Trademark Translation In Intercultural Communication

Well known as the golden business card of the product, the trademark determines the sales amount of the product and is closely bound up with reputations and profits of businesses. Therefore, trademark naming has become an essential strategic issue in the market economy. With the rapid development of China's market economy and China's accession to WTO, China's commodities will be marketed to international market, in the face of international competition. It is not merely the competition for quality and service, what's more important, it is the drastic competition for the commodity trademark. With the advent of global economy and global village, foreign commodities march into the domestic market and pose competition for quality and trademark with Chinese commodities. The drastic competition in the domestic and international market leads the study of trademark to be more valuable. The study of trademark translation is closely linked to the study of the theory and phenomena of trademark translation. By its nature, trademark translation is an interdisciplinary study, encompassing linguistics, psychology, cultural studies, advertising, translation, intercultural communications, aesthetics and other disciplines. The study of trademark translation has its values in translation, culture, linguistics and aesthetics.Being a special advertising and marketing language, the trademark is heavily culture loaded and embedded with rich cultural property. On the ground of the wide range of research of the trademark from its definition, classification, functions, formations to unique characteristics, the study of trademark translation is explored from the perspectives of culture and intercultural communication. Hans J. Vermeer's Skopos theory, Peter Newmark's communicative translation theory and Eugene A. Nida's dynamic equivalence theory as well as Larry A. Samovar and Edward T. Hall's intercultural communication theories are adopted as the theoretical cornerstone of this thesis so as to guide trademark translation. Based on the strong theoretical ground, this thesis discusses the cultural properties contained in the trademark and cultural adaptation in the process of trademark translation. In addition, the aesthetics of trademark translation is also discussed from the perspective of intercultural communication, mainly including its beauty in sound, form and image.Edward T. Hall puts forward that culture is classified as open culture and covert or hidden culture. It is the covert or hidden culture that poses many barriers in the process of trademark translation. Due to the presence of the covert or hidden culture of the target market, existing problems arise out of ignorance of language, customs, psychology, religious, beliefs and political culture in the process of C-E and E-C trademark translation. Therefore, principles such as equivalent effect, relevance, naturalization are discussed in the process of trademark translation. As for the strategies applied to trademark translation, domestication and foreignization are mainly explored. From the perspective of intercultural communication, domestication is given priority over foreignization in the process of trademark translation. As far as trademark translation skills are concerned, communicative translation and acculturation dominate over other skills.This thesis consists of introduction, body (five chapters) and conclusion.Chapter 1: A general survey of trademarks including its domestic research and overseas research is conducted as well as its important roles in the society. Then this thesis points out its values concerning culture, linguistics, aesthetics, economy as well as society. Next the objectives of the study are put forward.Chapter 2: This chapter makes an overview study of trademark, encompassing such elements as the definition, classifications, identifications with other terms, functions, formations, and unique characteristics of trademark.Chapter 3: The cultural properties of trademark are analyzed. From the perspective of intercultural communication, this thesis explores the significant value of Skopos theory applied to trademark translation. Based on the theoretical cornerstones of intercultural communication and Skopos theory, this thesis puts forward acculturation or cultural adaptation strategy in the process of trademark translation. In addition, the aesthetics of trademark translation is also discussed from the perspective of intercultural communication.Chapter 4: This chapter examines existing problems in the course of C-E and E-C trademark translation. The two types of trademark translation strategies are discussed from the perspective of culture such as ignorance of target-language characteristics, custom, psychology, religion as well as political meaning. The chapter is mainly designed to outline problems occurring in the process of trademark translation, instead of offering necessary solutions, which is the mission of the next chapter.Chapter 5: Based on the study of previous chapters, this chapter puts forward the principles including equivalent effect, relevance and naturalization, strategies as well as translation skills for trademark translation. As for strategies used for trademark translation, domestication and foreignization are mainly discussed from the perspective of intercultural communication. Seven translation skills are explored in this chapter, among which communicative translation and acculturation are given priority.