The Practical Application Of Functional Equivalent Theory In Advertising Translation

Advertisement is an important part of our economy and culture that exerts significant impact on all walks of life. With more attention attracted by international business, most companies would like to reinforce their marketing power by investment of large quantities on advertising in the target country or area. Accordingly, the problem how the classic original version of advertisement could win the hearts of consumers in another country becomes a new studying focus in translation fields. In this thesis, the functional equivalent theory is to be related to the actual advertising translation practice.Since 1960s when Eugene Nida, the American translation theorist, advocated the functional equivalent theory, it has cast a profound impact on the translation circles in the world. Many Chinese translation theorists such as Jin Di and Tan Zaixi have long been appraising the functional equivalent theory. However still many other translation theory researchers hold that this theory is mainly based on the translation practice of Bible and it may not be practicable in other style of writings. Comparatively speaking, the overall function of Bible and advertising is to persuade its target readers into certain behavior, one to persuade its readers to follow the guidance of God while the other to persuade its readers to buy the advertised products. In this sense, the theory of equivalence should have its significant effect on advertising translation. Therefore in the thesis problems of equivalence in encoding culture, rhetoric, aesthetic expressions between two different languages will be discussed from the angle of the function of advertising. And at the same time, the practical effect of applying equivalent theory in advertising translation is another main aspect to be probed into.Finally on the basis of the above-mentioned discussions, conclusions of the advertising translation's strategy and principle would be elaborated on the analysis of the guidance of the equivalent theory. In terms of the general characteristics of modern advertisement in printed forms, a general translating principle--"similarity in function, and prominence in effect"— is to be set forth on the basis of the Nida's theory -"similarity in function, correspondence in meaning".