Abstract:Advertisement develops very fast in modern society and many internationalization companies extend their products to different markets of target with different languages. The target culture will influence the market and make the effect of advertisement different from others. So, the translation of advertisement should not only refer to the surface layer of language, but also approach to the connection of culture. There are many methods in translating advertisement. Free translation, literal translation, combination of transliteration & free translation, and adapted translation are the main four. This paper attempts to analyze the slogans and linguistic features of advertisement, and discuss about acculturation in stylistic translation.
Key words: logans; target culture; acculturation; free translation; literal translation
 
摘要：广告在现代社会增长的步幅很快，而很多国际化大公司也在采用不同的语言将自己的产品推广到不同的目标市场上。在这个目标市场上还会带来影响和广告效果差别的还有目标文化。因此，对于广告的翻译就不仅仅停留在语言的层面，而更多的是文化的交融。广告的翻译也有多种技巧：直译，音译，音意兼译，编译是主要的四种。本文通过对广告标题句语言特点的分析入手，在如何把握翻译技巧的同时，将实践提高到“文化转向翻译”的高度。
关键词：广告标题句；目标文化；文化转向翻译；意译法; 直译法

 

Contents

1. Introduction  …………………………………………………………………….…1
2. The Slogans and Their Translations ……………………………………………...….1
3. The Discrepancy in Advertisement Translation Rising from Language
Discrepancy……………………………………………………………………….....2
3.1 Pragmatic Meaning Discrepancy…………………………...…………………….2
3.2 Rhetoric Technique Discrepancy ………………………………………………....3
3.3 Sentence Pattern Discrepancy  …………………………………………………. 4
4. Trans-culture Factors in Advertisement Translation …………………………………. 4
4.1 Value Viewpoint.......................................................................................................5
4.2 Social History Background..........................……………………………………….6
4.3 Esthetic Idea.............................................................................................................7
4.4 Social Custom ..........................................................................................................7
5. Translation Technique of Advertisements ……………………...…............……..…….8
5.1 Literal Translation ……………………………………………………..…………..8
5.2 Free Translation …………………………………….…………………………….10
5.3 Combination of Transliteration & Free Translation ………………………….…..10
5.4 Adapted Translation  ……………………………………………………….……10
5.5 Other Translations …………………………………….…………………….…….11
6. Conclusion………………………………………………………..….………………..12
References………………………………………….…………….….…………………..13


1. Introduction
 
Advertisement is a kind of art, which provides the best marketing suggestion in news or magazines. It makes people buy the economical things in lowest price. Because of this special task, advertisement should mobilize every measure to serve for the purpose, and has various manifestations. But, as Vester-gaard and Schrder (1989) said in their article “The Language of Advertisement”: “Among the various type of advertisement, language is the most important thing. And to the language use, the most important thing is creativity and novelty.” (Dan-Hijing, 1993: 2) So, it can place a premium on one’s association, encourage one’s emotion, arouse one’s desire of purchase.
 
