Linguistic Means of Intensification and Emphasis in English Promotional Discourse
https://doi.org/10.24833/2687-0126-2026-8-2-30-47
Abstract
This study addresses the strategic use of emphatic means in English promotional discourse, used by automotive manufacturers to underscore the strengths of their premium and top-tier vehicles in a highly competitive global market. Promotional brochures rely heavily on emotive language to shape consumer perceptions. The primary aim of this research is to analyze the specific linguistic units involved in generating intensification and emphasis. This encompasses the use of highly positive evaluative meaning (HPEM) and true hyperbole as persuasive tactics designed to amplify the perceived value of the automobile in the consumer’s eyes. The empirical material comprised comprehensive promotional brochures (n = 10) representing nine luxury and premium car brands published over the previous five years. Using a continuous sampling method, a targeted corpus of 578 contextual speech segments, accounting for roughly ten percent of the total brochure text, was compiled. The methodology integrated contextual, stylistic, semantic, and quantitative analyses to interpret and categorize the extracted linguistic data. As a result of the analysis, seven distinct linguistic categories of intensification were identified. Listed in descending order of frequency, they include: adjectives and adverbs expressing maximised qualities (53%), pragmatic intensifiers (27%), comparative and superlative forms (14%), abstract nouns (9%), verbs (6%), and a minimal presence of idioms and metaphors. The findings indicate that promotional texts use intensification to link basic transportation to coveted lifestyle values, such as luxury, superior quality, and outstanding performance. Notably, complex cultural imagery is deliberately minimised, presumably to ensure a seamless persuasive impact on an international target audience. The study demonstrates theoretical and practical relevance by deciphering the evolving mechanisms of persuasion in global advertising. The findings establish a practical foundation for developing cross-cultural communication and translation skills for students specializing in linguistics, public relations, and marketing, specifically regarding the adaptation of English emphatic speech segments into local languages.
About the Author
Yu. A. Filyasova
Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Yulia A. Filyasova, Cand. Sci. (Philology), is an Associate Professor in the English Language Department of Professional Communication
Saint-Petersburg
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Review
For citations:
Filyasova Yu.A. Linguistic Means of Intensification and Emphasis in English Promotional Discourse. Professional Discourse & Communication. 2026;8(2):30-47. https://doi.org/10.24833/2687-0126-2026-8-2-30-47
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