浅析广告英语的语言特点和翻译方法(英语)

An Analysis of Language Characteristics and Translation
Methods in Advertising English
Abstract
Advertising English, as a language with special purpose, has its unique language characteristics and translation methods. With the development of the global village, international exchanges are becoming increasingly frequent. The commercial activities are inseparable from advertising. Many foreign companies often use advertisements to help marketing when holding promotional activities in China. As more and more international brands enter China, how to correctly translate the advertising English has caused increasing discussion.
As we all know, the difference between Chinese and foreign languages is inevitable. To translate the original advertising text accurately, we need to understand the relevant characteristics of advertising English. We hope the translation of the advertisements can bring the same publicity effect to our consumers. This thesis aims to analyze the linguistic characteristics of advertising English from various perspectives, including lexical and grammatical characteristics. Then the other part of the thesis will combine with the rhetorical techniques often used in advertising English to propose translation methods for advertising English, including literal translation, free translation, creative translation, etc. This essay will also propose some translation strategies to further improve the translation level and accuracy of advertising English. This thesis mainly uses literature search method, the example method and descriptive research method to analyze some examples of English advertisements, so that readers have a clearer understanding of advertising English. And this thesis hopes to promote the long-term development of the advertising industry and advertising translation.
Keywords: advertising English, translations strategies, figure of speech, language characteristics
浅析广告英语的语言特点和翻译方法
摘要
广告英语作为一种有专门用途的语言，有其独特的语言特点和翻译方法。

随着“地球村”的发展，国际交往日益频繁。

商业活动离不开广告，外国企
业在我国做宣传活动时也常运用到广告来帮助营销。

随着越来越多的国际品
牌进入中国，如何正确翻译英语广告也引起越来越高的讨论度。

众所周知，中外语言差异是无法避免的，翻译者要将原广告语翻译得准
确并能带给我国消费者同样的宣传效果，就需要先了解英语广告的相关特点。

本论文旨在从各个角度分析英语广告的语言特点，包括词汇特点和语法特点，再结合广告英语中经常使用的修辞手法，提出英语广告的翻译手法——直译、意译、创译等，结合相关的翻译策略，旨在进一步提高英语广告的翻译水平
和准确程度。

本文主要采用文献检索法，例证法和描述性研究法对广告英语
进行分析，使读者对广告英语有更加清晰的认知，同时也推动广告业及广告
翻译事业的长远发展。

关键词：广告英语；语言特点；修辞手法；翻译策略
Contents Abstract (Ⅰ)
摘要 (Ⅱ)
Introduction (1)
1 The Introduction of Advertising English (2)
1.1 The Origin of Advertising English (2)
1.2 Definition of Advertising (3)
1.3 Functions of Advertisements (4)
2 The Language Characteristics of Advertising English (4)
2.1 The Lexical Characteristics of Advertising English (4)
2.2 The Syntactical Characteristics of Advertising English (6)
2.3 The Expressions of Advertising English (8)
3 Common Rhetorical Features of Advertising English (9)
3.1 Pun (9)
3.2 Personification (10)
3.3 Analogy (11)
3.3.1 Simile (11)
3.3.2 Metaphor (11)
3.4 Rhyme (12)
3.5 Parallelism (12)
4 The Translation Methods and Strategies of Advertising English (13)
4.1 The Translation Methods of Advertising English (13)
4.1.1 Literal Translation (14)
4.1.2 Free Translation (15)
4.1.3 Creative Translation (16)
4.2 Closely Integrate with Product Characteristics (17)
4.3 Focus on Cultural Differences (18)
5 Differences between Chinese and English Advertisements (19)
Conclusion (21)
References (23)
Acknowledgments (24)
Introduction
Commercial English advertising is a major channel for Chinese companies to export and open up overseas markets. And with the influx of foreign companies, English advertising has become an important source for Chinese companies and consumers to obtain commodity economic information. Advertising English, as an applied language, is different from ordinary English. It has developed into a non-standardized special language because of its special utility. There are also many differences in the use of words and sentences between ordinary English and advertising English. With the development of globalization, many people only have
a general understanding of advertising English, but after understanding its characteristics and translation strategies, people will make better use of advertisements. Through the continuous study, the translation of advertising English will become more and more excellent.
There are lots of English advertisements through our daily life. Advertising, as
a common way of publicity in our life, has a great impact on both buyers and sellers. Advertising English is very popular among businessmen and enterprises, because the good use of advertising English has a great impact on the corporate image and corporate reputation. Consumers can understand the product through advertising to achieve consumption. Good advertising is an indispensable part of marketing. In the wave of globalization, to translate advertising English and fully embody the essence of the original text requires us to analyze the characteristics of advertising English and seek the best translation strategies. The translation of advertising English will be more effective in the business activities with the
in-depth understanding. As international brands enter the country, how to properly translate advertising English has caused increasing discussion.
