2.3 The Features of Advertising Language 14

Chapter 3 Application of Gestalt Theory into EAT 14

3.1 Application of Principle of Proximity 14

3.2 Application of Principle of Closure 15

3.3 Application of Principle of Continuity 16

3.4 Application of Principle of Simplicity 17

Chapter 4 Conclusion 18

References 19

Chapter 1 Introduction

    The utilitarian nature of advertising is the most blatant—to sell goods, provide extension service or promote some ideas. So does advertising translation. Advertising translation is different from the academic literature translation, and also from the translation of literary works, its quality and success is determined by the sponsor, namely businessman or an institution responsible person except scholar. If an advertising translator follows the traditional ways to be stubborn on original form and content in the target text, the translated advertising may not be persuasive or attractive enough to win the favor of consumers in the market. Therefore, the translator should carefully adopt effective translation theories and strategies in English Advertising Translation (henceforth EAT). As long as the translated advertising's commercial effect or utilitarian role is significant, it will be regarded as a satisfying version. However in commercial advertising, there are discretion between lowliness and nobleness. Good advertisement translation is helpful for selling products; excellent translation can not only be beneficial to sell products, but also to promote the brand. It may instill the consumption concept of the product into the minds of consumers , which becomes their consumption guide, even a part of life.

1.1 Research Background

    As a necessary link and crucial part of modern metropolitan life and the market economy, adverting has gradually penetrated into people's life. The most essential function of advertising is to rapidly communicate commodity information, to meet the consumers' psychological demands, so as to realize ecomomic effiency—to bring considerable benefits. A good tranlation of advertisement should accurately convey the original information, reflect the characteristics of products, inspire and attract consumers to buy. But owing to differences in different languages, national culture background and the consumers' acceptance, the translation of advertisement is definitely not easy. The success of an advertisement translation lies in whether the translation (the target language ) is consistent with the psychological needs of consumers. A good translated version of an advertising will persuade or influence consumers. The basic aim of advertising is to identify and differentiate one product from others for the sake of persuading consumers to buy that product prevailing over all else. All the information which a translator chooses to put into his version is intended to be confidently persuasive. The message must reach a large audience of potential consumers those who resonate with the advertisement. One way advertisers persuade people to buy their products is to flavour the resounding name or the distinctive characteristics into them so that consumers can remember clearly. Another way is to make consumers develop swiftly a positive attitude towards their product, but the most vital factor is the target language that contributes to the achievement of the goal of commercial profits.

    Translation, however, is a rather challenge and yet a fascinating work. In general, it can be said without exaggeration that advertising translation in China is yet bewildering. Translators always lack systematic and referential guidance. Advertising translation has its own special and unique style. Its translation principles should be different from the one of other genres. Advertising translation should never be translated like legal provisions or scientific discourse. Although advertisements of products and services from other countries are pilling into China, they usually seem as a relatively new genre. Some researchers have studied in this field. A great number of scholars have focused on the study of English advertising. A part of them endeavor to search for effective translation strategies and ways for advertising. However, most of them fail to explore it from psychological perspective. Few experts have succeeded in finding out a strong guidiance on EAT.