This set of six bar charts measure the relative importance of the three main types of discursive styles (or "ages") in our usual samples of the Shenbao: January 7, 1914; January 3, 1924; January 5, 1934; February 1, 1941; January 1, 1949. The figures show that the "rational" style prevailed during the whole period (average: 60%). Yet it tends to decline between 1914 (75%) and 1934-1949 (50%), gradually competed by the emotional/suggestive style (from 5% in 1914 to 45% in 1934, average 25%). The hyperbolic (exaggeration) remained marginal (less than 10%): pertaining to the age of "quack advertising", it was above all represented at the beginning of the period (20% in 1914). However, the three styles continued to cohabit on the pages of the same newspaper issue, and even on the same advertisement. The hyperbolic style was never eradicated by the rational or emotional styles asosicated with "modern" advertising, nor did the emotional tone replace reason-why copies.
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