浅谈英汉语言文化差异对广告翻译的影响
[Abstract] As the product of culture, advertisement directly reflects the close relationship between language and culture. And advertising language is a special art form, which has profound cultural background and can be influenced by the tendency of the times. This paper investigates the Chinese and English advertising languages, and uncovers the culture differences in advertisements. Then it discusses the problems in the advertising translation, and puts forward the artistic and effective methods of advertising translation.
The world is getting increasingly globalized. Advertisement is closely related to the culture. The purpose of an advertisement is to persuade target consumesers to buy the advertised products or services. Thus, it is a most important task to be aware of the differences between Chinese culture and western culture. This paper analyzes the differences from six aspects: monism versus pluralism, collectivism versus individualism, the implicit way versus the direct way, the imagery pattern versus the abstract pattern, respect of authority versus respect of self-performance, and the differences of social background and aesthetics.
Some defects and even unsuccessful advertisements are made because of the poor quality of translation. This paper proceeds from problems in advertising translation that the translators do not have a good command of the nation-specific culture and is too adhesive to the advertisement’s superficial meaning while there are a lot of cultural factors hidden in the present advertising translation. In fact, advertisement translation requires more than just rendering sentences into another language. Translators have to convert the ideas and thoughts behind the sentences into the target language by applying the knowledge of the target culture. This paper suggests some methods to make advertising translation in view of the language and culture differences.
[Key words] advertising language; culture difference; advertising translation
【摘 要】 广告作为文化的产物，可以更直接地展示语言和文化的关系，所以广告语言是一门具有浓郁文化色彩与时代特点的形式。本文对中、英广告语言进行了探讨，揭示了中英广告的语言在语音、语义、文字形式及修辞等方面的差异以及文化差异。然后，文章分析了广告语言翻译中存在的问题，从文化的角度提出了有关广告翻译的艺术的有效方法。
因为全球的一体化，所以广告语言涉及了大量的文化知识。既然广告语言的目的是劝导目标消费者购买其产品或服务，那么充分理解中西文化差异就成了一项举足轻重的任务。本文从六个方面进行分析，它们依次是一元论和多元论、集体主义和个人主义、含蓄和率直、形象和抽象、权威意识从众心理和自身功效自身价值、社会背景、审美方式等差异。
中英广告的互译中，有许多不理想的实例，有的甚至导致了销售挫折.本文分析了问题的原因，主要是在于当今广告翻译同样蕴藏着大量的文化，而译者却没有足够的文化的驾驭能力，太拘泥于原文表层。事实上，广告的翻译不是简单地把句子翻译出来。翻译人员要充分运用目标文化知识，把句子后而所承载的思想、概念尤其是文化传递给译入语的目标消费者。所以本文旨从广告语言文化差异的角度出发介绍几种英汉广告互译的方法。
【关键词】 广告语言；文化差异；广告翻译
1.Linguistic Differences Reflected in Advertisements
Shen xiaolong[1] once summarizes that western languages are rule-governed while the Chinese language is people-governed. In other word, Chinese is a language governed by meaning. Chinese is regarded as a flexible language which can be long or short in its lexical units, and is based on the language of logic phrase chunks while Western language are made up of verb central elements which are inflexible.
The following part of this paper will discuss seven aspects of linguistic differences reflected in advertisement.
1.1 Flowing chunks vs. SV structure
Jin Huikang[2] compares the Chinese and English languages in details. In view of syntax, Chinese sentences connect minor-clauses according to chronological or logical order. The structure seems short and loose. It seldom focuses on one rigid point but moves according with the logical order and the changing rhythm. Unlike the Chinese structure, English sentence displays a spatial arrangement with the verb as a center. They are clear in meaning and tight in structure. Therefore, Chinese syntactic structures usually employ parataxis, while English adopts hypostasis. In translation, we must get rid of our own way of thinking, and arrange sentences conforming to the target rules and conventions. The following examples show these intrinsic differences working in Chinese and English, and help us explore some plausible translation methods.
(1) 境内西湖如明镜，千峰凝翠，洞壑幽深，风光绮丽。
The West Lake is like a mirror, embellished all around with green hills and deep caves of enchanting beauty. [3]
Obviously, the original structure is changed in the target text. The structure of the Chinese advertisement is loose with some short clauses, whereas the English one breaks it into one sentence, which is centered on a verb, with modifiers of participle phrase, proposition phrase, and noun phrase around it. By doing so, the translation emphasizes the central meaning in the SV structure "The West Lake is like a mirror" and specifies the implied logical relationship in the surface form. Reflecting linguistic features of English language, the translation is a successful one in both content and function.