2. The Slogans and Their Translations
 
In slogans’ translation, it should refer to the advertisement products and some aspects which show the company’s pretty and activity, especially the acculturation. It should intensify the basic language message in maximization and give customers the great impression. For example “Arrive in better shape”, maybe you’ve heard of it in the movie or TV. “Arrive in better shape” is a slogan used for many years in the aerial company. If you work in an advertisement company in the future, please translate this slogan in a direct way. Advertisement customer familiar with marketing, they all understand it is wrong to translate slogans in direct way in Hong Kong. The reason is that the custom and culture are different between China and Western countries. Successful advertisements in Europe and America may not be accepted in Asia. For instance in 1970s: Coca Cola used to be an only company, however other drinks grow up, in order to promote that Coca Cola was the only best one, it creates the slogan “It is the real thing”. At that time, Hong Kong people like Coca Cola, but do not care about whether it is the best or not, it is easy to translate the slogan into Chinese in a direct way. Hong Kong people may not accept it. So Mr. Li Zuoyu who was an advertisement creator translates into “认真好”. Advertisement songs were always sent from America to Hong Kong, “it’s the real thing. Coca Cola’s the best.” As Chinese saying: “认真好，可口可乐最好.” It’s the best translation at that time. Modern advertisement used adjectives and adverbs extensively. In addition to nouns, it used verbs, descriptive adjectives and many kinds of none adjectives (刘宓庆, 1998: 421-427). However, we should consider the culture that was seen in Chinese when we translate them, so it is not necessary to translate second pronoun to point out the advertisement object. Besides, a lot of rhetorical devices are used in English advertisement, such as “personification, metaphor, pun, repetition” (赵静, 1993: 279-283), but when translating them into Chinese, mostly considering whether it matches the Chinese Culture or not: the features of symmetry which match the sense of beauty of Chinese culture, make customers purchase the products. In Chinese culture, such methods are seen to be aggressive, and have a good result. For example, the slogan of Nike “Just do it”, if you don’t consider the aspect of culture, you will misunderstand the customers. Meanwhile, advertisements in English and Chinese also use some aphorism to make people think, and pay attention to the goods in promotion. For instance, “to smoke or not to smoke, that is a question” is from the famous sentence-“To be or not to be, that is a question.” But if you don’t consider Chinese culture, it will be translated as “抽还是不抽, 这是个问题.” It’s hard to make people realize it is a promotion, instead, it will make people think that it persuades them to give up smoking, it doesn’t have sense of culture. Therefore, the translation of slogan has more scope of freedom, but should show its article feature of advertisement translation. Please pay attention to the following:
(1) Buick: 别克汽车
   A modern classic
  译: 现代的经典
(2) GE:通用电器-we bring good things to life.
  译: 哦, 通用! 便利生活通通用。
(3) 7-UP:七喜饮料
   Slogan: Fresh up with 7-up
  译: 喝七喜, 有活力
 (4) Tides: 汰渍洗衣粉
   Tides is in; Dirt is out.
  译: 汰渍进门, 清除灰尘。真真正正, 干干净净。
3. The Discrepancy in Advertisement Translation Rising from Language Discrepancy
An advertisement in English should be oral and easy which are necessary for practice. Because it is easy for people to understand the simple words, they can finish reading in a short time. And oral words can make people feel tender and relaxed, and win the good sense of readers. However, Chinese and English languages have some discrepancies, and there are pragmatic meaning, rhetorical technique, and sentence pattern.
 
3.1 Pragmatic Meaning Discrepancy
 
Estrangement of words is the obstacle of trans-cultural advertisement transmission. The basics and pledges of trans-cultural language use are familiar to every language, adapting language habit and characteristic. So, it is not enough to translate advertisement depending on dictionary. Pay attention to the example, an advertisement turned up in Hong Kong in 1995: “She wants to put her tongue in your mouth”. At first, you may think that it is an advertisement about marriage service company. In fact, it is about the Hong Kong learning language center. The key word is “tongue”, if you translate it into “舌头”, it could be “她要把舌头放进你的嘴里”, and it definitely makes people associate. So, we should dredge up another meaning—“language”. So, that it becomes “她要把她的语言教给你”-so clear. Sometimes, in translation, we find such complexion: words and expressions that show the same concept have their meaning in one language system, but have nothing or show nothing in another one. If you are in the street of America, you will find such cars which are painted “I am yellow”. In fact, they are not yellow. It makes many Chinese people feel puzzled for painting in the cars. In fact, “yellow” has turn to another meaning. One is taxi, and the other is timid. Obviously, “I am yellow” should be translated into “我是出租车”. This sentence has changed into a taxi self-recommend advertisement.             
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6. Conclusion

 
This paper analizes the slogans of advertisement, language and culture differences and their impact on advertisement translation, and finally puts forward the translation technique of advertisements. It tells us that when translating advertisements, please pay attention to the acculturation. And only do this, can we get to the purpose of advertisement of translation and scheme in target group. From this significance, advertisement translation has already been the second scheme.