Functional Translation Of Advertising Materials

Westem tranSlation theories have been evolving side by side with the develoPment of lingulstictheories from the l950s. The lingushc theories did have SUPported bolation theories, whichhas proved to be ffeitful in many areas. However, the tranSlation action is much more than an, isolated linghshc process and the edciency of linghaic tranSlation theories began to berevealed in tranSlating prachces with the elaPse of time. Ih the l970s, the hahonal bolationtheories put forward by German scholars PrOved their compeence in many Pratical translatoncases that can not be solved by traditional lingUistic aPproaches. ms translation school hasattracted the intention of many scholars and aroused the many disputes in academic field. Inthis thesis, I attempt to aPply the functional theories to solve problems in the translation ofadvertising materials.The functional translation theories put special emphasis on the intentionality of the translationachon, which can be simplified as 'the end juStifies the means" (Nord l24). The translationskopos, that is, the intended function of the target teXt is of primary driportance. Translationadequacy, which rneans that the translated text can adeqUately meet the requirements of theexpectancy of the initiator of the translation process, is the Standard in evalUaing the validity of'a translation.These theories changed the primary position of the source text in the translation process and ofthe equivalent effect in evalUaing the translation validity. The source text is oIily regarded asone constitute of the translation coedssion and equivalent effect is only one special case intranslation adequacy. Only when the translation brief given by the initiator requires thetranslated text to be exactly equivalent to the source text can it fully satisfy the translationadequacy.The functional translation theories are also concerned with the loyalty to the original text.When translation brief postUlated by the hatiator requires the translation to be qulte differentfrom the original text, it is the tranSlator's taSk tO negotiate with the ndtiator tO make thetranslation as loyal as possible to the original text. In this way, the extreme of being completelyy pmpose-oriented can be avoided.To sum up, the aim rule and the loyal rue are tWo backbones of the fimctional translationtheories. The combination of them can work amazingly in the traIislation of many text types.These are discussed in the first chaPter of this thesis.lvglf*ttttProghk.4The funchonal tranSlation theories put much emPhasis on the textual lertions and hold theopinion tha bolation Straegies shOuld be adoPted accordingly. The second chaPtr analyZesthe textual boons of various texi types and conchaes teotly tha vwte text tyPessuch as advertising materials should be trarislated fimhonally. ms conclusion is twrproved in the third chaPter where the funtional tranSlation theories are put into practicalexaInPles to analyZe their competence. Other theOries such as theOries in rbetoric andpragrnatcs are also involved as auxiliny means. Thrugh these analyses, the adVantages andpractical vaiues of functonal theories are demonStrated.'Lilie any othe tulation theory, the funhonal theories have their weak POints as well asadvantages. It will inevitably cause trffelation loss in other senses, for examPle, the semanticand formal loss while attatalng the pragInatic forces. rus can be seen as the limit oftranslatability in functional translations. ln the last chaPer, the limits of tranSlatabi1ity arediscussed mainly in linghstic and cultUIal respectS.Functional trMlation theories have proved to be helpful in the tranSlation of vocative texttyPes such as advertising materials. Lilie other trislation theories, it has weak POints as well asadvantages. ln this thesis, I only discussed the effectiveness of it in the trMlation ofadvertising materials. With the deveIopment of the theory, the sphere in which it can...