1.Introduction
Advertising,the international commercial language,is a widely used medium of communication in modern society,and it is penetrating every corner of people’s life as the embodiment of commerce.Advertisement plays an important role in introducing foreign commodities to domestic customers and promoting domestic commodities to foreign customers.The purpose of advertising translation is subordinate to the purpose of advertising,in other words,to the advertiser’s sales strategy.It is because the advertiser is targeting a foreign market that the advertising translation is involved.The main point is that the advertising’s effectiveness depends on weather the translator could overcome the cultural difference.Therefore,the translator needs not only a solid foundation of language but also an in-depth understanding of the two countries’culture.As a carrier of information,the translation of an advertisement should be distinctive,attractive,positive,readable and memorable.The purpose of an advertisement determines that its language must help to promote purchasing sell power,memory value,attention value and readability.
2.An overview of Advertisement
In recent years,following the trend of globalization,goods from one country flow more frequently and freely into another.Thus advertising translation is becoming a fast growing industry in modern society.Before advertising translation is studied,it is necessary to know what is advertisement and what functions it has.
2.1 Definition of Advertisement
The terms“advertisement”and“advertising”have,at their root,a Latin name“advertere”meaning“turn towards”,so advertisement is born to be a communication tool with the aim of reaching its intended audience.Today it is generally defined as paid,non-personal,public communication(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/communication.html)about causes(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/cause.html),goods and services(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/goods-and-services.html),ideas(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/idea.html),organizations(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/organization.html),people,and places(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/place.html),through means(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/mean.html)such as direct mail(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/direct-mail.html),telephone(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/telephone.html),print,radio,television,and internet(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/internet.html).（Oxford Dictionary,26）As integral part of marketing(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/marketer.html),advertisements are public notices(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/public-notice.html)designed(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/design.html)to inform and motivate.Their objective(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/objective.html)is to change(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/change.html)the thinking pattern(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/pattern.html)(or buying behavior(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/buying-behavior.html))of the recipient(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/recipient.html),so that he or she is persuaded to take the action(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/action.html)desired by the advertiser.When aired on radio or television,an advertisement is called(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/call.html)a commercial(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/commercial.html).
2.2 The Functions of Advertisement
Generally speaking,the functions of advertisement fall into two categories:the economic function and the ideological function to reach its persuasion purpose.
2.2.1 Economic Function
The economic role of advertisement may be its primary role.It bridges markets,products and consumer goods to the public and thus to support the free economy.It can help the consumers to identify and differentiate products and build brand preference and loyalty.The aim of advertisement from O’Donnell is to“capture the attention of the mass audience by means of a short message and persuade them to buy the product”.(O’Donnell,106)It is also evident in the long-running Ivory Soap advertising campaigns.The advertisers,Procter and Gamble,have linked Ivory Soap with obtaining benefits that are important to customers:a fresh and healthy appearance for women,a mild,nonirritating method for bathing babies,and a novelty for children in the tub(since it floats).The benefits of the product suggest reasons to buy and use Ivory Soap and thus provide a basis for persuading consumers.Different benefits are important to different customers.Thus,to realize its full potential as a persuasive tool,advertising must often be tailored to emphasize those benefits that are important and meaningful for a particular type of customer or a particular use of the product.
2.2.2 Ideological Function
To make an in-depth study,it is found that advertisement involves social values and attitudes.Nowadays,more and more advertisement adopts the style of emotion appeal.They suggest customer’s concerns about relationship,customer’s sense of social status,happiness and contentment and many others.It may be said that the advertisement is a mirror of ideology and culture.By imposing images on the products and services,advertisement can influence customer’s attitudes and feelings and meet their ideological needs so as to persuade them to act.For instance,some advertisers claim that the consumption of their products will give youth,love,social acceptance etc.
3.The Features of Advertising Language
The wide use of advertising has created a special style of language.Its unique features and immense attraction separate it from other kind of language.In the development of advertising,this kind of language has formed its own features in several aspects.
3.1 Common Use of Metaphors
Metaphor,perhaps the most important figure of speech,employs words to express something distinct from their literal meaning,namely,one thing is described in terms of another in order to suggest resemblance or analogy between them.A metaphor in advertisement can give the target audience sensuous pleasure and aesthetic feeling.For example:
Dream your night away.Drive your dream away.
Your chance to drive a dream made in Germany(Regent International Hotel)
Although there is no detailed tenor in this advertisement,consumers can still be led to dream that they are enjoying the life of good taste in Regent International Hotel.
