Directive Speech Acts in Advertising Discourse (Based on English and Russian)

Abstract

In the conditions of high competition in the market for goods and services, companies are forced to seek increasingly effective methods of attracting consumers’ attention. This study analyzes directive speech acts of English and Russian advertising texts and examines the aspects of their use in detail. Directive speech acts (DSAs) are complex and multifaceted phenomena that can be analyzed from various perspectives. They can be classified according to the degree of obligation to perform an action and by politeness. DSAs perform an important communicative function, influencing the behavior of other people and expressing social relationships between the speaker and the addressee. The interpretation of DSAs is significantly affected by the context of communication, including social status and cultural norms. The Means of expressing DSAs are diverse and can include lexical and grammatical ones such as imperative, interrogative, and affirmative sentences, modal verbs and conditional clauses. Thus, directive speech acts are an integral element of the communication system, playing a key role in social organization and interpersonal interaction. The conducted study emphasizes the need for further theoretical development and applied research on directive speech acts in advertising for more effective use of this tool in marketing practice.