1.2 Flowery language vs. concise wording[4]
“When concerning about the rhetoric, Chinese tends to use gorgeous words while English has a vivid character of conciseness.
“Chinese is good writer to express their feelings by writing and try their best to apply grand vocabulary to describe beautiful and moving images to be sounded elegantly. Many high-sounding words can be found in Chinese. For instance, in Chinese advertisements we frequently see words like“一流”(first class)，“完美”(perfect)，“独特”(specific) regardless of the quality of goods being advertised. With regard to language forms, the Chinese language strives for symmetry in structure and rhyme in sound, hence reading neat, implicit and musical. For example, four-character phrases, parallelism, antithesis appears frequently in Chinese. In order to achieve rhyming, emphasis or neat structure Chinese language often resorts to tautology.
“On the contrary, western literature and art have been developing under the theory of imitating the reality. The English language reflects this theory and proves to be objective, factual and rational. It has tight sentence structure, meticulous stream of thought, and logical relationship between linguistic units, concise wording and straightforward description. All in all, brevity is the soul of wit, or in other words, a proper word in a proper place is good English. Abusing of florid language is forbidden in good English, for it is considered illogical and may harm the original meaning or communication.
“Thus Chinese and English advertisements are quite different, especially when describing scenery in tourist advertisements. It is a language for poets to give expression to special feelings instead of defining or judging. Even when describing sceneries, English displays a beauty of form, straightforward, explicit, objective, unlike the casual, subjective Chinese. For example, the following advertisement written by a native speaker of English is concise and plain, and through simile and combination of concrete scenes, it provides enough space for imagination. However, from the point of view of Chinese, it may be too plain. For example:
(2)Tiny islands are strung around the edge of the peninsula like a pearl necklace. Hunks of coral reef, coconut palms and fine white sand.
“If we translate it word by word, it will not meet Chinese readers’ expectation. So abundant modifiers such as“礁红”，“成片”，and“如银”，and four-character phrases like “玲珑小巧”，and“如诗如画”are employed to make the translated version read beautiful.
“ 座座岛屿玲珑小巧，紧密相连，像一串珍珠缀成的项链，环绕着半岛边缘。
岛上珊瑚礁红，椰树成片，沙滩如银，景色如诗如画。
“The bold characters add charm to the scenic spot and contribute to the whole rhyming structure but mean nothing to English readers because they are repetitive and wordy. The same is true that in C-E translation, those superfluous modifiers should be omitted, adapted or implicit between lines so as to make the target version conform to the westerners’ aesthetic standards.”
1.3 Speech contrast[5]
The pronunciation of the language can cause the mentally different sense of hearing result, and stir up the different reaction mentally, however it is soft or clear and crisp or strong, or dignified. In advertising language, we usually make use of onomatopoeic motivation, sound symbolism and echoism which could easily cause the target audience’s aesthetic feeling. But there exist a great difference between Chinese and western speech, onomatopoeia and rhythm. As a result, it makes translator puzzled .In English advertising words, in order to make the ad full of aesthetic feeling, they often make use of alliteration, assonance, rhyme, and consonance. For example, the advertisement phrase” Never late on Father’s Day. " There are two assonance [ei] which sound musically harmonious. However, it is quite difficult to attain this aesthetic feeling in its Chinese translation. Moreover while translating we should still notice some advertisements phrase sound may cause to lead to bad meaning in another language. For example the Japanese company of Toshiba once uses an advertisement :
(3)" 东芝(Toshiba) , 东芝(Toshiba) , 大家的东芝”.This is a advertising lyric .The first “东芝”is translated into the sound "To shi ba". Hence young people jokingly read it as“偷去吧，偷去吧，大家的东西”In this way ,there’s no solemnity at all.
1.4 Semantic contrast[5]
Language is an essential part as well as the carrier of a culture, which not only reflects its racial history and cultural background, but also includes the views, life style, and thinking method. Meanwhile, advertising language, one branch of the language, is also reflected by the culture. It is not enough for advertising translators only to know the literal meaning of an ad, for it may be endowed with extended meaning and cultural implication. Fully competent advertising translators are supposed to have a good command of religions, traditions, ethnic attitudes, the spirit of community, and purchasing habits of the target countries. Otherwise, the translated ads might go against the original intention of the producers in the following four aspects.