3.2 Common Use of Exaggerations
Exaggeration is used in advertising commonly.Deliberately exaggerated rending the carpet market goods,but reasonable,the image of the ad more prominent and impressive.For example,
Take TOSHIBA,take the world.拥有东芝，拥有世界(Toshiba Electronics).To promote products and build up the image in the minds of consumers,the advertising will inevitably exaggerated.In fact,the language of advertising,exaggerated use of an extremely broad to meet people’s adventures,psychological,and thus left a deep impression to the reader.More than two ads use exaggerated rhetorical devices,ingenious manifestation of the goods of exceptional quality.
3.3 Common Use of Simple sentences and Elliptical Sentences
An advertisement must pay attention to its impelling language,and the first step is to use popular and oral language to make it easy to understand and memorize.I will get better effect by using simple or elliptical sentences than compound sentences.For example:“It’s for a life time”.This advertising is for a brand of watch.This piece of advertisement is designed with only four words,but the meaning is clear and unforgettable.It emphasizes that the product is durable in use,which could be served as“life time”,and shows it’s rare and precious.The advertising is definitely to reach its purpose:to be memorized by customers.
Elliptical sentences are also commonly used in English advertising because they show the advantages of the products more lively and concisely.The subject and verb are sometimes omitted.For example:Smooth,rich,rewarding(More cigarette).Only by adopting three adjectives as this cigarette advertising tries to show us more information.“Smooth”indicates‘the more More you smoke,the more comfort you will get’.‘Rich’means the value of More.‘Rewarding’that‘you deserve to own it’.This advertising has also met its expected effect.
3.4 Common Use of Puns
A pun is a humorous play on words,sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.As advertising space is costly,puns are highly economical(two meanings for the price of one word or phrase)and are in fact much more of a labor-saving device.For example,
Spoil yourself and not your figure.(Weight-Watcher ice cream)
Less bread.No jam.(London subway)
In the first example,“spoil oneself”means that“enjoy oneself to heart’s content”while“spoil one’s figure”refers to the overweight.It indicates that the ice cream is delicious and doesn’t contain much fat.In the next example,“bread”is,in fact,“the money”and“jam”refers to“traffic jam”.Although at first glance,people would consider“bread”and“jam”as food，on second thoughts,the real meaning of this advertisement is that“if you travel by London Transport,it will cost you less and you will not suffer in traffic jams.”
4.Cultural Differences between English and Chinese Advertising
The differences between the Chinese and the western in their culture are among language and other cultural aspects such as regional environment,view of value,etc.And the differences reflecting on advertising are quite obvious.
4.1 Different Regional Environment
There are some different customs between China and the West.For example,a translator translated a product“藕粉”into‘Lotus Root Starch’.When the product and its English version were introduced to foreigners,but few foreigners are willing to buy them.Although Chinese know they are once submitted to the emperor in the ancient time,foreigners don’t know it.Above all,eating much starch can get fat easily,and many foreigners are worried to get fat.Later,after the word‘starch’has been changed into the words‘powder’or‘putting’,the number of buyer increases obviously.
Another example,about the translation of‘轻松减肥片’.At first,its translation was‘Obesity-reducing Tablets’,Americans think it’s only suitable for the obese person,so lots of fat persons who are not corpulent patients,are willing to buy it,afraid of losing face.Actually,this medicine can not only treat corpulent sick,but also can reduce weight.In order to cater to interest of the western customers,the translator changed it into‘Slimming Pills’,and sales volume increased rapidly.
4.2 Different Thinking Mode
Advertising can clearly reflect on mode of thinking.In Chinese advertising,the important point is usually expressed in the end because Chinese people are implicit and tend to think in a spiral way.On a contrary,fewer words are used in English advertising in which the main idea is put at the beginning,which accords to the straightforward character of western people.Influenced by the thinking mode of the West,English advertising is usually simple and concise with direct expression,which makes them forthright and sincere,unreserved and clean.In Chinese traditional culture,more implicit expression more show its connotation and accomplishment.
For instance,Coke Cola advertising slogan:Obey your thirst,from the perspective of English advertising is very direct and forthright.This advertising is a rallying cry to those who relentlessly follow their passions wherever they may lead and it is related to individualism.It conforms to the westerners,especially American-style expression.Sprite of Chinese advertising version“透心凉，心飞扬”is kind of implicit and much more smooth with less passion than the English version but more peace.It shows how the Chinese character is.
