Norman Fairclough
Synthetic personalisation
Synthetic personalisation is the process of addressing mass
audiences as though they were individuals through the use of inclusive
language. This theory developed from critical discourse analysis which is a
branch of sociolinguistics concentrating on how power is articulated. Norman
Fairclough is credited with developing the concept. An Example where synthetic personalisation is
used would be air travel (have a nice day). The process of synthetic
personalisation is popular in advertising as it allows a company to build a
relationship with the consumer and therefor easier to sell their product to. The
use of second person pronouns contributes significantly to the process of
synthetic personalisation within the mass media. It is extremely common to
encounter constructions such as "See you after the break" on
television shows prior to commercial breaks.
Norman Fairclough (2001) Power behind
Discourse
Concerned with the organisation of institutions and the effect
of these various power relations on the language.
Norman Fairclough (2001)
Power in Discourse
Concerned with situations where power
relationships are set up and enacted.