1) Translation conveys a derogatory sense in the target culture. For example, the Shanghai-produced pen branded as“白翎” could receive welcome in English-speaking countries, for the brand is translated as White Feather". Unfortunately, "white feather" is a symbol or mark of cowardice in English. It derives the connotation from the belief that white feather in a gamecock’s tail is a sign of a poor fighter. The English idiom, "show the white feather", means "sneak away at a critical juncture". Therefore, "white feather" is used to represent caitiffs. The translation nullifies the strengths of the company on the international market and becomes a disadvantage that fails to serve the interests of the producers or those of the distributors.
2) Translation happens to be politically inappropriate. When introduced to foreign countries, the Chinese brand of canvas shoes“大鹏”is rendered as "ROC", which is a sort of giant bird in Arabic fables. However, "ROC" happens to be the abbreviation of "Republic of China". Obviously, the translation stirs up inappropriate political associations.
3) Translation is not elegant enough. In English, "cock" usually has the implied meaning of a certain part of human body. If the brand name“金鸡” is literally translated into "Golden Cock", the translated term will annihilate the good image of the products and leave the target audience the impression of vulgarity. In fact, there is a better version for“金鸡，’-Golden Rooster.
4) Translation by using Chinese phonetic letters coincides with English words with derogatory sense. The typical example is“马戏扑克”.The version "Maxi Puke” reminds the English consumers of something revolting and unpleasant, for "maxi" means big in English and "puke" indicates vomited food or drink.
1.5 Differences between character form[5]
It is self-evident that various countries, nationalities and regions use a variety of characters. Furthermore, likes and dislikes for certain characters are widely divergent. It is reported that Japanese are in favor of such Chinese characters as“诚”、“梦”、“爱”、“愁”and “美” while most Chinese are accustomed to“福”、“寿”、“喜”and“乐”.In accordance with the American author Irving Wallace, the most beautiful English words are chime, golden, lullaby，melody and murmuring, etc. Since Chinese is a visual symbolic system with the most precise structure for recording human speech, the pictographic and associative Chinese characters are not only potential in transmitting message, but also offer great additional aesthetic function so as to arouse consumers’ positive reaction. Unlike Chinese, English is an alphabetical system of writing and can hardly produce artistic image only through its words. In consequence, it is by no means an easy job to give accurate and elegant English versions for the Chinese ads.
In case of untranslatability arising from character differences, advertising translators have to exert all strengths to seek other methods, for instance, to create a completely new ad for the same product intended for the target market. When introducing its products to China, Japanese Toyota Automobile Company ingeniously employs“车到山前必有路，有路必有丰田车”to stimulate Chinese consumers into purchases.
1.6 Rhetoric contrast[5]
English is rapidly becoming the universal language for international business. It is inevitable for Chinese producers to translate their ads into English to gain a place on the world market. Rhetoric devices are the most commonly used tools in English advertising copywriting. There do exist differences in rhetorical figures between Chinese and English, and these differences may put translators in a difficult position. For instance:
(4) 黄河冰箱，领“鲜”一步。
This ad adopts the rhetorical device of pun, which is difficult to translate. The translator can hardly render the meaning without sacrificing the form, or maintain the original flavor without distorting the meaning. The translation of rhetorical devices in Chinese ads is a knotty problem, which has blocked the way of many translators of Chinese ads. As stated in the previous part of the thesis, what should be borne in mind is that communication becomes effective abroad only after the message has been appropriately translated. Without this adequate and expressive translation, it is very unlikely to produce an impact on the foreign consumer. Therefore, the author tries to make a study of the rhetorical devices used in advertising English to pave the way for the application of English rhetoric to the translation of Chinese ads.
1.7 The influence on the advertising translation
Translation is a bilingual and bicultural activity. The translator always seeks to strike a balance between the two languages and two cultures involved in the activity. Any shift of emphasis from the source language and culture to the target counterparts or vice versa may result in the difference between literal translation and free translation, faithful translation and idiomatic translation, semantic translation and communicative translation, word-for-word translation and adaptation. As the major function of advertising is to encourage sales, i.e., to persuade the target audience to make a purchase, advertising translation, which aims at promoting sales on the overseas market, should necessarily lay its emphasis on the overseas audience, i.e., the target language readership. What should be favored in advertising translation is the message rather than the form, the sense instead of the words, the spirit and not the structure. In order to convey the original message, render the primary sense and display the right spirit, the form, words and structure of the source advertising text can be retained if possible, adapted and even converted if necessary. The translator must try, by hook or by crook, to produce the corresponding effect, or in other words, to create similar response from the target language readership.
