【正文】 n achieve unexpected effect. For example, It is the taste! (Nescafe) You can feel the feature in Philips design. (Philips Electronics) The meaning of the two nouns feature and taste in the above two cases is absolutely indefinite. We have no idea of the features of Philips design or the taste of Nescafe, until we have experienced or tasted it. Hence, it can be learned that it39。s restaurant, or the service of it. A simple word it gives us a broad space to imagine. It really leaves the consumers a deep impression. 19 3 Pragmatic Functions of Vague Language in Ads The goal of ads is to promote products and services to customers. To achieve this goal, advertisers are usually very careful about their advertising language, especially the use of vague language. Because if it?s appropriately used, it can achieve unexpected effect, but if used inappropriately, it can also bring the advertisers negative influence. So the vague language used in ads is a doubleedged sword. In this part, we?ll talk about its positive as well as negative functions in ads. Positive Functions There is no doubt that advertisers are always with the aim of promotion to design their slogans. So, for the most of the time, the advertising language can achieve a good effect to some degree. the ad concise The cost of an ad is charged according to wording, so advertisers try every possible means to shorten their advertising language to save costs. In order to achieve the purpose of propaganda and, meanwhile, save advertising expenses, advertisers will, purposely, employ vague language. Thus they can express an unlimited meaning to achieve the best effect with the most refined language in the lowest price. For example, 20 Coke adds life. (Cocacola) This is a very famous ad of Cocacola. Its most wonderful use is the selection of the word add. Here, add, a mon word which contains rich connotations, is semantically vague. Add bines Coke and life. It stirs up the imagination of the people for a better life. And it?s easy for consumers of any level to remember it after the first glance. There are many other similar ads in daily life, for instance, Think small. (Volkswagen Beetle Car), Just do it! (Nike). Achieving interpersonal function The most immportant sociological use of language is the interpersonal function, by which people establish and maintain their relationship with others in a society. If advertisers want to achieve their goal of publicity, they must show enough politeness and respect to their consumers. The use of vague language will help convey the information more appropriately without offending consumers especially when an ad reflects some unhealthy or bad phenomenon or when an ad deals with some people?s privacy. Generally speaking, advertisers like to use vague language in ads, because it can express politeness by using emotively neutral words when a precise expression may offend people?s emotion. Hedges, according to Lakoff, are words whose job is to make things fuzzier. The can tone down the message by lowering the force of the verb or predication. This lowering effect is in line with social conventions, 21 which demand that facts be somehow disguised. For example. Never has it been so important to read the label. (an ad for a medicine for breast cancer) A different kind of strength. (an ad for secret body cream for woman) Just slightly ahead of our time. (Panasonic) In the above examples, facts are hidden because they are either cruel(breast cancer), unpleasant(woman?s perspiration), or socially unaccepted(homophobia). Thus, the unfavorable understanding is obtained indirectly and is weakened by vague language (important, different, just slightly). It?s clear that hedges can be treated as polite forms that promote the mutual feelings of consumers and disguise some unpleasant facts in order not to make them feel embarrassed. Avoiding absolution and keeping authenticity When advertisers propagandize their products, on one hand, they highlight the advantages of their products, on the other hand, they must avoid pushing these advantages into absolution. Otherwise consumers will bee skeptical about the authenticity of the ads. As long as the effect of the products is not as good as the things advertised, the credibility of advertisers will be seriously damaged. Vague language in ads will give rise to some degree of uncertainty. Such usage leaves advertisers greater room to undertake their responsibility, and consumers, according to their own understanding, can determine whether to buy it or 22 not. Probably the best beer in the world. ( Carlsberg Beer) The world is full of good looking women. But some really stops you. They39。t exclude the possibility of the existence of other better beer. This is more acceptable for the consumers. Likewise, the word maybe39。s largest Combi fleet working for you. You can rely on KLM. This is。t exaggerate its function. In fact, the employment of vague words is also to protect the advertisers themselves from unnecessary troubles. Those vague words can avoid absolution uttered by precise words, and at the same time, it helps relieve advertisers of some responsibilities of their ads and avoid criticism from the public. Negative function Vague language, if used inappropriately, not only the information of the goods cannot be conveyed accurately, but also customers will deny its products or services. But how does this negative effect e? There are 23 two reasons for it. The first one may be that the vague language used in ads is too fuzzy and of extremely strong induction. Thus, it leaves such a great space of imagination for customers that once their imagination is different from wha