The article can be divided into four parts, the brief introduction of advertising,
the language characteristics of advertising English, the common rhetorical devices in advertising English and the translation methods and strategies of advertising English. The beginning of the article introduces the background and functions of advertising. The development of human civilization has promoted the continuous progress of advertising. The cultural exchanges have become more frequent in the 20th century. Advertising has become one of the standards for measuring a country’s economic development and civilization. Then is the main part of this article---the language characteristics analysis. Based on the analysis of the language characteristics of English advertisements from various perspectives, including lexical and grammatical characteristics, this essay will mention the rhetorical techniques that are often used in advertising English, and then propose the translation methods of advertising English, that is, literal translation, free translation, creative translation, etc., which aims to further improve the translation level and accuracy of advertising English. Finally, the difference between Chinese and English advertisements will be shown, which can help both sides make better use of advertising and create better ads. This thesis mainly uses literature search method, example method and descriptive research method to analyze the language characteristics of advertising English and list some translation methods and strategies for readers’ reference.
1 The Introduction of Advertising English
Mark Twain said: Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising. Before we analyze the language characteristics of adverting English, it’s necessary for us to first know something about advertising.
1.1The Origin of Advertising English
Since the development of spoken language is earlier than reading and writing, the earliest advertising was spoken language. There are signs that the peddlers’hawking for their goods dates back to ancient Rome and Greece. Whether past or present, no matter times how development, merchant hawking is still very common.
Later, with the continuous progress of human society and the development of commerce, symbols appeared. As a new type of advertisement, symbol is more effective to commercial competition, and it meets the needs of goods identification.
For example, in the ruins of Pompeii, people found a sheep symbol to show it was a dairy farm.
In the 15th century, a British printer William Caxton created the earliest English advertising leaflet known today, thus creating a history of advertising. In the 16th century, more beautiful and informative leaflets appeared. In the 17th century, print newspapers gradually appeared in Europe, and advertisements were first published in newspapers. With the development of the industrial revolution, advertising industry entered into a new development opportunity. In the 18th century, newspapers appeared in America, which provided special sections for advertisements. The influence of advertisements was more and more powerful. With the increase of advertising revenue, advertisements had become an important financial source for newspapers.
In the 19th century, the advertising industry was developing rapidly in Britain and America. The Times published an average of 100 advertisements a day in 1800. In the 1830s, some newspaper owners in the United States even put out three-quarters of the pages for advertising. From the end of the 19th century, the term "advertisement" began to appear in Chinese newspapers. The advertising industry was developing more rapidly. In the 20th century, more and more advertising media appeared. With the continuous improvement of social productivity, advertising has broken through the limitations of space. With the emergence of television technology and the continuous improvement of printing technology, advertising has also changed from the original black-and-white newspaper advertising to the color TV advertising.
Nowadays, information technology is developing rapidly. With the popularity of the Internet, online advertising is also being accepted by more and more people. The advertising industry is maturing. Today's advertising is no longer simply to introduce products. It is more about attracting consumers from an emotional perspective. Advertising will eventually become a cultural form that people are willing to accept----advertising culture.
1.2Definition of Advertising
The word ‘advertise’comes from ‘advertere’in Latin. It is to call people’s attention for something or induce people to do something. Here are two famous organizations’ definitions of advertising.
(1)Advertising is the non-personal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services or ideas by
identified sponsors through the various media. (AMA)
(2)Advertising is paid mass communication, and its ultimate purpose is to convey information, change people's attitudes to advertising products, and induce actions to benefit advertisers. (American Association of Advertising Agencies) We can know from above definitions that advertising has some characteristics. First, advertising faces the public, not individuals. Second, advertisements should convey some information, which can be related to brands and products, or some ideas related to other fields. Third, advertising is spread through specific medium such as newspapers, internet, television, magazines,etc,. Finally, ads are created for some specific purposes. Some ads need to be paid in order to sell products or services, while public service ads don't need to pay.
1.3Functions of Advertisements
Generally speaking, there are mainly four functions of advertisements.
(1)Information Function. Advertisement should convey information about the products or services to the consumers. The information needs to be real and specific.
(2) Demand Creation Function. After knowing the information about the products or services, consumers will have curiosity about the commodities. Consumers will feel their demands for the products through successful advertising.