2.Theoretical Background
Two aspects of advertising language will be discussed in this part, the one is about cultural differences and the other is concerning about the advertising translation.
2.1 Relation between language, culture and thought
According to Bernstein, language is something which both influences culture and is in turn influenced by culture, with the second influence apparently stronger than the first. According to Brown, culture is really an integral part of the interaction between language and thought. Culture patterns, customs and ways of life are expressed in language; culture-specific worldviews are reflected in language.
2.2 Culture and advertising language
Advertising language is reflective of literature, psychology and aesthetics of the cultural community. It carries marks of influence of that cultural community’s tradition in its worldviews, social values, religion and the like. For instance, American advertisements mirror Americans’ cultural psychology-quest for adventure and individuality. This is suggested by the linguistic preference for words like adventure, different, fearless, exhilarating, bold, new and innovative, whereas, the psychology reflected in Chinese advertisements tends to be pursuit for, say, kinship, perfection and family unification.
The culture differences reflect on the language, especially on the advertising language. Therefore, there are certain concepts which can be activates by an English word but not by its Chinese equivalent. It is quite possible that a Chinese version of an American advertisement may not trigger the intended response in the Chinese consumers, and what’s worse, it may not be understood by them.
Hence, the more a translator knows about how a cultural group view such things as humor, interpersonal relationship, life and work style, the more successfully he or she will be able to produce an effective advertisement translation.
3.Cultural Differences in Advertising Language
The faster the economy grows; the more exchange there will be. Because of the global economic market, culture differences can be reflected everywhere. The advertisement is the active constituent in the whole market, and the advertising language is full of abundant culture. So a qualified advertiser should know clear about the basic cultural differences and he or she can make a competitive advertisement, which can be well understood and arouse the sympathetic purchasing action. Thus this chapter will explain the basic cultural difference from the six aspects.
3.1 Monism versus pluralism[6]
From the aspect of culture basic form, Chinese culture has the monism viewpoint and the western culture has the pluralism viewpoint. "Nature and human are in oneness" is one of Chinese philosophy concepts in Chinese traditional culture. It insists that nature and human should be in harmony. Contrary to the Chinese culture, the western culture insists on the view of pluralism. It emphasizes on the changes and differences of the matter, self-development, and enterprising spirits.
Some Chinese advertisements meet the culture psychology of Chinese public, and create some preferable advertising words. For example:
(5)天堂水沏的龙井茶，娃哈哈矿泉水茶饮料。(Beverage)
(6)天地间造化，动静皆风云。(Car)
(7)一份好奶，一片云;
远在天边，
近在你我心间……
天生的好奶，天山雪。
(Fresh Milk)
The three advertising examples take advantage of the idea "Nature and human are in oneness", and create imagining language in the way of empathy. The means of artistic expression attract the readers’ attention and the advertisement gets its ideal effect. The advertiser takes the Wahaha beverage as the holy water from Paradise by using a metaphor. "Water from the Paradise” comes from the five-thousand-year-old Chinese culture. The myth makes the common water noble and mysterious. The consumers feel it should be out of ordinary if they buy the merchandise. The pure, the holy and the rich fragrant make the tea beverage be the essence of heaven and earth. So the products fascinate the consumers so much that arouse the people’s enthusiasm and the strong purchase desire. This advertisement gets it goal.
The English advertisements are affected by the pluralism viewpoint of western culture which prefers the individual freedom, self-development and the creative ability. It also encourages people to transform world and conquer the nature. These advertisements highlight the importance of person self-development, and publicize their products from point of view of personality. They show the ideas in western value system that people can change everything and people can create everything. The advertisements manifest the beliefs that people should pursuit the freedom and the self-development, and create the future. Theses expressions satisfy the consumers’ personality development and arouse the sympathetic responses.
