Zu Funktionen von Phraseologismen und phraseologischen Modifikationen in deutschen und polnischen Werbeanzeigen

The aim of this paper is to determine the functions of phrasemes and their modifications in press advertisements. To ensure solid foundations for the above mentioned intention, the functions have been divided into 1) the ones resulting from the function of advertisements, and 2) the ones resulting from phraseme functions. Phrasemes in their “nature” contribute to the fact that thanks to their known form, addressees memorise the advertising message more quickly, because phrasemes become more quickly acquired thanks to the fact that they are based on well-known and recorded in the memory patterns, or thanks to associating the new elements of the phraseme with the old ones. In this way the effort necessary for fixing the new information in the memory is reduced. Thanks to their commonly known and unique form, phrasemes increase the reliability of the phrase and evoke positive emotions among potential customers. Besides, phrasemes and their modifications often perform advertising functions. First, thanks to the use of a commonly known phrase or a skillfully transformed modification, they focus potential customers’ attention on themselves, inviting them in this way to get to know the advertising text in more detail. Second, they may become informed not only about the existence of a product, but also about product or service benefits. Third, they may provide potential customers with the arguments supporting the idea of the product purchase. Besides, in the epoch of information overload and advertisements, advertisement creators conveying their message need to provide enjoyable entertainment to customers. Phrasemes and their modifications in advertisements perform this function, too.