ABSTRACT
This paper first elaborates on some theories of Zadeh and Wu Tieping in vague language, so that the readers will have a general understanding about the origin and development of the vague language. It then elaborates on the language features of English advertising: lexical features and syntactic features. Meanwhile, it discusses the fuzziness of phone, lexicon and syntactical structure in English ads. It finally discusses the function of vague language in English ads to prove how vague language makes an advertisement more popular with the customers with the ultimate purpose to increase the sales and expand the popularity.
Keywords：English advertising; vague language
Contents
1．Introduction 1
2. Definitions of vague language 2
2.1 Theories of Zadeh 2
2.2 Theories of Wu Tie ping 3
3. The language characteristics of English advertising 5
3.1 Lexical features 5
3.2 Syntactic features 6
4. Vague language in English advertising 8
4.1 The fuzziness of phone 8
4.2 The fuzziness of lexicon 9
4.3 The fuzziness of syntactical structure 12
5. The function of vague language in English advertising 15
5.1 To improve the efficiency of expression 15
5.2 To enhance the flexibility of language 16
5.3 To increase the attention value and memory value 16
5.4 To increase the appropriateness 17
5.5 To create rhetorical and aesthetic effects 17
6. Conclusion 19
Acknowledgements 20
References 21