3.2 Collectivism versus individualism[6]
At the value aspect, the Chinese culture worships the selfless dedication. Personal value lies in the dedication. In China’s traditional culture, philanthropism, kind and justice always is the society value in worship. To Chinese, personal happiness is in accordance with the collective benefits. Consideration, care and love have been the state of mind that the people emphasize. Therefore, Chinese people pay more attention to national affairs, family affairs, everything concerned, and giving others with very considerate and concerning care is regarded as virtue. But in the western society culture, people emphasize the character personal freedom, ego development and personal spirit of enterprise, personal benefits are beyond on the collective benefits. The different value will reflect by all means at each ad language. The examples listed below could prove:
(8) 妈妈,我又梦见了村边的小溪,梦见了
奶奶,梦见了您。妈妈,我给您捎去一样好东西。威力洗衣机,献给妈妈的爱。(威力牌洗衣机)
(9) 让妻子从繁重的家务中解脱出来,这是每个丈夫的职责.
The author of these Chinese advertisement places oneself among the consumers. We can easily found something tender and affable. Adopting the empathy of feeling, arouse the consumer’s family affection and friendship. Therefore, the ad read very human. Show consideration to the others, the kind and justice universal love, respect the old and love the young, the peaceful family have been the virtue that the our country publicizes in the traditional culture, But these advertisement give these traditional virtues for product, with a thick affection color took into exaggeration, making a claim that the product can be trusted and feel warm with it .On the contrary, English advertisement emphasize the personal struggle, person freedom and ego realization, encouraging character development is usually an English advertisement claim method. Such as:
(10) Lufthansa
Our personal service will appeal to your individual taste.
( Lufthansa Airline)
(11) For the man who makes his own rules.
Premier
From Johnnie Walker
Rare Old Scotch whisky, aged to perfection. The result of over 170 years of expertise. (Premier whisky)
In Chinese traditional culture, there is a public feeling that the words should be conservative and, implicit. Because the unsaying words are very meaningful and can achieve an ideal state. In the Chinese articles, there are some words that seem unrelated, which highlight the theme. To some extent, there are a few words about the peculiarities and the functions of the products. For examples:
(12) 自己人，不玩虚的，贵府酒。 (贵府酒)
(13) 鹤舞白沙，我心飞翔。(白沙集团)
(14)朋友情谊，贵乎至诚相处，互相支持帮助。啊，滴滴香浓，意犹未尽!
(15) JUST WHAT THE DENTIST ORDERED.
In all, Chinese nation think highly of friendship. So these means mentioned above can achieve the sympathetic effect. The advertisements get the goal. For another example:
Now there’s something more dentists ca n recommend for your gums that’s proven to help get them healthier. Crest Plus Gum Care is the only cavity of getting toothpaste that’s so effective; it’s clinically proven to help reserve the gum disease gingivitis. (Crest佳洁士牙膏)
From the advertisement above, it can be seen that the frank, candid, and efficient attitudes. The advertisers show the peculiarities and functions of the products straightforwardly. The words are very reliable and convincible. This direct expressing way of advertising complies with the western people’s style and gives good impression to the western readers.
3.4 The imagery pattern versus abstract pattern
In Chinese traditional culture, the mode of thinking is belonging to the imagery pattern most of time. To some extent, the abstract pattern is little. Chinese people often put their feelings in the concrete objects and things. When a person sees an object, he/she will think of another familiar person. This is the common sense of Chinese people. So the advertisers often show a comparably concrete scene or an analogy, in order that the readers can think of the products easily.
The thought of western people are used to be leaping and thoughtful. They prefer the abstract thinking pattern than the imagery pattern. So they often utilize the creative language, and give the readers a kind of novel ideas in order that the consumers can get a profound and favorable impression. For example:
(16) THE SMOOTHER SIDE OF SUCCESS.
(J&B wine)
(17) Minolta. The simplicity of intelligence.
(Minolta typewriter)
(18) Comfort, care, dedication.
We’ve put it all in our airline. ---Welcome to civilized aviation.
(Swiss International Air Lines)
3.5 Respect of authority versus respect of self-performance[6]
From long time ago, Chinese culture stresses on the public opinion. It insists that people should solicit comments and suggestions from other person outside his/her organization. And it also regards that the records can prove everything including the last, the present, and the future. The authority has a great power to affect the purchase of the consumers. So this is one important feature of Chinese advertisements. The advertisers often enumerate the honors and certificates and let them occupy a pivotal position, when the advertisers introduce the products to the readers. For example:
(19) 上海名牌产品、IS9001国际体系认证、“环保产品质量信得过重点品牌”称号。干洗机1000元起价，培训技术。
(20)中国驰名商标，中国名牌，国家免检产品，优质更超值。
But different from Chinese advertisements, English advertisements have this kind of expressing way rarely. Because they have the successful realization of self-value. So the practical consciousness appeared here and there in English advertisements.
