Language style in Newsweek magazine advertisement

Allah S.W.T said in the Holly Qur’an on surah Ar-Ruum verse 22nd that the constancy of the language difference is variation of social phenomena characterizing a society. Because language is social phenomena, obviously every human has own style in communication. Growing science and human’s need the rule of language is not only as tool of simple communication but also it is used as tool to persuade and influence people to do something. Moreover, it is believed that a good speaker will get the success on their aim depend on how well people use word, how they talk to the other, and what they say to satisfied other. In other word, the language style in communication is extremely important to make our communication purpose run smoother. Furthermore, advertisement language becomes social phenomena in marketing level nowadays. The ability of persuading and impressing people desire in certain situation makes the researcher as linguistic students anxious about the kinds of language are used in advertisement. Even advertisement as tool of selling product has own style to make the message creative and effective in certain ways. By this reason, the researcher is encouraged to analyses language style in advertisement, for she wants to develop her ability in selecting the appropriate word in certain purpose, especially in advertisement level.

This research uses a descriptive qualitative research because the researcher effort to analyze and discuss the utterance which differentiate language style in Newsweek magazine advertisement. Analyzing language style in this study the researcher use Wells as main theory, and Mott as the second theory. The data are in the form of utterances selected from Newsweek magazine advertisement which is published on February 11st, 18th, 25th 2008. Furthermore, there are three kind of advertisement in Newsweek magazine, such as educational advertisement, business advertisement and advertisement. However, the researcher selects all of them as research subject.

The result of this study shows that language style in Newsweek magazine advertisement is classified into soft sell style, hard sell style, straightforward style, problem solution style, comparison style and newsy style. However, the most dominant of language style found in Newsweek magazine advertisement is hard sell style. It means advertisement of Newsweek magazine prefer rational information rather than emotional information, although in some case both of them come together. In addition, during analyzing language style based on well’s theory, the researcher did not find the demonstration style, spokesperson and slice of life style. Nevertheless, it is possible for advertisement in Newsweek magazine uses demonstration style, and slice of life in further edition.