Neologisms as Persuasive Strategy in Bridal Magazines: A Lexical-Semantic Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14198/raei.30210Keywords:
Neology, Word Formation, Specialized Lexicon, Lexicology, Linguistic Analysis, Persuasive Communication, CapitalismAbstract
Weddings have become a social event of great symbolic and emotional significance in every couple’s life: a joyful, lavish, and unparalleled day where the bride takes center stage, representing a true rite of passage into a new life stage. At least, this is the narrative the bridal industry relentlessly promotes through various media channels, with the aim of stimulating consumption and fuelling capitalism. This study examines the use of neology as a persuasive strategy in bridal magazines from a gender-based perspective, in order to explore how such publications not only seek to influence readers but also function as ideological vehicles that reinforce cultural, aesthetic, and social norms associated with marriage. To this end, a qualitative linguistic analysis was conducted on the American magazine Bridal Guide, complemented by limited quantification due to the non-digitally processable nature of the corpus. The objective was to identify the most frequent neologisms, classify their word-formation processes, and analyze their rhetorical and symbolic function within bridal discourse. Among the most recurrent mechanisms are compounding, clipping, borrowing, and creative syntax, each fulfilling a distinct persuasive role. The results suggest that neologisms are a highly effective rhetorical resource capable of generating a level of “epistemic asymmetry” (Engberg et al. 2018, XI) between those familiar with the specialized jargon and those outside the discourse community. This strategy facilitates the construction of an exclusive language through which community members communicate, while also naturalizing and disseminating the American ideal of marriage. Thus, neologisms not only modernize the language but also reaffirm traditional values under the guise of novelty and female empowerment. In conclusion, neological activity reveals a persuasive underpinning that reconfigures perceptions of the matrimonial rite, reinforces gender stereotypes, and promotes the consumption of goods and services linked to the planning of the so-called “perfect” wedding.
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