The use of foreign words as a persuasive tool in Marketing discourse: the cultural stereotype of Global English in Spanish print advertising

Abstract

In the present paper we will show how a socio-cognitive approach (Kristiansen and Dirven, 2009) can contribute to a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of English code-switching in Spanish advertising. Starting from the idea that language is both a “maker” and a “marker” of social identity (Kristiansen, 2009; Eckert,2004), we will see how English words and phrases are intentionally used by advertisers to make social meaning, namely, cultural associations with the stereotype of global English.