3.6 Difference social history background. [7]
So if only the advertisers design the English advertisements by taking the consumers’ the essential interests as the base and by taking the idea of self value realization as the goal. in culture centers on the personal value, western people treat the official position as the very common thing. Western culture pays more attention on the personal value and self interests. It ad may lead to the dissimilarity in advertising translation. Such as the trademark " 白熊", should it be translated to" White Bear" or "Polar Bear"? This is something to do with the current politics. Along with the change of the international political situation," Polar Bear"( 北极熊) have already had another extra meaning, people may easy regard it as the nickname which refer to a kind of political power in the world. Therefore, "White Bear" may be more acceptable. When Japanese company Toyota firstly entered into the Chinese market, they created an advertisement slogan " Where there is a way for car there is a Toyota." this has borrowed from one of China’s colloquialism. But if publicized in the United States still remain this, it will make people puzzled. Hence they changed the advertisement language into" Not all cars are created equal" Everyone knows the history of the United States may understand that the first sentence of Declaration of Independence is" All men are created equal", By using this borrowing sentence ,Toyota make its declaration that the quality of their cars is much better than others’.
3.7 Difference of aesthetics[8]
The public aesthetics has a close tie to the advertisement translation. Aesthetic mind is a integrated cultural consciousness involving political standpoint, religious concept, life style, customs and habits...etc..
The psychology structure of Chinese citizen is known as "humanity", "practicality", " endurance”. The formation is special to aesthetic mindset, which is mainly subjected to the Confucian thought method influence of" the doctrine of the mean”. Aesthetic requires to be" astringent" and is beautifully-unified. Compared with western esthetic sense of blatant mentalism, Chinese aesthetic may come more objective.
The western aesthetics emphasizes the corpus affection and imagination intuitional beauty. This difference of aesthetics has resulted in the difference between Chinese and western advertisement culture. Chinese shows a kind of unified value to their culture, they believe in the authority, common opinion, boon rather than fact, motif, and the personality comes on top of other factors. While the westerner’s cultural psychology is complicated in the structure which is on the basis of “human root ” “recognition” and “behavior”.
4.Impact on Advertising Translation
Because the advertisement is a world-wide product, the advertising translation is worthy of being mentioned. Bad advertising translation can result in the sales failure. So this chapter introduces four ways to deal with the problems in the advertising translation.
4.1 Problems in advertising language translation
Following the economic enhancing, the economy becomes global and every nation’s products, come to the world market. Therefore, the advertisement plays a decisive role. So the quality of the advertisement translation between English and Chinese has the direct effect on the products’ sale and image in the international market. Culture differences in international marketing make the potential for a global brand advertised with global message very limited. Therefore, translating of an advertisement in one should invariably take the target culture into account. In order that effective communication may take place, consumers’ perceived meaning. The most cost-effective way to do this seems to develop a global product and communication concept and to allow for local adaptation of the message . . .
4.2 Requirements of advertising language translation
"Advertising translation is a commercial activity with predetermined purpose." [9] (P95) Some people advocate that criteria of advertisement translating are naturalness, exactness. This idea is applicable to almost all kinds of translating practices. Some people claim that advertisement translating can not follow the conventional translating paths; neither literalism nor free-ism would do [9] [10] but they do not address the problem from the same perspective; Some approach it from the angel of marketing and others. Out of the consideration of interlingual communication, all give the hint that advertisement translating is practically oriented. "The very nature and purpose of advertising determines advertising translating to be more than conventional translating. More often than not it is more of rewriting and recreating. Mr.靳涵身observes, “The work (advertising translation) is restricted so much by the product’s marketing strategies, market conditions, relevant laws and regulations, and cultural barriers in the target market countries that in practice it is more creating a new advertising text than conventional translating." Translator cannot be too language-dependent. As copywriters have the license to make creative sentences, translators of advertisements also have, and more accurately, should exercise the freedom to make creative renditions. This is not a matter of keeping up to Joneses. Neither should be, opinion be dismissed as eccentric.
Different from literary translation, which makes a point makes a point giving due respect to original text and keeping the style of the source text author, advertisement translation is function-oriented. As discussed in Function of Advertising Language, the most important thing of an advertisement is its directive or persuasive function. To put it simply, an advertisement is supposed to promote sales. Likewise, its rendition is expected to help sell the product or service in a different marketing context. Hence, the ultimate hallmark of a good rendition is how well it helps promote sales. No matter how faithful in form a translation is to its foreign counterpart, it is a failure if it dues not fulfill its sales promoting task.
