocabulary that can integrate old meanings into a new "presentation" [19, p. 337]. An example is the success achieved by advertisers offering a drink on the modern market, whose popularity has increased significantly as a result of the slogan used that does not comply with the rules of using the Chinese vocabulary "啤儿茶爽" (transcription: [Pir Cha Shon]; translation: one type of drink]). The secret of successful sales lies in the brevity of the meaning embedded in the seemingly meaningless phrase "you're out", which means "you're outdated" in Chinese.

The next success in the advertising struggle for consumers can be called a campaign for the sale of a refreshing drink, in which it was possible to capture trending trends and formulate its own advertising slogan, which reads as follows: "the fifth season of popularity this year!" It is obvious to draw attention to the discrepancy between the number of existing seasons and the advertised advertisers. Thus, the authors managed to put into a short phrase through the use of neological vocabulary the rebellious meanings inherent in the main consumers of the advertised product – Chinese youth.

3) The transformation of literary rhythm.

Rhythm and rhythmicity are important characteristics of any language, and Chinese is no exception in this case. A change in rhythm when creating an advertising message broadcast to potential consumers determines the redistribution of emphasis and thus attracting attention to the advertised product or service. The flatness and rhythmicity of the text, which is successfully used in Chinese advertising, become important in using such transformations.:

大众洗衣粉品牌 雕牌的广告语是: 不选贵的, 只选对的; (Chinese transcription: [bù xuǎn guì de , zhǐ xuǎn duì de]; translation: Do not choose expensive washing powders, choose only the right ones).

南山人寿的广告语是: 好险, 有南山 — the slogan of the advertising from insurance companies Nanshan Life Insurance. (Stream Chinese/ Pinyin: [hǎo xiǎn, sh yǒu nánān]; translation: It's so dangerous, luckily there's a mountain Nanshan).

铁达时表的广告语是: 不在乎天长地久, 只在乎曾经拥有。(Chinese translation/ Pinyin: [bù zài hu tiān cháng dì jiǔ , zhī zài hū céng jīng yōng yǒu ]; translation: I don't care how long it takes, I just want it to happen once).

张弓酒的广告语是“东西南北中,好酒在张弓。— the advertising slogan of vodka named Zhang Gong (Chinese stream/ Pinyin: [dōng nán xī běi zhōng , hǎo jiǔ zhāng zài gōng]; translation: It doesn't matter where east, west, south or north is, there is only good wine in Zhang Gong).

拉芳品牌的广告语是:“爱生活,爱拉芳。[I love life, I love Lafang Shampoo].

Thus, by regulating the language rhythm in advertising, its main goal is achieved – to promote the product on the market in a highly competitive environment.:

比如,现在的广告语言节拍中使用比较多的有

1//2式: 雀巢咖啡:选//品质, 选//雀巢; [Nestle Coffee: choose quality, choose Nestle].

2//1 式 : ::慈母//心,豆腐//心; [Chinese tofu: tofu heart is the mother's heart].

2//2 式: 某化 妆品牌: 给你//好看; [I'll teach you a lesson.].

2//2//3 [Xizhilan Jelly: Jelly, I want Xizhilan].

Attention is drawn to the similarity of the advertising examples we have given, created using literary Chinese, with the rhythms used by ancient Chinese poets when creating their artistic works ^{[17, p. 131]}.

In the context of current trends, it is also necessary to single out another successful duplication technique from the point of view of achieving commercial goals, performed by superimposing and invisibly enhancing the penetration of words, resulting in the so-called overlapping sound effect.:

漂漂亮亮做女人,健健康康百消丹。[ Broadcast: piāo piāo liàng liàng zuò nǚ rén , jiàn jiàn kāng kāng bǎi xiāo dān. Translation: Be a beautiful woman, be healthy and unharmed with the help of Baixiao medicine].

In the example we present, the above effect is achieved through the use of four overlapping sounds – beautiful and healthy, thereby achieving the most complete description of the effectiveness of the advertised product on a person. From the example we have proposed, it becomes obvious a wide range of possibilities provided by the repeated use of overlapping sounds in order to increase the perception and understanding by potential consumers of the advertised product from the point of view of its necessity for them, i.e. within the framework of its value significance.

Many researchers of advertising in the position of linguistic knowledge point to the active use of homophony, which consists in using a pun to attract the attention of potential consumers of the advertised product, its target audience, to linguistic homophonic changes in keywords ^{[16, p. 123]}. The success of an advertising slogan in this case is achieved through the use of a similar language and vocabulary that affects people's consciousness as a "provocateur" of attractiveness.:

今天心情几?[How are you feeling? ]

Initially, the proposed example had a meaning that corresponds to the name of the day of the week. However, through the above-mentioned technique, it is achieved that it is colored into an emotional state corresponding to this day. Despite the homophony of the day of the week and the mood, the meanings put into the slogan are being replaced.:

胃药广告:无胃不至; [From the original: 无微不至 wú wēi bù zhì: go into every detail; down to the smallest detail; thoroughly; comprehensively; thoroughly].

摩托车广告: 骑乐无穷; [The joy of riding is endless].

酒类广告:天尝地酒; [Heaven is tasting the earthly wine].

服装店广告:衣名惊人; [The name of this garment shocks a person].

