英语广告的词汇特点及翻译技巧

1、英语广告的词汇特点及翻译技巧摘要英语广告的使用目的是让消费者了解产品及服务，吸引更多的人来购买商品。因此英语广告中大量使用单音节的，短小的和结构简单的词，以便用更简短的篇幅来更准确地传达商品信息，同时为了让广告更贴近生活，让人们更容易的记住广告内容，英语广告中多使用俚语和时尚新词，经常模拟新词，并创造出标新立异的用法。为了凸显商品的优点，增强广告的说服力，英语广告中还使用大量形容词。在英语广告的翻译方法上，多使用直译、意译、再创性翻译等多种译法及其组合，以确保译文在功能及目的上与原文一致，而在翻译过程中，应注意社会和文化因素对英语广告的影响。关键词：英语广告， 词汇特点， 翻译技巧Lexica

2、l Features and Translation Skills of English AdvertisementsABSTRACTEnglish advertisements are applied to make the products and services known by consumers and attract more people to buy the goods, therefore a plenty of words which are monosyllabic, short and constructed simply are used for conveying

3、 the commodity information more accurately with a simpler and shorter passage. Meanwhile, in order to bring the advertisements closer to daily life and have people remember the content of the advertisements easier, an increasing number of slangs, fashion terms are used in English advertisements; fur

4、thermore, many new words have been created and many new unconventional usages of existing words have been innovated. To highlight the advantages of commodity and strengthen the persuasion of advertising, many adjectives are used in English advertisements. About translation skills, translation method

5、s like literal translation, free translation, recreative translation and their combination is applied to ensure the function and purpose of the translated texts consistent with those of the original ones. And in the process of English advertisements translation, more attention should be paid to the

6、impacts leaded by social and cultural factors.KEY WORDS: English advertisements, lexical features, translation skillsContentsIntroduction 1Chapter 1 Resource of English Advertisement Vocabulary 21.1 Words from Common English 21.2 Borrowed Words 21.3 Words from Slangs 31.4 Words from Fashion Terms 41

7、.5 Coinage 4 4 4 5Chapter 2 Properties of Words used in English Advertisements 62.1 Adjectives 6 6 72.2 Verbs 82.3 Pronouns 9Chapter 3 Characteristics of English Advertisements 113.1 Simple to Understand 113.2 Easy to Remember 123.3 Using Vague Words Skillfully 13Chapter 4 Translation Skills of Engl

8、ish Advertisement from English to Chinese 154.1 Literal Translation 154.2 Free Translation 164.3 Recreative Translation 174.4 Supplementary Translation 184.5 Condense Translation 18Chapter 5 Cultural Impacts to Translation of English Advertisement 195.1 Avoiding to Use Ambiguous Words 195.2 Avoiding

9、 to Use Incorrect Words 20Conclusion 21Acknowledgement 22Bibliography 23IntroductionNowadays, the world is developing rapidly and constantly trending towards integration, every country, especially China, is glutted with products imported from and made in other countries and services supported by the

10、 people in other countries. Market competition is getting fierce that never seen before. To sell more products and expand market share, all companies are trying every method they have to improve the visibilities of their products and services in China, and advertising seems to be the most widely use

11、d way to achieve that goal. Then more and more advertisements in various languages get in Chinese peoples daily life, in which, English advertisement is the most common one.English advertisement language possesses characteristics of attractiveness and persuasion. To create these characteristics, Eng

12、lish advertisement has its own style on the aspects of vocabulary, syntax and rhetoric. In terms of English advertisement vocabulary, as a tool of attracting customers, advertising language has to be different far from other practical English and be simple, clear and vivid, rich in emotion and appea

13、l.As a kind of practical English, English advertisement is also influenced by deeper level of language like words and sentence, paragraph and context, therefore translation theory and principle are needed to guide in the process of translating. Eugene Nadi, an authority in western translation theory

14、, thinks “The key point of translation shouldnt be the form of language, but the readers responses of the translated text.” In other words, translated text should be equal to original text on the level of language function, but not on the level of language form, and thats dynamic equivalence. During

15、 translating, translator must have a good knowledge of the feature of English advertisement and change the information form according to different response from the receiver of both the translated and original text. Chapter 1 Resource of English Advertisement VocabularyEnglish advertisement is a kin

16、d of practical style, which is used for increasing the sales volume of the commodity. The variety of commodity classifications and consumer groups needs various different English advertisements, and this requires a very wide range of resources of English advertisement vocabulary. In essence, the voc

17、abulary of English advertisement mainly comes from common English, borrowed words, slangs, fashion terms and coinage.1.1 Words from Common EnglishEnglish advertisement is just a little portion of practical English; the words used in it come from common English mostly. Especially in the advertisement

18、s used by large firms:Its hard to imagine how you could mean more to one another than you do right now. But the great meaning of family becomes ever greater as the years pass. Bring the family together now and for the years ahead in a professional portrait. Look for a professional photographer who d

19、isplays the “For the Time of Your Life” symbol. And arrange for your portrait today. (KodakJust do it. (NikeImpossible is nothing. (AdidasConnecting people. (NokiaAll the words used in the four advertisements above are very simple and common in English vocabulary, but with the skillful combination o

