Use of Gender Oriented Lexicon in Advertising as a Factor of Influence on Identity Formation

Given the controversy surrounding the issue of gender equality, interest in gender stereotypes in advertising is currently very relevant. The purpose of the study is to analyse the vocabulary in advertising texts to identify gendered words, phrases or stylistic devices. Methods - content analysis was conducted on the basis of a sample of advertising materials on media boards, on the Internet, and in advertisements. To analyse the frequency of use and context, lexical items were coded based on their gender marking (masculine, feminine, gender-neutral). The results of the study revealed the communicative and stylistic features of Kazakh advertising. It has been determined that the main function of advertising is to influence users, forming a holistic image of society and uniting them with a single ideology. The linguistic features of Kazakh advertising texts have pragmatic, psychological and purely linguistic aspects. The general picture of the use of gender-oriented vocabulary in advertising is as follows: almost a quarter of advertisements are gender imbalanced, and about ten per cent spread gender stereotypes. In particular, women are often portrayed as housewives and men are presented as successful professionals or leaders. Conclusions - Given the country's aspirations for globalisation, the use of statements and images in advertising that emphasise the superiority of one gender over the other or reinforce stereotypical roles for men and women should be reconsidered in the future.