(3) Persuasive Function. Advertisements are created to encourage customers’consumption. Advertising will try to persuade consumers to buy, but this is not to force consumers to buy.
(4) Get Action Function. After persuading consumers to accept the products being promoted, advertising helps consumers take action----to purchase.
2 The Language Characteristics of Advertising English
Until the 1920s, the term "advertisement" was widely used. With the advertising English coming into people's sight, advertising English has gradually become a unique culture. Advertisements have a powerful promotional function, which meets the needs of effective business activities. It can also better help consumers know the brands or products. Some lexical features, syntactic features and approaches of advertising English will be introduced below.
2.1 The Lexical Characteristics of Advertising English
Advertising English needs to be concise, vivid and precise in reflecting the
content. The choice of correct and appropriate advertising English words has a very positive impact on the effectiveness of advertising English.
First, the word used in advertising English is often simple, and it’s similar to oral expressions. There may not be many words in a slogan, but every word in the slogan is very precise. In advertising English, using simple and common words will make the brands or products closer to consumers.
For example, Intel Inside. (Intel Pentium) / Just do it. (Nike)
Intel Inside. (Intel Pentium): Though there are only two simple words in the slogan, it fully explains the characteristic of the service of the company, and it is a promotion of the “Intel” brand.This slogan consists of two simple words that can be seen in everyday life. So the slogan will not cause misunderstanding. Because of the simple words used in advertising English, consumers can easily remember the brands or products.
Just do it. (Nike): There are only three simple words in the slogan,but it has rich meaning. It means as long as the customers have the Nike products, they can do what they want. Although these three words are very simple, they all aim at the idea that the Nike wants to express. This simple slogan coveys Nike’s idea of their brand. The slogan has the persuasive functions because it inspires the consumers and arouses their need.
From the above examples, we can know that although these advertisement slogans have only a few simple words, the meaning of the expressions is very complete and can be cleverly related to the characteristics of the brand or product. Its expression is similar to the spoken expression in our daily life. To let consumers know as much as possible about the brand or the product, advertising often emphasizes the main features of the product in a vivid and brief language. This can better help consumers build familiarity about the brand or products.
Second,innovative forms are often used in advertising English to attract customers’attention. The advertising English will often use innovative forms to make the advertisement vivid, interesting and noticeable and effectively disseminate the commodity information. Therefore, by using innovative forms, advertising English can save time and space costs. It also can help spread as much information as possible.
For example, World Wide Wow. (America Online) / Zoom Zoom Zoom. (Mazda)
World Wide Wow. (America Online): This advertisement deliberately writes
"World Wide Web" as "World Wide Wow", using "Wow" to indicate that the site will surprise readers. It can better help attract consumers’attention by using innovative way to form the slogan.
Zoom Zoom Zoom. (Mazda): The word “Zoom” has repeated three times, it sounds a bit like a motor. Unlike other general advertisements, this slogan only consists of three repeated words. There is no other words and expressions to decorate the slogan. This creative slogan makes Mazda's promotion very effective.
Third, adjectives and its comparative and superlatives adjectives are more often used in advertising English. Adjectives can better help advertisements describe and promote the characteristics of products, and the use of comparative and superlative adjectives can better highlight the superiority of products.
For example, Give a Timex to all, and to all a good time. (Timex) / Good to the last drop. (Maxwell) / The good things in life never change. (Burberry) Advertising is to promote products and describe the advantages and quality of the products. Therefore, the use of adjectives plays an important role in advertising English. In advertising English, these positive adjectives such as "good", "beautiful", "new", "forever", "forever" etc., can express the sellers’ confidence of products and enhance the appeal of advertisements.
The vocabulary of advertising English is generally simple and innovative. And adjectives and its comparative and superlatives adjectives are more often used in advertising English. Consumers will find it more acceptable of the advertisements with these characteristics. The slogans of advertising English that use these characteristics will be more effective. And at the same time these slogans can attract consumers and help the company build customer loyalty.
2.2 The Syntactical Characteristics of Advertising English
Advertising English has its own characteristics in sentence structure.
First, simple sentences are often used in advertising English. In order to attract consumers, advertising English need to be clear to the eye. To arouse consumers’desire to buy, the slogan should express as much information as possible with as few words as possible.
For example, Asia Garden Hotel — A Home Away From Home!(Asia Garden Hotel) / We lead. Others copy. (Ricoh) / Good teeth, good health. (Colgate) Asia Garden Hotel — A Home Away From Home!(Asia Garden Hotel): The hotel was introduced straightforwardly with a simple sentence structure, that is, this hotel is just like another home of the customers. By using simple sentences, the
advantages of the hotel are expressed directly. And the consumers will have a desire to try.