20、f them, an persuasive advertisement was made out.1.2 Borrowed WordsIt is common that words in Old English, Latin, French, Germany or other non-English languages are used to create a certain atmosphere of classic, solemn, exoticism or any others in many English advertisements which are used by brands

21、 of non-English countries and regions, and even the brands of English countries.In the heart of Manila, there is Ermita. One district in Manila pulsates with life of the city- Ermita. Where rare antiques speak of Manilas glorious past. Where great bargains tempt from every corner. Where spectacular

22、sunsets and walks in the park soothe the sense, and where bright lights and endless nights enliven them. And in the heart of Ermita, there is the Manila Pavilion Hotel. One hotel opens its doors right into the attractions of Ermita. The Manila Pavilion. Ready to welcome you with deluxe accommodation

23、, delectable cuisine and complete business and convention facilities. Keeping in touch with the beat of Ermita at the Manila. (A travelling advertisementAn elegant and majestic atmosphere awaits you upon first entering Tianxiang Restaurant. Your attention is immediately drawn to the interior dé

24、cor which is both refined and luxurious. The restaurant comfortably accommodates 33 tables and there is ample parking conveniently located in the grounds. (A restaurant advertisementBuy one entrée, get one free. (A course advertisementChinese Chaofan! Delicious Chaofan! (An advertisement for fr

25、ied riceOrder it in bottles or in cans, Perrier 111 with added je ne sais quoi. (A soft drink advertisementA certain amount of words from other languages like “deluxe”, “décor”, “entrée”, “Chaofan” and “je ne sais quoi” used in English advertisement can make it more memorable to the consum

26、ers.1.3 Words from SlangsSome advertisements of the products or services supported by young people often use words from slangs to enhance the attractiveness to the target customers.Pepsi-Cola hits the spot. (Pepsi-ColaHello Tosh, gotta Toshiba? (ToshibaIm lovin it. (McDonaldYoull go nuts for the nut

27、s you get in Nex. (Nex nutsBut not all the English advertisement is suitable to use words from slangs; on the contrary, slang abuse may leave people a superficial and vulgar impression of the products.1.4 Words from Fashion TermsTo make the product more fashionable and attract some consumers who lik

28、e vogue some fashion terms are also used in English advertisement, such as the one of LG cell phone: Born to shine! (LGUsing a fashion term “shine” makes the sentence energetic.1.5 CoinageIt is not strange to consumers that some English advertisements use some new words and odd words which are not e

29、xisting words, but created on purpose. And this way of creating new words is coinage. There is a very large amount of words in English advertisement comes from coinage, and they can be roughly divided into three kinds like below:This approach is often used for describing the products more detailed.

30、Not only the advertisement gets novel, but also the function and characteristic of the related product displayed better.For example, “Mininurse”, a trade mark of a kind of cosmetics. It applies the appropriate prefix “mini” to express the meaning of miniature and tiny, which gives the consumers an i

31、mpression of meticulous care and excellence of the product quality.It is also a familiar way in English advertisement to emphasize the specialty of product or service through compounding two existing words into combination to create a new word.The Orangemostest Drink in the world. (An advertisement

32、for orange juiceThis advertisement imparts the information that their product has the richest natural orange through using the new word “orangemostest”.Also the advertisement of Sony, “Hi-Fi, Hi-Fun, Hi-Fashion, only from Sony”, uses the prefix “Hi-” which is a homonym of the word “High” to express

33、the meaning of super, best and extraordinary.And the advertisement of the watch from the international famous brand “Timex”, “Give a Timex to all, to all a good time.”, in it a short suffix which is only one letter “x” was used for expressing the meaning of excellence, and implying that the quality

34、of the watch is excellent.In English advertisement, many words are misspelled on purpose on the basis of some words or phrases which are similar to consumers. Although the form of the new created word is different from the original word, the pronunciation and the meaning of it are still same to the

35、original word. And it is interesting and vivid to apply this method to attract the consumers. Such as the examples below:(1 OIC! (An advertisement for glassesIn this advertisement three simple capital letters are put together to make up the shape of a pair of glasses, and in this way it can attract

36、the consumers attention with its appearance; on the other hand, its pronunciation, same as “Oh, I see”, gives consumers a feeling of surprising.(2 Drinka Pinta Milka Day. (An advertisement for milk from “Pinta” brandIn this advertisement, the three initial letters are all followed by a letter “a” to

37、 make the sentence rhyming, and this make the advertisement easier to remember. The correct spelling of it is “Drink a pint of milk a day”. The measure word “pint” is replaced by the product brand “Pinta”, and then the brand is emphasized.(3 Easier dusting by a stre-e-tch. (An advertisement for dust

38、 cloth from “Stretch” brandThis is an advertisement of dust cloth. “Stretch” means make something longer, and is not just the brand name here, but also is misspelled to be longer by doubled “e”, then gives the readers an imagination that the dust cloth have elasticity and can clean every corner wher

