The interaction between “material” and idiomatic images in German print advertising Cover Image

Zur Interaktion von materiellem und idiomatischem Bild in deutschen Printwerbungen
The interaction between “material” and idiomatic images in German print advertising

Author(s): Günter Schmale
Subject(s): Theoretical Linguistics, Applied Linguistics
Published by: Instytut Germanistyki Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: print advertising; idioms; metaphoricity; literal and figurative meaning; material and idiomatic image; interpretation by foreign language learners

Summary/Abstract: Print advertising very frequently refers to idioms containing verbal expressions of images conveying a figurative meaning. “Material” idiom's (photos, drawings, cartoons, etc.) in print adverts, in one way or another, depict the idioms’ literal meaning. Advertising plays on numerous forms of interaction between the idiomatic and material image (representation of literal meaning, implicit relation between visual element and verbal idiom, etc.). Following preliminary considerations on figurativeness and metaphoricity, 14 German print adverts are analysed with a focus on the role of the material image. Based on these analyses, reflections on the interpretability of the relation between idiomatic and material image by native speakers and foreign language learners are discussed.

  • Issue Year: 2020
  • Issue No: 13
  • Page Range: 235-251
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: German