An Inquiry Into Brand Name Translation In The Light Of The Dynamic Functioning Of Cultural Adaptation

Despite its importance, brand name translation had hardly drawn any attention from the Chinese translators until around 1994, when really significant studies on this topic began. Briefly, the present studies on brand name translation in China are far from being satisfactory: most of the studies are based on a mere descriptive analysis of examples rather than on a theoretical foundation, and although culture has been discussed repeatedly, recent linguistic theories have scarcely been applied to the discussion.On the basis of adaptability theory (Jef Verschueren, 2000:13), this thesis probes into the dynamic functioning of cultural adaptation in brand name translation. We assume that the concept of adaptability can provide a scientific and reasonable basis for brand name translation. It can enable us to evaluate brand name translation from a pragmatic perspective, and thus promote the study of brand name translation.To begin with, the thesis reviews the previous studies on this topic and introduces the present study. Secondly, the concepts of brand and brand name are introduced, followed by a discussion of the importance of brand name translation and the commonly used methods in brand name translation. Thirdly, the relationship between language, culture and translation serves as a starting point for the present study, functional equivalence provides an effective way of evaluating good translations of brand names, and the Theory of Adaptation is exploited to facilitate the understanding of brand name translation as a process of continuous adaptation to various factors. Fourthly, the thesis concentrates on cultural adaptation in brand name translation. An in-depth analysis is conducted on various cultural elements correlates with which brand name translation should be adaptable. Finally, the thesis investigates the way in which cultural adaptation functions, seeing dynamics as one characteristic of cultural adaptation in brand name translation.Through the above analysis, the thesis comes to the conclusion that the functioning of cultural adaptation, which is a dynamic process, is crucially important in brand name translation. This research can help to overcome the cultural barriers to successful translations of brand names.