止咳药广告:咳不容缓 [Cough is not a problem].

Homophones are used in all these advertising slogans.

The active use of various rhetorical techniques in advertising products, the variability of which provides a wide range of opportunities for changing meanings and, accordingly, the power of influence on consciousness, and hence the degree of perception of the advertised product by a potential buyer. By introducing rhetorical techniques into the advertising slogan, it becomes possible to significantly increase the range of expressiveness of the language, thus enhancing the communication of contacts with potential buyers of the advertised product.,

伊利品牌的广告语: 我与梦想只有一步之遥。[Yili milk brand slogan: I'm just one step away from my dream.]

Next, we present an example of a commercially successful application of the exaggeration technique.:

万事皆可达,唯有情无价。[Everything can be achieved except love, which is priceless]. The presented material, obtained during the theoretical analysis of the practical application of the Chinese literary language for commercial purposes in the context of advertising, reflects the main current trends in the advertising language of China.

3. Non-verbal features of the advertising language

As part of the analysis in order to establish non-verbal features characteristic of the Chinese advertising language, we have identified the most popular ones among advertisers.

1). The innovative nature of advertising messages, which is typical for Chinese and Russian advertising slogans, in order to increase and retain the attention of potential consumers to the characteristics of the advertised product in order to penetrate their consciousness, form a value dependence on it and increase the importance of acquiring it:

无屑可击。(清扬洗发水) [There is no dandruff to fight — the slogan of Qingyang shampoo].

2). The use of simple words that are understandable to potential consumers, regardless of their level of education and social affiliation. In addition, the use of simple words practically guarantees the translation of the meaning embedded in them in a short period of time, which is a significant characteristic in advertising activities. The brevity and conciseness of the slogan ensures its memorization and retention in memory. In case of successful application of associative techniques by advertisers, its maximum long-term preservation in the depths of the memory of potential consumers of the offered product is achieved. In the practice of "syllabification", regardless of the language used, verbs mostly occupy the last position, as if calling a potential consumer to action ^{[4, p. 83]}. Despite the apparent simplicity of the words included in the advertising slogan, advertisers manage to convey a deep meaning without distortion by using simple constructs with monosyllabic verbs: 鹤舞白沙,我心飞翔。(白沙系列香烟广告) [Cranes are dancing on the white sand, and my heart is flying]. (Advertisement for Baisha series cigarettes)

3). The use of rhetorical means of language often acts as an effective method of broadcasting the advantages of a product or service advertised by a company in the fierce competition of the modern sales market. Skillful use of language tools can advantageously demonstrate the unique characteristics of the advertised product. Rhetoric (for example, pun intended) It is able, in the context of homographs and homophones used in Chinese and Russian vocabulary, to transform an advertising text into a world of novelty, activating potential buyers' desire to become its owner.:

人类失去联想,世界将会怎样?[What happens to the world if people lose touch? — Lenovo laptop's advertising slogan].

4). The simplicity of linguistic constructs, the clarity of the context and the artistic concept of the transmitted image are able to form emotionally vivid associations among consumers that persist in their minds for a long time, constantly returning them to the world of new sensations. Through linguistic forms borrowed from traditional texts, composed by artists of poetic texts of antiquity, and updated by modern linguistic means, it is possible to create a "situation of curiosity" provoking a desire to consume the advertised product or service, thereby increasing sales ^{[14, p. 120]}.

There are many linguistic techniques used for this purpose, the number of which continues to grow in an effort to endlessly update the translated meanings and their design.:

使您頭發根根柔軟,令您肌膚寸寸滑嫩 – text symmetry;

– the rhythm of the text;

Traditional couplet;

節食減肥,為什么要剝奪人生最大的享受? – rhetorical questions , etc .

Conclusion

The evolution of Chinese advertising demonstrates how deeply rooted traditions are in the cultural identity of the nation. The use of elements of ancient poetry, calligraphy and philosophical teachings in modern advertising campaigns not only gives them uniqueness, but also strengthens the emotional attachment of consumers to products and brands. In addition, the development of digital technologies and social networks has opened up new horizons for creative approaches in advertising. Modern platforms allow companies to interact with their audience in real time, creating personalized messages tailored to the interests and preferences of each individual user. This significantly increases the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and increases customer loyalty.
However, despite all the achievements, there are certain challenges. One of them is the need to balance the preservation of national traditions and adaptation to international standards. Chinese brands entering the global market should be able to combine local cultural codes with such universal marketing principles as the "renewal" of archaisms, the use of neological vocabulary, and the transformation of literary rhythm, which have the greatest impact on the formation of the vocabulary of the Chinese advertising language, which attracts the attention of a global audience.
This requires a high degree of creativity and strategic thinking.
Another important task is to maintain a high level of ethical responsibility in advertising. In the context of growing public attention to environmental issues, social justice and human rights, companies are required to take these aspects into account in their communication strategies. Advertising based solely on commercial interests runs the risk of losing consumer trust, while a socially responsible campaign can be a powerful tool for strengthening a brand's reputation.
In conclusion, it should be noted that Chinese advertising continues to evolve, integrating traditional cultural elements with modern technologies and international standards. This opens up huge opportunities for creating unique and effective marketing solutions that can win the hearts of millions of consumers both inside and outside the country.