Abstract:Trademark is a symbol that one enterprise’s products are different from the others. From the perspective of translation, trademark is not only a pronoun of part of text or graphics of enterprise or business name, but also the unity of language and culture. Cultural acceptability refers that people accept the English trademarks translation after understanding the accepted culture or accept its specific meaning in a foreign culture. The translator must consider the target consumers' cultural acceptability in the process of English trademarks translation.
Focus on studying the cultural acceptability of Chinese versions of English trademarks, the thesis introduces English trademark translation first, including the importance of trademarks and its translation, and the importance of cultural acceptance in the process of translation. Then, this thesis dissects the main problems in the process of English trademark translation by analyzing several excellent examples of English-Chinese translation. At last, the thesis talks about the concrete translation methods of English trademark translation combined with cultural acceptability, including transliteration, free translation, the combination of transliteration and free translation, literal translation, and non-translation. The study of the cultural acceptability of Chinese versions of English trademarks has certain significance in English trademarks translation practice.
Key words: English trademark translation; Cultural acceptability; Translation methods
CONTENTS
摘要
Abstract
1 Introduction-1
1.1 Background of the research-1
1.2 Purpose of the research-1
1.3 Significance of the research-2
1.4 Studies on trademarks-2
2 The Problems of English Brand Name Translation-4
2.1 Studies on cultural acceptability-4
2.1.1 Definition of cultural acceptability-4
2.1.2 Relation between cultural acceptability and trademark-4
2.2 The main problem of English trademark translation from the cultural acceptability is the cultural differences-5
2.2.1 The translator doesn’t grasp the performance and features of the product-6
2.2.2 The translator makes a tedious translation-6
2.2.3 The translator ignores Chinese spending habits and consumer psychology-6
3 The Main Methods of Translation on English Trademarks on the Perspective of Cultural Acceptability-8
3.1 Transliteration and cultural acceptability-8
3.1.1 Pure transliteration-8
3.1.2 Homo-phonic translation-9
3.2 Free translation and cultural acceptability-9
3.2.1 Pure free translation-9
3.2.2 Chosen free translation-10
3.2.3 Form free translation-10
3.2.4 Amplification and omission free translation-11
3.3 The combination of transliteration and free translation and cultural acceptability-11
3.3.1 Near sound association method-11
3.3.2 Near voice and transferred meaning-12
3.3.3 Near sound implied meaning-13
3.3.4 Quotation-13
3.4 Literal translation and cultural acceptability-14
3.5 Non-translation and cultural acceptability-14
Conclusion-16
References-17
Acknowledgments-18