Doublespeak in Five Brand Phone Advertisement as Smart Communication Technology

Abstract

Various forms of language used in phone advertisements are characterized as Smart Communication Technology. This paper investigated the variety of doublespeak as innovative communication technology in smartphone advertisement. Advertisements will usually be made as attractive as possible to attract consumers' attention. As a result, many ads offer beauty through images and words that can mislead consumers. One way to divert consumers from the real meaning is by using doublespeak. The goals of this research are first to identify what words contain doublespeak in phone advertisements from 2021, and second to identify the meaning and the functions of doublespeak in advertisements. 20 smart phone advertisements from 3 wellknown brands were used as the data for this research. The analysis was done qualitatively using William Lutz's theory of doublespeak which consist of weasel word, the rule of parity, unfinished word, and up to claim. The results show that the use of doublespeak is commonly appeared in technology products advertisement. It implied that doublespeak is innovative communication technology used only for the benefit of entrepreneurs so that they can successfully sell their products and survive in world marketing. By reading this research, consumers are expected not to be misled by smartphone advertisements that may use doublespeak.