The Presentation of Men's Appearance through Linguistic Devices in Advertising Discourse

Abstract

     This article studied linguistic devices employed in the presentation of men's appearance in discourse on men's advertising in men's magazines. The data were elicited from four magazines: GM, FHM, Men's Health, and Crush, and were analyzed using a critical discourse analysis approach. It was found that the presentation of men's appearance through linguistic devices in advertising discourse can be divided into two types: (1) verbal language, including the use of lexical selection, claiming, metaphor, presupposition, rhetorical questions, hyperbole and intertextuality, and (2) non-verbal language, including the use of illustration and color. The linguistic devices were employed to present men's appearance including the "perfect" appearance and the defective appearance or blemished look. Furthermore advertising discourse claimed that using men's products and men's services will maintain and enhance the "perfect" men's appearance and will also enable men who have a defective appearance or blemished look to enhance their appearance.