Advertising as a Cultural and Linguistic Medium in German as a Foreign Language Teaching. Idioms in a German-Albanian-Turkish Comparison Werbeanzeigen als kulturelle und sprachliche Träger im DaF-Unterricht . Phraseologismen im deutsch-albanisch-türkischen Vergleich
Linguistische Treffen in Wroclaw, vol.2026, no.29, pp.387-403, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 2026 Issue: 29
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.23817/lingtreff.29-22
- Journal Name: Linguistische Treffen in Wroclaw
- Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, Central & Eastern European Academic Source (CEEAS), MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Directory of Open Access Journals, MLA International Bibliography
- Page Numbers: pp.387-403
- Keywords: advertisement, German as a foreign language, idioms, language
- Trakya University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Advertising is an integral part of everyday culture, as it draws upon current trends, reflects social developments and is subject to cultural influences. In the context of teaching German as a foreign language, the analysis of advertising texts has been shown to possess considerable didactic potential. This is because it encourages learners to engage in critical reflection on linguistic means of persuasion and manipulation. Furthermore, it provides them with insights into cultural influences and linguistic design elements. Idioms play a special role in this regard. They appear in advertisements frequently, attract attention, arouse emotions and activate cultural references. As fundamental elements of all languages, they play a pivotal role in the development of communicative competence. The present article examines the use of idioms in advertisements in a German-Albanian-Turkish context and analyses their didactic relevance for teaching German as a foreign language. The study is grounded in a workshop conducted with Albanian and Turkish students of German, in which advertisements from various industries were systematically selected and analysed contrastively. The analysis focuses on text segments that contain at least one idiom and records their occurrence, function and possible equivalents in the three languages. The findings indicate that idioms employed in advertising texts serve a dual function: to persuade and to capture attention. Moreover, these idioms often convey meanings that are influenced by cultural factors. The comparison reveals both linguistic and cultural similarities and differences that can influence learners’ understanding. The utilisation of authentic advertisements in the context of German as a foreign language instruction has been demonstrated to be an efficacious medium for fostering linguistic sensitivity, intercultural competence and analytical skills.