We lead. Others copy. (Ricoh): This slogan uses two simple declarative sentences to form the advertising word, which fully shows the brand’s confidence of the product. There is no exaggerated language to modify the slogan, however, with only two simple sentences, this slogan can easily enhance consumers’confidence.
Good teeth, good health. (Colgate): The slogan uses two simple phrases that are close to daily life, good teeth make good health. This slogan uses direct language and simple sentence structure, consumers will not feel that the brand is deliberately highlighting their products, but that the brand is actually concerned about themselves.
The above examples’sentence structure is not complicated, and the language is easy-going, with a strong spoken characteristic.
Second, imperative sentences are often used in advertising English. In English advertising, imperative sentences are commonly used to encourage consumption and enhance persuasion. And the imperative sentences can express the meaning of requesting and calling people to do something.The advertising English needs to use imperative sentences to call on consumers to purchase.
For example, Obey your thirst. (Pepsi) / Focus on life. (Olympus) / Take time to indulge. (Nestle Ice-cream)
Obey your thirst. (Pepsi): This slogan lets customers follow their desire and drink Pepsi whenever they want to drink. By using imperative sentences, the slogan can better call for people to make a consumption.
Focus on life. (Olympus): This slogan tells the customers can focus on life with the help of Olympus. By using imperative sentences, the slogan brings the products and consumers closer.
Take time to indulge. (Nestle Ice-cream): This slogan calls the customers to enjoy time with the ice-cream. By using imperative sentences, this slogan gives customers an ‘excuse’ to indulge life and the ice-cream.
These sentences begin with verbs, calling on consumers to make purchases. The combination of advertising and imperative sentences will be more effective. Through imperative sentences, advertising can play a good role in persuading and urging consumers to take action.
Third, elliptical sentences are often used in advertising English.Elliptical
sentences are very common in English advertising. The omitted part often does not affect the transmission of information, but instead can highlight the key information.
For example, Make·Believe(SONY)
Make·Believe(SONY): Believe anything you can imagine, then you can make real. This slogan summarizes a complete meaning into two key verbs, which can help highlight the idea of the brand. The consumers can associate the meaning of Make·Believe.
Advertising needs to achieve the best promotion effect in limited time, space and cost. Elliptical sentences can reduce the space of the advertisements. And at the same time the slogan can also contain a lot of information by using elliptical sentences.
Fourth, present tense is commonly used in advertising English. The present tense can make customers feel the endurance and objectivity of the products.
For example, Twist the cap to refreshment. (Coca-Cola) / Make the most of now.(V odafone) / Our wheels are always turning.(ISUZU)
Just take the last slogan as an example. If this slogan is changed to the past tense or the future tense, that is,
Our wheels were always turning.(ISUZU)
Our wheels will always turning.(ISUZU)
If we change the slogan to the past tense, that is, our wheels have always been turning before, to some extent it has the meaning that our wheels are not turning now, which may give consumers a bad impression.
And if we change the slogan to the future tense, that is, our wheels are going to turning, which means that our wheels can not keep turning all the time right now, this may cause the misunderstanding to the consumers that the quality of the product is not good.
So we can see that it's most appropriate to use the present tense for advertising, because it can tell a story in a positive and lively way and it can bring the customers into a beautiful association. The advertisements will give consumer a deep impression.
Generally speaking, the present tense will make customers feel more comfortable and intimate. Compared to the past tense or the future tense, the present tense is easier to understand.
Simple sentences, imperative sentences, and elliptical sentences are common
in advertising English, because these sentence patterns can effectively help ads to make promotion. Also these sentence patterns can help ads save space cost and express as much meaning as possible. These sentence patterns can also make the advertising concise and easy to understand. In order to express the objectivity and endurance of commodities, the present tense is often used in advertising English. 2.3 The Expressions of Advertising English
Advertising English can be seen everywhere in our life. Although there is no fixed pattern for advertising English, there are certain rules to follow. Here are two common expressions for advertising English.
First, narrative expression is common in advertising English. This kind of expression can concentrate the performance and advantages of the products and describe them in beautiful language, making the advertisement simple and clear.
For example,
This is the place where sky, land and water embrace like old friends. Here, the history of the earth’s creation is told in stone. A land carved by time and glaciers. Still fjords held close by ancient rock walls.
Gros Morne National Park---A UNESCO World Heritage
(Newfoundland Labrador)
This advertisement uses a narrative method to describe the beautiful view of Gros Morne National Park. Consumers will know the good view of this park. The advertisement will create an immersive experience for the readers.
