A pragma-linguistic Analysis of hyperbolic Constructions in book Blurbs

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate hyperbole in
book blurbs. Back cover blurbs, brief texts displayed on book covers,
provide information about a book to potential readers. They are
mainly evaluative- persuasive texts which summarize the main
features of the book and provide a mostly subjective evaluation using
lexical, pragmatic and textual devices. One of these devices is
hyperbole. Hyperbole (also referred to as exaggeration or
overstatement) has been studied in rhetoric and literary contexts, but
only relatively recently in book blurbs. This paper aims to analyze and
classify hyperbolic constructions in back cover blurbs of selected
books in order to identify their pragmatic functions as evaluation and
persuasion.

In order to achieve the aim of the present study, thirty book blurbs
of linguistics and literary books were analyzed through adopting a
linguistic and pragmatic model. The findings reveal that hyperbolic
constructions are realized widely via lexical devices especially
adjectives. Moreover, most of the hyperbolic constructions used in the
selected texts fulfill certain pragmatic functions among which
evaluation and emphasis are highly frequent. Based on this, hyperbole
is primarily evaluative rather than a descriptive or explanatory device.
Key words: hyperbole, book blurbs, pragmatic functions