Pārmaiņas vārdu semantikā un saistāmībā reklāmas katalogos
Change of Semantics and Distribution of Lexical Units in Advertising Catalogues

Summary/Abstract: The article deals with some aspects of the semantic and distributional changes of lexical units in the language of advertising catalogues. It is admitted that the change of distribution of a certain word gives evidence about the change of its lexical meaning. Generally speaking, the distribution of lexical units has become comparatively free in the language of mass media. The two main semantic devices for creating new meanings are metaphors and metonymies. In the language of advertising, metonymy is used both as a figurative means of language and a means for shortening the text. However, unmotivated use of metonymies may lead to logical mistakes and misunderstandings. Concerning the use of metaphors, it is extremely important that the source domain and the target domain are compatible. Metaphors trying to combine incompatible domains of experience can be considered to be unmotivated as well. The extensive use of unmotivated metonymies and metaphors in the language of advertising is caused both by careless translation and exaggerated use of figurative language.

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