4.3 Different View of Value
According to Rokeach,values are“a learned organization of rules for making choices and for resolving conflicts.”Values are abstract and general as culture.They can not be seen or touched,but they can be felt through culture.The values of Chinese culture possesses profound spirits of humanism.(Rokeach,106)People’s values are acted in“introspection”and“restraining oneself”and they pay attention to the peace,harmony,so the Chinese advertising language shows the reservation deeply and smoothly.On the contrary,the westerns pay more attention to the external form of the product advertised and focus on sensory effects.Western advertisements advocate freedom,independence and individuality,emphasize especially distinctive characteristics.For example,Nestle’s ad:雀巢咖啡伴侣：默默奉献，为香浓加分！This ad emphasizes contribution spirit.However,in America,its corresponding ad is:coffee’s perfect mate!The meanings of the word‘mate’are‘male friend,fellow,worker or companion’in English.What’s actually meant is that the relation between coffee and coffee mate is equal,and if they two cooperate,sweet-smelling and delicious coffee can be created.In this ad,if it is translated into English directly,it will not leave favorable impression.Because Americans hold that everyone is equal,and they advocate freedom and individualism.The terms‘默默奉献’will make them have a relevance,that is:Lose one and follow blindly other people.This behavior is not advocated in American culture,and it runs counter to the spirit of humanitarianism and liberalism.From this example we can find that different culture decides different sense of value.So the contents and expressing ways of ads are also changed with different sense of value.
4.5 Different Aesthetic Sense
Things respected by local people may not always be resonated in different culture.Aesthetic orientation has a very close relation with a society’s cultural consciousness.Therefore different nations have different aesthetic orientations.The phenomenon，that one thing is beautiful in people’s eyes but ugly to someone else，occurs.
As we know，Chinese are largely influenced by the thought of Confucius.Therefore，Chinese aesthetics like objective expression，fixed pattern and implicit effects;and this introverted aesthetics may cause that people believe in the authority，follow the common opinion.But in western culture，people love to be creative.Western aesthetics emphasize individuality and outstanding effects in order to leave a deep impression in people’s mind.The result of advocating the idealism is the pursuit of freedom and flaunts which may be just intuitive.
5.Translation Strategies of English-Chinese Advertisements
Advertising translation is a re-creation process,the translator should try to tap the product in the target language cultural common denominator,so that more in line with the target language translation habit(Features of advertising language)of paying attention to when translation of basic skills.
5.1 Translation Principle
Advertisement is a media to publicize product or service,so its content must be based on the usage,quality,and specialty,etc.No matter what kinds of skills used in an advertisement,the translator should observe the three principles,namely smoothness,precision and conciseness,in order to achieve the purpose of advertisement.
5.1.1 Smoothness
Smoothness means to use smooth and natural Chinese expressions that Chinese customers can accept to give the information about a product.Whether the translation of an English advertising is excellent or not depends on the response of its receivers.Only when the Chinese readers’response to the translation is similar to the original readers’response to the original advertisement,will the translation achieve its purpose.Therefore it is very important for a translator to get a good knowledge of Chinese convention and consumers’psychology.
5.1.2Faithfulness
One of the main functions of advertising is to provide product information.Therefore,it is extremely important for consumers to be able to grasp all the information.In particular,those advertisements containing a large amount of information require clear and relate explanation.Catford(1965)highlighted that a translator is then described as being faithful in the interpretative conception of translation if he is faithful to the sense.Faithfulness is just applied from the point of advertising content.As mentioned,faithfulness should provide as much necessary information as possible from original language into target one.Neither can a translator delete or omit any messages at her will,nor does he add any information randomly.It should be based on the information in the original copy
5.1.3Conciseness
Conciseness means the translator should use informative and concise diction and sentence structures.The educational background of the readers are varied;so far too complicated or difficult diction or sentence structures in translation may make it hard for its intended readers to comprehend its information.
5.2Translation Strategies
As the purpose of advertisement translation is to introduce high-quality foreign commodities to domestic market,it is necessary for translators to employ typical skills when doing translation.
5.2.1 Paraphrase
Since translation is a process that recreates the language information by the most suitable and natural equivalent,how to deal with the relationship between“most suitable and natural words”and“equivalent”becomes quite important.For example:
“Together,we cover the world.”
The Chinese version is“维系你和我，世上乐事多”.Although the meaning of translation seems a little far away from the literal meaning“我们共同飞跃这一世界”，it reflects the core of advertisement and has good effect among the target people.
Another example:“Good to the last drop”
The Chinese version is“滴滴香浓，意犹未尽”.It is an advertisement for a brand of coffee.The translator shakes off the restrictions of original language and conveys connotation of the advertisement by paraphrasing the original text.However,the key is that we should read just the original advertisement on the basis of analyzing and understanding connotation of the advertisement.