Second, questioning expression is common in advertising English. This kind of advertisement consists of a series of questions, and the positive answer to these questions is the advantages of the products.
For example,
Are you or someone you care for increasingly...forgetful? Repeating questions? Having trouble finding words?
A medicine called ARICEPT may help. (ARICEPT)
This is a drug advertisement for amnesia. By asking some questions, the advertisement tells the consumers that the medicine can help people with these troubles.
3 Common Rhetorical Features of Advertising English
Advertising English, as a purposeful language, often uses some rhetorical
devices to make advertising language become a unique attractive language art. Rhetoric is a method of using words to make language accurate and vivid. Ads that use rhetorical devices will be more moving.
3.1 Pun
Pun is very common in English advertising. Pun can effectively combine advertisements with products or brands, and it can help highlight the key information and increase the readability and memory value of advertisements.
For example, From Sharp minds, come sharp products.(Sharp) / She’s the nimblest girl around. Nimble is the way she goes. Nimble is the bread she eats. Light, Delicious, Nimble. (Nimble Bread) / Oh, I see. (OIC)
From Sharp minds, come sharp products.(Sharp): In this slogan, ‘SHARP’appears twice. Here the first sharp’s meaning is smart, flexible, and the second sharp uses the pun, which refers to both the product brand SHARP and the quality of the products is very good. The special slogan is so interesting and lively that it can impress consumers very much.
She’s the nimblest girl around. Nimble is the way she goes. Nimble is the bread she eats. Light, Delicious, Nimble. (Nimble Bread): In this advertisement, ‘nimble’is not only a bread brand, but also means that bread is "crispy". This slogan also uses personification to personify bread. It can "walk and eat". This advertisement has created a mental image for consumers, which will let consumers accept this advertisement easily. Consumers will have a desire to purchase.
Oh, I see. (OIC): The slogan uses pun to cleverly integrate the slogan with the brand. ‘Oh, I see’ and OIC have the same pronunciation. The slogan helps readers know the brand name at the same time. Also the consumers can know that the use of OIC glasses can make the world clearer. It attracts readers' attention, for the same time, it’s easy to remember. It is a wonderful slogan.
Pun is very effective in advertising English. It can attract customers’ attention and cause their association. The whole slogan can be very concise, humorous by using pun. It can highlight the characteristics of the product. Therefore, pun is widely used in English advertising.
3.2 Personification
As we all know, personification is very helpful in advertising English. By personification, the products are given life and emotion as people, which can increase the vitality of products. Personification can also make the products more
vivid and unique, and customers will increase their consumption desire.
For example, Unlike me, my Rolex never needs a rest.(Rolex) / Apple thinks different. (Apple) / It goes where no card has gone before.(CIBC)
Unlike me, my Rolex never needs a rest.(Rolex): Rolex is personified as a person in the advertisement. People need a rest but there is no need for Rolex to rest, which implies that Rolex is accurate in time and powerful enough, showing the difference between Rolex and human beings. This can successfully highlight its advantage -- the quality is trustworthy.
Apple thinks different. (Apple): Apple is personified as a person in the advertisement. Apple will think, and what Apple thinks will be different, this highlights the intelligence of Apple, consumers are easily attracted to see how Apple ‘thinks different’.
It goes where no card has gone before.(CIBC): CIBC is personified as a person in the advertisement. Credit cards cannot walk. The phrase "goes where no card has gone before" implies that this bank card can be used in many countries. It tells the difference between CIBC’s credit card and other credit cards. Also it successfully highlights its advantages -- can be used everywhere.
By personification, the advertisements can shorten the distance between products and consumers to achieve the purpose of promoting consumption.
3.3 Analogy
Analogy can simplify the complicated things, make it easier to describe the characteristics of the products. It can better help consumers to understand. In analogy, there are mainly divided into two parts, simile and metaphor.
3.3.1 Simile
Simile is an obvious analogy, which usually contains an obvious prepositions such as ‘just like’, ‘like’, ‘as’ etc. Simile can increase the appeal of advertising and attract consumers.
For example, Johnson baby soap, as gentle as her mother’s hand. (Johnson baby) / Moms depend on Kool-Aid, like kids depend on moms. (Kool-Aid) / A newspaper is only as interesting as itself readers. (The Times of India) Johnson baby soap, as gentle as her mother’s hand. (Johnson baby): In this slogan, there is an obvious word ‘as’ to show it uses the simile. It vividly illustrates that Johnson baby soap can give the babies a mother-like feeling, and it is as soft as a mother's hand, it will not irritate the child's skin.。