4.3 Some methods of intercultural advertising translation
A good advertisement is one that elicits the intended emotion in the customer, who will in turn act in an expected manner accordingly, a good advertisement translation is one that reproduces the effect as closely as possible in the target culture and in so doing leads potential consumers to buying action. Every translator desires to be faithful to the original. to do this, he must not only communicate the same information, but also attempt to evoke the same emotional response as the original text does. In many ways, the emotional tone of a passage is the key to real communication effectiveness. The author may wish to crate a feeling of urgency, persuasiveness, and tentativeness, exuberance or despondency. It is important that this same emotion be communicated in the translation. For an effective transfer of the tone if the text, the translator must be well acquainted with both the source and receptor language and culture.
The main function of advertisement is to move the readers and to arouse the readers’ purchasing desire. So does advertisement translation. "The advertisement translation not only supplies the clear and well-understood information of product but also creates the same atmosphere and sense to the readers. So the effect of translation and the feeling of consumers are most important focuses of advertising translation. A advertising translator should be clear that he/she Is not only a translator but a writer who creates a perfect work which can achieve a good sale. Then the advertising translation will be discussed from tour aspects in the following, passages.
4.3.1 Target culture orientation in conception
Advertising language is required to he novel and original in conception. The advertiser should choose an object from an appropriate view of point according to the market strategy. Not only the conception but also the expression should be particular and the advertisement itself should set up an artistic conception, and give a kind of emotion. In all, the words should be attracting and arouse the consumers’ sympathetic response. And the advertisement translation should be according to these principals of advertisement language in order to achieve an ideal effect. Meaning lost in reproducing advertisements across language is especially big if poorly handled. Further more. if the translator does not transfer the source culture to the target culture well. he or she will not express a novel and original conception. Then how translators should retain the effect achieved through the unique linguistic features in the target text is esteemed as a particularly challenging hard nut. In an effort to approximate the effect of the original text in the target consumption market, advertisement translator frequently make up by use of different linguistic devices in the target text. And every advertising translation should obey the target cultural principles in order to make a cultural oriented advertisement which will be well accepted. For example
(21) Until the last drop…(Nestle coffee)
译文:滴滴香浓，意犹未尽…(雀巢咖啡)
(22) My Goodness! My Guinness! (Wine)
译文:此酒只应天上有! (桂尼斯酒)
(23)轻松一点，精彩无限(网站)
译文:Miracles Touch (Web-site)
4.3.2 Being compendious and widely read in the target culture
Generally speaking, the advertising language is concise and comprehensive. It has strong sense of rhythmic and rhyming. Those peculiarities can make the advertising language attracting and popular because of being well read. Then the translation from one language to another, that is to say, from one culture to another, the advertisement should be compendious and widely read. So the translation must be accord with the principles of target culture. And the translators should be familiar with the cultural differences and grasp the requirements of target culture. For example:
(24)青而不淡，浓而不艳.
译文:Xifeng wine, mellow and smooth.
(25)Only your time is more precious than this watch. ( Watch)
译文:手表诚可贵，时间价更高
(26)We care because you do (An insurance company)
译文:关心着你的心
The first advertising example is grasping the main idea and makes its language concise and easily remembered. Chinese advertising is very rhythmic and rhymed with two words“淡”and “艳”.If the translator translates the Chinese words one by one, the English version will be tedious and lose the original style. So the translator translates the pith of these Chinese words, and also achieves a good effect. The second advertisement is about a kind of watch. The Chinese version of the English advertisement makes full use of Chinese poetry which is well-known, rhythmic and well read. This rendition is an imitation of“生命诚可贵，爱情价更高”，a line written by Hungarian poet. So this Chinese version has the glamour of poetry. The third advertisement’s Chinese version is originally a line in a popular Chinese song entitled "Hand in Hand", which has been virtually spread from lips to lips. So the Chinese version has a strong artistic appeal.
4.3.3 Employment of different language deviation devices of the target language
In translating creative advertisements translators can adopt language deviation devices different from those used in the source text. Most language deviation devices in English advertisements have correspondents in the Chinese language. The replacement of one device with another one in the target language is often very rewarding. For example:
(27)Growing fast (the stock)
译文:牛气冲天
(28) The pen is mightier than the sword. The pen is a Parker.
