2. 3 Factors to Affect Advertisement Translation
Advertisement translation is an action that touches upon cross-cultural issues, thus the translator is supposed to take such factors as language as well as culture into consideration.
2. 3. 1 Language
A language is often unique in structure, and only in the same linguistic family could it find a counterpart. Chinese characters and English belong to two different linguistic systems. “Compared to the structure of English alphabets, the information transferred by the Chinese characters, with a square structure, is three-dimensional, and it is quite visible and informative.” [6] So the wording of Chinese advertisement often uses the form to express a meaning, so as to activate the aesthetic information contained in the advertisement. Besides, different pronunciation can cause a different auditory effect on people’s psychology. In the advertisement translation, according to the different linguistic habit of the expected readers, rhymed rhetoric such as onomatopoeic motivation, sound symbolism is often applied. However, since the different phonetics, onomatopoeic and rhymes between the west and China, the translation may be only done semantically. For example, alliteration is used in such an advertisement as “Sea, sun, sand, seclusion…and Spain.” This is an advertisement made for the beach in Spain. “sea, sun, sand, seclusion” the four words with the same alliteration, not only send information about the beach, namely splendid sea, brilliant sunshine, shiny sand and quiet flat, but also make people feel the soft touch of sea wind. The four words beginning with “s” form somewhat a sense of harmony, which is difficult to keep in the translated text.
Because of the special purpose of advertisement, the language is supposed to be persuasive and powerful. Since advertisement translation is a cross-cultural action of communication, this power contained in the two distinct languages may be displayed in quite a different way. There are two versions of a Chinese advertisement about Moutai Liquor.
贵州茅台酒38%V|V”系贵州茅台酒的系列产品，是用贵州茅台酒经先进的科学方法精制而成的白酒。它既保持了酱香浓郁，典雅细致，协调丰满，回味悠长等贵州茅台酒的独特风格，又具有加水，加冰后不混浊，风格不变等特点，深受国内外各界人士的欢迎。
1) KWEICHOW MOUTAI
This KWEICHOW Moutai 38% (V\V) is one of the line products of Kweichow Moutai Distillery, a top-quality liquor in China distilled with traditional method advanced scientific process combined. It possesses the unique style and flavor and is an extensively enjoyable drink. To add chilled water or ice to it will not change its crystal clearness. Moutai 38% V\V is a product that enjoys fame and recommendation the world over.
2) Maotai Liquor 38%, your new expression of life
Want to break away from the convention? Get ready for new life? Hen try our new blue blood Guizhou Maotai Liquor 38%. An unconventional blend of tradition and innovation. Unleashes your passion for life. Rich. Aromatic. Extra fine. Crystal-clear. Life has never been expressed better. Maotai Liquor 38% (V\V), the new born star that draws cheers worldwide.
Maotai Liquor 38%, your new expression of life. Anything else you ask for… The answers are all in it.
Express yourself better. With Maotai Liquor. As always. [7]
Compare the Chinese text to the two English versions, it is not difficult to find that the former expresses in a mass tone, with many four-word structures, while the English versions are inclined to use simple sentences. For further analysis, it is clear that the two English versions are in two distinctive styles. The first one, keeping firmly to the equivalence-based theory, faithfully transfers information included in the source text. It is proper in terms of traditional translation concepts, but as for advertisement text which greatly emphasizes purpose of publicizing commodities, the former version fails to fulfill its persuasive function. Plain and unpolished expressions never fascinate consumer, let alone cause a purchase. However, the latter expresses with interrogative sentences, imperative sentences and omission sentences in a individual tone, and adds many sentences and expressions which are absent in the source text. Thus this translation interprets the function of advertisement successfully and manages to attract consumers.
2. 3. 2 Culture Factors
Advertisement translation is a cross-cultural action of communication. In order to achieve its function, advertisement translation must be made coherent with the culture of the target language. These culture factors include cultural background, mode of thinking, national psychology, and aesthetic orientation.
2. 3. 2. 1 Culture Background Every consumer grows up in a given social and cultural background, so their thoughts and concepts have been inevitably influenced by this culture, secretly and inveterately. The same object or word may drive people from different culture background to associate quite differently. The Chinese people like to use “jade” to describe a beauty. A number of Chinese advertisements for cosmetics thus express as “美如玉”( as beautiful as a jade)，“还您玉颜”(make your face like a jade), which is directly translated as “sweet as a jade”. However, this translation will undoubtedly cut down the sales. Because “jade” in English means “outdated fun or vulgar and easy woman.” Instead, “lily” or “rose” is traditionally applied to describe woman’s pretty face. So it will be much better to translate it as “as sweet as a lily or a rose. In order to make the translated advertisement adapt to the culture of the expected readers, a translator ought to know the taboo of the country with the target language, and avoids using it. For example, the trademark of a television from China with the brand “孔雀” (peacock) cannot be translated as “Peacock”. “Peacock” in Chinese symbolizes “beauty” and “good luck”, whereas in the English culture it is regarded as “a filthy bird”, with a connotative meaning “being complacent and arrogant”.
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