6 3.
The English lectures, teachers, and educators The results of this research are expected to be a contribution or
additional data for teaching linguistics or other related subjects. Particularly, it is hoped to be an outline to teach the language elements of functional texts,
especially advertisements. It can be a learning medium to give a good example of alternative interesting learning, because learning is not only from books.
4. Other or future researchers
The researcher hopes that the results of this research can give sufficient information for future linguistic researchers who want to conduct the same topic
about advertisements. This research is able to be an additional reference to comprehend more about language styles, features and the techniques of
persuasion which are used in advertisements.
F. Definition of Terms
To avoid misinterpretation and to have better understanding of this research, some terms will be defined. In this part, the researcher also provides the
explanation of special terms used. The following definitions aim to help the readers to comprehend the contents of this research:
1. Persuasive Discourse
Persuasion is defined as human communication designed to influence others by modifying their beliefs, values, or attitudes Simons, 1976: 21. From
this definition it is noticed that there are three crucial points. First, persuasion is one of human communication forms in which there are exchanges of messages
between human beings; which involves acts, whether verbal or non-verbal,
7 spoken or written, explicit or implicit, face to face or via indirect media such as
televisions, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, and the like. Second, it involves attempted influence. From psychological point of view, to influence another
means to alter his or her behavior in preferred ways Simons, 1976: 20. Third, persuasion is aimed at modifying not only overt behavior in preferred ways, but
also beliefs, values, and or attitudes. Attitudes are judgments about how to act; beliefs are judgments about what is true or probable; values are abstract
judgments about such matter as what is moral, important, beautiful, and the like. From the explanations above, it can be concluded that persuasion means
a type of discourse that attempts to influence others by modifying their beliefs, ideas, and attitudes. The examples of persuasive discourse are debates, political
campaigns, and advertisements. 2.
Language Style According to Verdonk 2002, style in language is a set of conscious or
unconscious choices of expression, inspired or induced by particular context. In this research, language style is a general term which refers to the linguistic
features. Those linguistic features are lexical features and syntactic features, such as hyperbole, weasel words, imperative, and long noun phrase.
3. Persuasion Technique
According to Ross 1994, persuasion is a process of skillfully and ethnically using logical thoughts, effective appeals, credibility and ethnical proof
to influence and motivate others to responds as you wish them to p. 68. Besides, a persuasion technique is a strategy that is used to persuade people.