译文:千军万马难抵大笔一挥——此笔乃派克。
(29) Out of blows, friendship grows. (Typewriter)
译文:不打不相识
The first translating example is very creative because, for one thing, it imitates the Chinese idiom“怒气冲天”，suggestive of force and power; for another thing,“牛气”means "bull market", as against "bear market", a popular term used in stock exchange, suggesting prosperity. The second English advertising language has been translated by using a metaphor, which shows that intelligence is better than power. And Parker is an ideal image of intelligence. The third advertising translation version has made full use of pun. This piece of Chinese version is also an idiom which has lost the original meaning. At the present, if the consumers use this kind of typewriter, it will help them to have better interrelationship. This kind of translation is very humorous.
4.3.4 Utilizing the effective advertisement of the target culture
There are so many famous and creative advertisements in the world. And advertising campaign itself involves a profound element of competition. To some extent, translator can utilize some of them to create a new one. This is another way to promote the sales. Those famous or successful advertising language have already had effective influence and the consumers have been very familiar with those advertisements and the products. So if the advertiser or the translator has connected their advertising language with those popular advertising languages, their advertising language will be welcome too. Then the products’ promoting work will be on the prosperous way. For instance, IBM appealed to buyers of their machines by I THINK THRERFORE IBM. The campaign is successful. IBM has made a global status. One of its competitors AMSTRAD follows it closely and tries to establish itself in the market by imitating the IBM’ slogan. It comes with I THINK MORE CAREFULLY THEREFORE I AMSTRAD. The slogan echoes the IBM slogan and at the same time hints that if the consumers choose rationally, he/she choose Amstrad. The "Don’t show me any other. But show me Black Sister" campaign of toothpaste brand Black Sister is another illustrative example Black Sister slogan in the American market cleverly imitates the English slogan of a famous glass goods manufacture, which goes,” Don’t show me the crystal. Show me Galway." The Black Sister advertising campaign might not be as successful as expected, for the establishment of a brand in the market is complex and gradual process, which advertising alone can not realize. However, it makes a good start. Its association with the Galway is very likely to arouse the interest of the American consumer. The same thing, if the translator adopts some famous advertisements which have already been welcome in the target culture because the consumers have the confidence on the products advertised expecting that the products are as good as those good ones, he or she will receive the good effect. Below are more examples of the type.
(30) Just do it. (Nike)
译文:心动不如行动
(参照的是:心动不如行动-travel agency )
(31) 带给您无限精彩((a web site)
译文:Where wonder never ceases
(参照的是:Where miracles never cease-Casio)
However, advertising is a kind of marketing practice, which is disciplined by marketing laws and regulations. Imitating without the least variations runs the risk of infringing the intellectual right. This frequently happens with the translation of brand names. Registered brand names are protected by relevant laws and regulations. Therefore, translators must be very careful not render a brand name into something exactly the same as what already exists in the target language market. Moreover, frequent imitation tends to result in triteness. It is quite possible that people know the advertisement itself without knowing what it exactly sells.
5.Conclusion
Advertising is an implicit form of persuasion. Language and cultural differences can be reflected from the advertising language. This paper has shown that language and culture differences can influence the advertisement from so many aspects. On the basis of analyzing the problems which has appeared in the advertisement translation between Chinese and English language, this paper suggests the requirements and methods of advertisement translation nowadays.
To make a good advertisement and to influence the behavior of potential customers toward a predetermined direction, the advertisers try to produce memorable and attracting works. Following the economic growing, the market becomes a global one and the competition becomes more drastic. So making clear of the features of each culture is the most urgent task to advertisers. "Do as Romans do" the advertisement should be designed according to the nation-specific culture. Only if the advertisers do so, this advertisement can achieve its goal that it can satisfy the consumers, and help the product to be well sold. Thus, as the translator, he or she should know the nation-specific culture further, grasp the pity and make full use of it.
The goal of advertising translation is to persuade target language consumers to buy a product or service. To attract and communicate to them in a way that produces this desired result, translators must acquaint themselves with target language consumer’s way of thinking, with those factors that motivate them to buy, and with the environment where they live. In this sense advertising translating is more of a marketing practice. A good advertisement translator must be a first artistic writer. He or she must first be able to know clear about the cultural difference; and then to identify the cultural constraints in a given advertisement; the last is to facilitate across-culture communication by overcoming the obstacle set by the constraints. In all, a good advertiser can do the contribution to the products’ sale.
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