Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Advertisements and slogans 

121d

Advertising copy writers in their advertising slogans often imitate the kinds of

situational ellipsis found in conversation. By these means they attempt to achieve

impact and a casual, almost chatty informality in the promotion of their products:

[magazine advertisement] 

Thinking about cosmetic surgery?

(understood: Are you thinking about cosmetic surgery?)

[magazine slogan] 

Coming soon … the one you’ve been waiting for!

(understood: It’s coming soon.)

NEW MODES: INTERNET DISCOURSE

122

Informal emails are most typically exchanged between participants who know

each other. Chat-room messages may involve ‘conversations’ which are built up

over a period of time; or they may involve participants who behave as if they are

in a virtual space or ‘room’, often with an assumed name or identity. 

Emails and instant messages are often informal and can be written online with

only a few seconds between one response and another. Similarly, chat rooms

involve almost immediate speaking turns. They are written but they have the

character of spoken language. They are a new and distinct mode of written-

spoken English.

The following transcript is an example of how spoken and written forms

overlap. It is from an internet chat in which two people with the log-in

pseudonyms of Cato and Regent talk with each other (the use of dots … indicates

that the dialogue has been edited for reasons of overall length):

Cato: hi buddy!!! ;-)

Regent: hiya, wassup?

Cato: I been working SOOOO HARD!

Regent: did you know that your warning level is 0% [see below]*

Cato: well when I was on with Julia she gave me a 20% warning

Regent: what does it mean?

Cato: if someone misbehaves you can send them a warning …

Regent: ok how do you do it

Cato: click on the warn button … [15 second pause]

Cato: have you died or something?

Regent: all right hold your horses stop rushing me

Cato: sorry ;-)

Regent: SLOW DOWN

Cato: ok, slow

Regent: sloooooooow dn