Source text: What’s in a name?
It sounds ordinary on paper. A white shirt with a blue check. In fact, if you asked most men if they had a white shirt with a blue check, they’d say yes.
But the shirt illustrated on the opposite page is an adventurous whiter and blue shirt. Yet it would fit beautifully into your wardrobe. And no one would accuse you of looking less than a gentleman. Predictably, the different white and blue check shirt has a different name. Viyella House. It’s tailored in crisp cool cotton and perfectly cut out for city life. Remember our name next time you are hunting for a shirt to give you more than just a background for your tie.
On women and children’s wear as well as on men’s shirts, our label says—quietly but persuasively—all there is to say about good quality and your good taste.
Our label is our promise.
Target text: 名牌推荐
英国人以其衬衫的风度闻名世界。其知名品牌就是维耶拉衬衫，它以精纺棉布为面料，由英国维耶拉品牌精心裁制，质量上乘，畅销世界。维耶拉特此郑重地承诺：蓝格白底，是白马王子的首选，风度翩翩，惹来窈窕淑女的青睐。穿上维耶拉，男人闯天下。穿上维耶拉，生活真潇洒。维耶拉还请您关注我们出品的妇女和儿童服装，百分之百的一流品位，百分之百的质量保证。[17]
Not faithful to the source text, the target text reconstruct and adapt the contents with the prerequisite of maintaining the intention and function of the original text. Naturally the language of this version is artistic and follows the custom of the target readers.
3. 2. 5 Omission
Sometimes because of cultural differences, we should omit some unnecessary details in the target language text in order to maintain genre integrity.
Advertisement is required to be concise, so is the advertisement translation. Interminable message is difficult to remember and boring, what must become barrier to promotion. In addition, due to the cultural and historical divergence, as well as different aesthetic standard between source text and target text, something attractive to the source consumer may not have the same effect on the target consumer. At this sense, the translator should be able to discriminate those useful information from those useless, and eliminate redundant information to adjust to the Westerner’s aesthetic psychology and arouse their identification with products. Take the advertisement for a yacht as an example:
“长城号”游船设施豪华舒适，除观景塔、露天观景塔、游泳池、酒吧间、日光浴室外，佳肴美点，中西皆备，并有宽敞的游步甲板，游客饱览沿途风光，华丽而舒适的客房均有空调设备，令您有宾至如归的感受。[18]
The language of this advertisement is inane and exaggerated. If translated literally, readers in the West will surely be impressed by its speciosity. It may look much better if it is translated in this way:
Being a deluxe cruiser to tour the Yangtze River, the ‘Great Wall’ has indoor and open-air observation towers, a swimming pool, a bar, a solaritum as well as Chinese and Western restaurants and a specious deck. All the cabins are superb, a comfortable and air-conditioned. [18]
Because of cultural difference existing in source language and target language, some useful information in the source text may cause confusion on the target readers. Omission should be executed in this translation, and leave only core information. An example is shown as follows:
团结湖北京烤鸭店为全聚德挂炉烤鸭。为保证宾客品尝精美风味，全部现吃现烤。精选北京白鸭，以果木挂炉烧烤，只需40分钟就能品尝到为您特别烤制的色泽枣红，香酥嫩脆，浓香四溢的正宗烤鸭。
Tuanjiehu Beijing Roast Ducks which are only roasted after you place your order. Preparation takes 40 minutes after which we will serve with you with a delicious, golden red Beijing Duck with crunchy skin.[19]
“全聚德”in the source text is eye-catching to Chinese readers, but not persuasive to foreign readers who are not familiar with the diet culture of China. Those jargon such as “挂炉烤鸭”, “以果木挂炉烧烤” will further confuse the foreign readers. The version, having eliminated the redundant information, is much concise and efficient and therefore good to achieve the expected purpose included in the source text.
3. 2. 6 Amplification
Due to cultural differences, some important information should be added to the original meaning in the target language text so as to break down communication barriers in the target culture and situation. An example is shown as follows:
茅台一开，满室生香；国酒茅台，源远流长。
Maotai a vintage liquor.
A VIP treat which diffuses finest aroma.
A national favor that won a 1915 diploma.[20]
“源远流长”(dating from a long period ago) in the original text refers to that Maotai liquor was manufactured since 135 AD. It won golden prize at an exposition held in Panama in 1915, and won international prizes several times since then. It may be a pity if this honorable history is not conveyed, so the translator applies amplification to translate and explains the connotation of “源远流长”, which becomes much easier for the target readers to understand and accept.
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