A Comparative Study of Metaphors in Chinese and Thai Tourism Advertising Discourse: A Case Study of Little Red Book and YouTube Social Media Platforms
Keywords:
Tourism Advertising, Metaphor analysis, Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Little Red Book, YouTubeAbstract
Metaphor is a rhetorical device and a cognitive tool through which humans conceptualise abstract categories. It also serves as an important means of enhancing the communicative effectiveness of tourism advertising. Based on this premise, this study uses Little Red Book and YouTube as data sources to conduct a comparative analysis of metaphorical phenomena in Chinese and Thai tourism advertising discourse. The research aims to (1) examine the types of metaphors used in tourism advertising discourse in the two countries, (2) compare differences in metaphor use across the two platforms, and (3) analyse the cultural contexts reflected in these metaphors.
The findings indicate that metaphor usage in both Chinese and Thai tourism advertising primarily comprises structural, ontological, and orientational metaphors. In both contexts, structural metaphor functions as the dominant mode of expression, while ontological metaphor serves as an important supplementary device that concretises abstract tourism experiences. However, notable differences emerge in the distribution of specific metaphor subtypes. Chinese tourism advertisements exhibit a relatively concentrated pattern of structural metaphors. In addition to journey related metaphors, drama related (18.2%) and life related metaphors (12.7%) also account for a considerable proportion. By contrast, Thai tourism advertisements exhibit a more diversified distribution of structural metaphors. Beyond journey metaphors, life related metaphors (30.7%) and emotion related metaphors (18.5%) appear with significantly higher frequency than in Chinese advertisements. Therefore, the metaphorical constructions found in Chinese and Thai tourism advertising on Little Red Book and YouTube not only reflect differences in metaphor types but also reveal the combined influence of ideological orientations, socio-cultural experiences, face systems, and communicative styles embedded within distinct cultural contexts.
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