中英广告翻译中的文化差异.docx

1、中英广告翻译中的文化差异Cultural Differences in English-Chinese Advertisement Translation中英广告翻译中的文化差异学生姓名： 魏杨杨 所在系别：_外国语言文学系 所学专业： 英 语 完成时间： 2014年5月 ContentsAbstract.i摘要 .iiI. Introduction.1II.The Relationship Between Culture and Advertising Language.12.1 Language and Culture12.2 Advertisement and Culture.22.3

2、Advertisement Language and Culture.2III. Culture-Specific in Advertisement Translation.23.1 Differences in related cultural background.33.2 Differences in cultural value.33.3 Differences in numbers.3IV. The Principle of English-Chinese Advertisement Translation.44.1 Understand target language cultur

3、e adequately.44.2 Balance the relationship between metaphrase and paraphrase.44.3 Adopt transliteration and free translation.4V. Conclusion .5Bibliography.6AbstractAs Mark Twain says that many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising, advertisement has become one of the mos

4、t important product of culture in the modern age. It is a form of communication that typically attempts to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume products or service of a brand. Especially, advertising language is characterized by cultural and age background.Advertising has gone thro

5、ugh five major stages of development: domestic, export, international, multi-national and global. Nowadays, since the economic globalization, the relationship between advertisement and culture become more closely. This paper gives a detailed analysis of culture-specific in advertisement translation

6、and then probes into some effective methods of its translationKey words: advertisement translation; culture difference; language摘 要马克吐温曾经说过，很多微小的事物通过广告而使其功能扩大化。在当今世界，广告已成为最重要的文化产品之一。它是一种试图去引导消费者消费产品或服务的一种典型的交流形式。广告语言有典型的文化特征。广告经历了五个重要的发展阶段：国内化，向外发展，国际化，多国文化交融，全球化。如今，自从经济全球化以来，广告与文化的关系变得日益密切。本篇文章主要针对

7、广告翻译中的文化进行详细的分析以及探讨一下翻译的一些重要策略。关键词：广告翻译；文化差异；语言I. IntroductionAmerican Marketing Association defines advertising as the nonpersonal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services or ideas by identified sponsors through the various media. Howev

8、er, whatever the strategies advertiser takes, language is an essential carrier of inspiration. There are many unsuccessful cases of advertisement translation which lead no sale for product. The main reason is that the translator doesnt have adequate understanding of target culture, and is limited by

9、 superficial meaning of the text. In order to attract the target especially non-domestic consumers, it is a significant task to be aware of the differences between Chinese culture and western culture, and the key to translate advertisement is to have the same strong influence on the people who read

10、the translated version.II. The Relationship Between Culture and Advertising Language2.1 Language and Culture There are various cultural types such as national culture and foreign culture, while they have common feature that almost each culture exists in a form of language. Although lots of factors r

11、esult in the formation of culture, its spread relies on some certain forms. The practice indicates that language use is heavily tinted with its culture. We can infer that a language not only expresses facts, ideals, or events which represent similar world knowledge by its people, but also reflects t

12、he peoples attitudes, beliefs, world outlooks etc. In a word, language expresses cultural reality.2.2 Advertisement and Culture Advertisement and culture have reciprocal and bidirectional relationship. From macro level, advertisement industry accelerates the development of social economy. From micro

13、 level , the advertisement is one of the agents which lead to the reform of culture. Contemporary culture contains the advertisement, meanwhile, it is also the disseminator and creator of the culture. While publicizing products or services, the advertisement unconsciously outputs some cultural aware

14、ness and changes peoples thinking ways or values. Lets take Coca-Cola advertisement for example. Its original message is “I cant catch that feeling”. But Japanese version means “I enjoy Coca-Cola” and Italian version means “The unique feeling”. Therefore, it implies that only the advertisement infor

15、mation truly reflects local culture will it live up to the cultural expectation.2.3 Advertisement Language and Culture Advertisement language is the core of an ads. Social culture influences even limits this kind of language and expression, meanwhile, the advertisement language contains and reflects

16、 the social culture. The advertisement exists in a society which means philosophical concept, thinking mode, cultural psychology, moral caliber and cultural habits of a nation certainly have a great effect on the advertisement language. In the fact, people tend to accept such messages that arouse th

17、eir sense of identity.For instance, the publicity of a product or service closely related to sexy life sometimes in English advertisement. In order to increase its allure, we can find such words as condoms or sex in it. Although western people are accustomed to it, these kinds of advertisements have

18、 definitely surpassed the cultural psychological endurance of common people in China. So apprehension of the advertisement language should be based on local culture.III. Culture-Specific in Advertisement TranslationThe target of advertisement writer is the native reader who has same values, thinking

19、 ways and living habits, while, the advertisement translator needs to face the people whose cultural background, tradition and social values are utterly different. Therefore, as an intercultural activity, advertisement translation requires the translator to put acceptance degree of target people in

20、the first place and adequately consider culture-specific in advertisement. Otherwise, it is impossible to put publicity into effect. Ultimately, the company fails to achieve its market value. Now, this part list several aspects related to culture-specific in advertisement translation and discuss its

21、 problems and solutions.3.1 Differences in related cultural background Lets start from the headline of a famous American wines advertisementSouthern ComfortThe spirit of New Orleans since 1860. Actually, the success of this advertisement relies on peoples understanding of American traditional cultur

22、e. Southern Comfort wine, as well as American Jazz all comes from New Orleans. Based on cultural identity, we can easily find out its pun meaning. That is Southern Comfort wine has become widely familiar in America from middle period of 19th century when people began to create Jazz music, and it pre

23、sents spirit of New Orleansdeploitation, innovation and optimism. However, due to the lack of related cultural background, it is hard for Chinese reader to perceive cultural connotation in the original text. So, the translation should be based on target audiences point of view and focus on cultural

24、apprehension.3.2 Differences in cultural values The following sentence is excerpted from an advertisement of an American magazine.He is his own man. An individualist.individualist is always translated into 个人主义者 or 利己主义者. Meanwhile, it could not be considered as equivalent because of the differences

25、 in cultural values. The word individualist in English contains positive and commendatory meaning. It is used to describe a kind of people who prize personal right and are willing to show his or her personality. However, 个人主义者 in Chinese is a derogatory term which means self-concern. They seek benef

26、its for themselves at the expense of others. Consequently, the translator must readjust the original text on the basis of apprehending cultural values, otherwise, it is impossible to realize intended function of the advertisement. 一个有主见的人，一个有个性的人。 is a better version in terms of both understanding a

27、nd psychological effects on the target people.3.3 Differences in numbersThe differences in numbers reflects typical culture-specific in advertisement translation. First, lets take a beverage brand7-up as a example. The number seven implies positive meaning in AmericanEuropean countries. It is equal

28、to the number eight in China which stands for a good luck. Meanwhile, 7 is just an ordinary number in China. In order to convey the happy feeling of this brand, 七喜 becomes an appropriate Chinese version. Then, the following example is 三枪 brand underwear which is produced in Shanghai. Its English bra

29、nd is Three Guns. The reason why it is well received by consumers in Japan, Colombia and North Africa area is that three is regarded as a lucky number in these countries. Whats more, 9 is often used for expressing the meaning for a long time, especially as a blessing for the elder in China. There is

30、 999 medicine in the market. However, it will not have same effect on the English-speaking people due to the distinction of figure between English and Chinese culture.IV. The Principle of English-Chinese Advertisement TranslationWhen we translate advertisement, it is necessary for us to consider such fact