5.2.2Transliteration
Transliteration,which is a way to translate on the basis of choosing a proper expression similar in proper expression similar in pronunciation to the original name and at the same time indicating the meaning about the nature,usage or advantages of the products,brands and companies.It is a good way to keep the colors and flavors of the source language,and retain the original image of product.Brand name plays the most vital role in advertisement and copywriters and translators always pay special attention to the translation of brand names.By applying this method,the translated brand names not only have the similar sound effect but are also transferred to localize them to attract the target audience,and give them a sense of intimacy.
For examples:Johnson&Johnson：强生(baby care products)
Johnson&Johnson is a brand name for baby care products.And the translation“强生”,which means“strong life”in Chinese,perfectly echoed Chinese parents’wish for their babies to be strong and healthy.
Let’s look at another example.Coca Cola:可口可乐/Pepsi Cola:百事可乐
The translations of these two brand names are the most worth-mentioning when it comes to the translation of brand names.“Coca”may have a totally different meaning in English.But when translated into Chinese as“口”,much taste and sense of flavor is added to the brand name by indicating that the beverage tastes great.Rumor has it that the word“Pepsi”is the acronym of“pay every penny to save Israel”,because the founder of“Pepsi”is Jewish.But when translated into Chinese,the meaning may not make much sense to the Chinese.In the translation of“百事可乐”,“百事”has a similar pronunciation as“Pepsi”,and the whole term“百事可乐”indicates a wish for“good luck with everything”.
5.2.3 Free Translation
It may be impossible for some English advertisements to be translated into Chinese word-for-word,especially if there are English idioms in them.The problem is that literal translation can’t re-express the implied meanings of the original text and therefore fails to achieve the advertisements’purposes.This kind of advertisement should be translated flexibly according to Chinese linguistic habits.In other words,the strategy of liberal translation should be used in the translation process.Judging from the difference of English and Chinese,the translator can either condense sentence into phrases or expand phrase into sentence.For example:
Source text:Where there is a way for car there is a Toyota.(Toyota car)
Target text:车道山前必有路，有路必有丰田车。（丰田汽车）
Good advertisement can keep balance between transliteration and free translation.Also,if there is contradiction between the target culture and transliteration or liberal translation,we should use for translation or other ways
5.2.3 Imitative Translation
By imitation,we mean selecting or copying some idioms or fixed expressions familiar to the target readers to transmit the message of the source text.The specificity of commercial advertisements determines that the translator should exhaust every possible means to fulfill the intended function of the target text at its best.Hence,imitation finds its basis.The following statement by Newmark(1998:176)may shed light on the feasibility of this unconventional strategy in certain circumstances:‘In brief,I think the translator of advertising or tourism materials will always try to make the text better than the original,though transferring all the facts,and this is frequently possible.It is likely that a brilliant writer will instinctively improve the quality of the translation of any kind of information text if the language has greater lexical or grammatical resources than the source language.’
This brilliant exposition explains perfectly why the strategy of imitation is so popular with the translator.If the target text based on this strategy can exert a constructive effect on readers,why not adopt it?Actually,we do not lack such examples:Shanghai TV—seeing is believing.It can be translated as“上海电视，有目共享”by imitating“seeing is believing”.In this example，“有目共赏”is originally a common set phrase.However,applied in this advertisement,it is endued with double meanings.First,it refers to its literal meaning–Watching TV;Secondly it implies that the merits of this TV are there for all to see.The translation,by employing a proverb“seeing is believing”(眼见为实)which is familiar to natives,not only transfers the information of this advertisement to the point,but is as powerful as the source text as well.There are more examples.elegant and graceful(典雅大方),safe and stable(安全可靠).In these ads,translators apply some words or expressions which are corresponding to the target language.These translations not only have the language feature of Chinese ads,but also not go against the custom of English ads.
5.2.4Avoidance of Culture Taboos
On social contracts,especially in the cross-cultural communications,we will often meet a sensitive issue which is taboo.Taboo restraints our language and behaviors as an invisible discipline,and makes us dare not to transgress the bounds in the forbidden ground.Every nation has its taboos.E.g.The British don’t like elephants and Islamizes don’t like dogs and pigs in their ads.The westerns prefer white while dislike red which is just contrary in China.These taboos have been formed for thousands of years and we should show necessary respect for them.Due to the different history background,same words may have different cultural connotations which we should avoid using them.
In the last few years in China,several cases of foreign advertisements encountered severe criticism,or even protests from the Chinese audience,and one of the advertisements,the Nike“Chamber of Fear”advertisements,incurred a ban by the State Administration for Radio,Film and Television.The direct cause for this is that these advertisements were suspicious of insulting Chinese or hurt their national feelings for the careless or wrong use of the image of“dragon”and“stone line”,which are traditional regarded as the symbols of the Chinese.The responses to these cases were frustrating and turned out to be cultural shocks to international advertisements and advertising agents.
