Phraseology in a time of crisis: The language of bank advertisements before and during the financial crisis of 2008–2010

Abstract

This paper compares the phraseology of bank advertisements before and during the financial crisis of 2008-2010. A statistical analysis of the content of bank ads in newspapers from 2000 and 2009 shows how the banks' use of phraseology mirrors changes in people's attitudes in a time of economic turbulence. It seems that banks and their subsidiaries are reviewing their strategies and adapting their advertising campaigns to meet the requirements of the current climate. Rather than positioning themselves as sources of easy money, banks are reverting to images of honesty and sobriety. At a time when people's houses are being repossessed, slogans such as "If your bank can't keep up, leave them behind" (Abbey International) are being replaced with no-nonsense slogans such as "Your savings bank. Come rain or shine" (HSBC).

Fraseología en los titulares de un tabloide

“…La fraseología que logra calar en el uso del hablante tiene tres características: fijación interna, que al ser un fenómeno diacrónico dependiente de la frecuencia léxica se encuentra en diferentes grados de fijación, y la institucionalización o uso convencional en una comunidad lingüística (Corpas y Mena, 2003). Similarmente, en la publicidad se emplean unidades fraseológicas de manera creativa, evocando efectos cómicos para llamar la atención del lector por ser frases familiares (Fiedler, 2010). Desde un enfoque cognitivo, los códigos son una forma de dar significado y significancia al mundo mediante su organización en categorías organizadas jerárquicamente con un modelo prototípico.…”