39、e is hard to get with other dust cloth.Chapter 2 Properties of Words used in English AdvertisementsTo achieve the marketing purpose, English advertisements always use several main word properties, including adjective, verbs and pronouns. Majority of the adjectives used have strong emotional color, o

40、r are comparatives and superlatives. Verbs involved often are simple but inflammatory. While the primary pronouns used are first person and second person.2.1 AdjectivesTo promote commodity, English advertisement can not avoid describing and beautifying the commodity, then a very large number of adje

41、ctives are needed. According to the statistics conducted by G. H. Leech, famous English phonetician, the most familiar adjectives used in English advertisement can be listed in the frequently of being used from high to low like this: new, crisp, good, fine, big, fresh, great, delicious, real, full,

42、sure, easy, bright, clean, extra, safe, special, rich. Adjectives, as emotive and exciting words, are used to enhance the facts of a certain products or services. To let the consumers feeling the quality, price, amount and other characteristics of the product or service, English advertisement often

43、use words which are descriptive and commentary.Words with strong color often give the consumers an objective comment, and can guide the consumers to find the right points of feeling which the advertisement would like them to get. In another words, these words can give the consumers a thought like th

44、is: “Oh! This product (or service is what I have been seeking for a long time; it can satisfy my entire requirement. Why not get one home?”Tangy. Zesty. Spicy Baked. Its also delicious! (An advertisement for kind of baked chickenIn this English advertisement, three adjectives are used continuously t

45、o give the consumers a quite strong feeling that the baked chicken tastes pretty good, then another adjective “delicious” follows, the strength of persuading consumers to buy has been pushed to a peak.You will enjoy relaxed sunny days. Warm crystal clear lagoons. Cool green foliage. Waterfalls. Flow

46、ers. Exotic scents. Bright blue skies. Secluded beaches. Graceful palms. Breathtaking sunsets. Soft evening breezes. And food thats simply outstanding. (An advertisement for travellingIn this advertisement, the objective and the subjective both are left out, though the sentence is not complete in th

47、e aspects of linguistics and grammar, it still reflects the features of the product in its highest degree.In this kind of English advertisements listed above, to win the consumers favor, several common adjectives were used, and there are more common strong color adjectives are compliment in English

48、advertisement, these are :latest, up-to-date, fragrant, attractive, golden, successful, charming, comfortable, perfect, great, wonderful, first- rate, ever-lasting, super, unique, ideal and so on. All of them can give a thought that the product or service is useful for them to the consumers.These ad

49、jectives often make an advertisement suddenly enriched, and then it is not strange that the English advertisement is often joked as a “never ugly, no suffering, no wild wonderful world.” For example:Agile, powerful and refined, the BMW 3 Series Coupe is an irresistible blend of pour excitement and s

50、ophisticated technology. Its powerful engines and superbly balanced chassis deliver a driving experience that will quicken the pulse of any keen driver. (An advertisement for BMW The using of comparative and superlative aims at emphasizing the product or service of one brand is better than the same

51、product or service of other brands. The comparatives and superlatives related to English advertisement are often used as subjective description. Sometimes, only using the common adjectives can not meet the demands of promoting the products or services, so the comparatives and the superlatives are in

52、troduced to get the consumers to make a comparison between the same product or service of two different brands and give the consumers a deeper impression that: “As this product or service is better than others or is the best of all the same kind of products or services, I will take one when I need i

53、t”.Its smaller. Its lighter. (An advertisement for Sharp copierTwo comparatives are used to highlight the advantages of the Sharp copier through comparing with other copiers.The original and still the best. (An advertisement for Dale BatteryLets make things better. (An advertisement for PhilipsThe t

54、wo sentences above made use of a superlative “best” and a comparative “better”, therefore led the consumers to compare the products from these two brands to the same kinds of products from other brands naturally and unconsciously, for the first impressions are strongest. The products involved with t

55、he advertisement which is reading by the consumers will attract more attention from consumers and impress them more deeply, then the target of the English advertisement with comparatives and superlatives is achieved.Tastesrichermellowermore satisfying. (An advertisement for coffeeAlong the way, you

56、will enjoy the warmest, most personal service. (An advertisement for Airline companyThe two examples dont mention the rival and the scope that the comparison takes place in and with, but the comparative and superlative used in it has make it getting the target of increasing its statue already.Orange

57、s are sweeter than lemons. Our oranges are sweeter than they used to be.The better would not appear until be compared with the common. This advertisement gets its persuasion from highlighting the emphasis on the sweet of the orange through two comparisons conducted respectively.2.2 VerbsEnglish adve

58、rtisements often use some syllable words or words which are short with only several letters. Such as in English advertisement “get” is used to replace “obtain”, “buy” is used to replace “purchase”, and “use” is used to replace “utilize”, and so on. Using shorter words can make the language of Englis

59、h advertisement simpler and vivid, also make the advertisement easier to remember, in this way, the products related with the advertisements will become more promoted. For example:(1 Buy one pair, get one free. (An advertisement for glassesThis advertisement just uses two verbs “buy” and “get” to create a strong appeal, and is very easy to re