A Memetics Interpretation Of The Cause Of Intertextuality In English Advertising Language

Intertextuality is a term coined by the French semiotician Julia Kristeva in the late 1960s, representing relationships between texts that every text is constructed as a mosaic of quotations, an absorption and transmission of another text. From then on, intertextuality has become one of the most important words of literary theory and cultural studies. Intertextuality in non-literary works such as advertisements also arouses scholars' interests. However, only some researches have been done on the analysis of the mechanism generating intertextuality, then the birth of memetics provides a possible explanation for this question. Memetics is a newly rising theory to reveal the law of culture transmission, which sheds new light on various cultural phenomena. The present study makes an attempt to analyze advertising intertextuality realization from the perspective of Memetics. Through the analysis of a series of advertisements, the author argues that it is the replication, propagation and evolution of memes that help to realize intertextuality in advertisements.Based on the memetic theory, this study attempts to construct a framework for analyzing the process of intertextuality realization. As a kind of relationship between texts or between texts and various cultural images, thinking patterns, intertextuality is realized through a text assimilating, reorganizing or rearranging certain part of another text, and that part is a meme or several memes. However, not all memes can be used to help realize intertextuality in advertisements. Only the strong memes which possess high values in fidelity, fecundity and longevity will be chosen by admen to create intertextual effects. The memes existed in the advertisement and their transmission mode-memotype and memetic phenotype-as well as characteristics and life circles are discussed from prospective of three intertextuality types, i.e. specific intertextuality, generic intertextuality and cultural intertextuality. Detailed illustration is given to every sample to explain how memes spread and function in each type through quotation, reorganization and displacement of the strong memes through which admen create comprehensive connections between their products and various concepts which people are familiar with. Consequently, they reduce consumers' rejection towards advertisements and achieve a better effect of sales promotion.It is hoped that this research can enhance our understanding of intertextuality, and provide some enlightenment to advertisement creation and appreciation.