5.2.5 Adherence of Target Language habits
The translators make the translation adapt to cultural and language habits of the target text in order to meet the needs of potential consumers and enhance product selling.In the advertisement translation process,the translator sometimes completely uses his/her creativity to make the translation more like the target text suiting the taste of the target text readers.The English advertisement focuses on factual information about the function of the additive and why it functions.Take the Japanese famous car brand(Toyota)as an example,the ad of the car is‘Where there is a way,there is a Toyota’,it is translated into Chinese by‘车到山前必有路，有路必有丰田车’.This translation adheres the Chinese Idiom:车到山前必有路.And Chinese people will be attracted by the advertisement quickly,because they are so familiar with this idiom.The translation apply inherent Chinese idioms,proverbs,verses,famous phrases,which the Chinese are very familiar with and it makes the target consumers feel kind.It conforms to psychology of the target consumers.This kind of translation not only transmits connotation of source ads,but also strengthens the ads’influence.Meanwhile,it will be beneficial for cross-cultural communication.
6.Conclusion
At present people are living in an age of advertising.The deepening of international trade between the West and China increasingly fastens the significance of mutual understanding and translating of English and Chinese advertising.As a means of economic communication,advertisement plays a very important part in globalization.
Now that advertisement is so important,a translator must think of how to translate it in a proper way.The differences between English and Chinese culture will inevitably influence advertisement translation since language is the carrier of culture.The differences of culture are manifested in the differences of language.In order to attain the function of advertising translation a translator should,on the basis of analysis of the original advertisement,fully take the cultural obstacle into consideration.This will make the advertisement translation better accepted by the people of target country.
Bibliography
Duanmu Yiwan端木义万Meiguo Chuanmei WenhuaX传媒文化（American Media Culture）.Beijing:Beijing University Press,2001.
Feng Qinghua冯庆华Shiyongfanyijiaochenhua实用翻译教程（Practical Translation Textbook）.Shanghai:Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press,2001.
Guan Shijie关世杰跨文化交流学—提高涉外交际能力的学问(Cross-Cultural Communication)Beijing:Beijing University Press,1995.
Hu Fanzhu胡范铸Youmoyuyanxue幽默语言学(Humorous Linguistics).Shanghai:Shanghai Academy of Social Science Press,1987.
He Sanning何三宁Shiyong Yinghanfanyi Jiaocheng实用英汉翻译教程（An Applied Theory of Translation）.Nanjing：Southeast University Press,2006.
He Qiamwei何谦卫Wenhuaduoyuanhua Yu Fanyicelve文化多元化与翻译策略（Multiculturalism and Translation Strategy）.Beijing:Commercial Press,2006.
Jia Yuxi贾玉新Kuawenhua Jiaojixue跨文化交际学(Cross-Cultural Communication).Shanghai：Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press，2004.
Leech,G.N.English in Advertising.London,Longman,1966.
Munday.Introducing Translation Studies:Theories and Application.London&New York:Routledge,2001.
Newmark,Peter.Approaches to Translation.Shanghai:Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press,2001.
O’Donnell,W.etal.Variety in Contemporary English London:George Allen&Unwin Publisher,1980.
Rokeach,Value Survey.Beijing:Beijing University Press,1966.
Reiss,Katharina.Type,Kind and Individuality of Text:Decision Making Translation.London&New York:Routledge,1989.
Wang Shunfa王顺发广告英语(Advertising English).Beijing:Beijing University Press,2005.
Zheng Chunmiao郑春苗Zhongxi Wenhua Bijiao Yanjiu中西文化比较研究(A Comparative Study of Western and Chinese Culture).Shanghai：Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press,2003.
下载提示：
1、如文档侵犯商业秘密、侵犯著作权、侵犯人身权等，请点击“文章版权申述”（推荐），也可以打举报电话：18735597641(电话支持时间：9:00-18:30)。
2、网站文档一经付费（服务费），不意味着购买了该文档的版权，仅供个人/单位学习、研究之用，不得用于商业用途，未经授权，严禁复制、发行、汇编、翻译或者网络传播等，侵权必究。
3、本站所有内容均由合作方或网友投稿，本站不对文档的完整性、权威性及其观点立场正确性做任何保证或承诺！文档内容仅供研究参考，付费前请自行鉴别。如您付费，意味着您自己接受本站规则且自行承担风险，本站不退款、不进行额外附加服务。
原创文章，作者：写文章小能手，如若转载，请注明出处：https://www.447766.cn/chachong/9492.html,
