从功能派翻译理论的角度看广告翻译
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摘要
随着国际贸易和跨国公司的飞速发展，广告翻译在国际交流中的重要作用日益凸现。然而在中国，广告翻译尚未得到充分发展。作为翻译学中的一个分支，广告翻译有着它自己的内在规律，因而需要对它进行系统的研究。本文从一个新的视角即功能派翻译理论出发来探讨广告翻译，广告翻译的标准及策略，其目的在于帮助提高汉语广告英译的质量。
功能派翻译理论以目的文本及目的语文化为导向。它强调目的文本在目的利用各种资讯，并有权选择最适合实现译文预期功能的翻译策略。功能派翻译理论为翻译理论研究开辟了一个新的视角。它对翻译理论研究的最大贡献在于将目的语文本功能的实现引入翻译批评体系，并将其作为衡量翻译质量的主要标准。它的另一个优点在于为一些非常规的翻译策略、方法比如改译、改写等提供了理论依据。而这些非常规的翻译策略及方法则常见于广告翻译中。
对现实生活中的广告翻译实例的分析表明，为克服文化冲突给国际广告交流设置的障碍并实现翻译在目的语文化中的预期功能，广告翻译不是一种将原文信息忠实转换到目的语中的纯模仿性行为，而是一种积极的、具创造性的诠释过程。在这一过程中，译者常常对原文做文化上和语言上的调整以适应目的语文化及目的语读者。
广告及广告翻译这种以目的语文化为导向的本质决定了传统的翻译观念及翻译标准已很难适用于广告翻译中。在已提出的广告翻译标准中，“对等效应”是极具代表性的一种。然而这种以原文本为中心的标准的可行性遭到质疑，尤其是当广告只用于目的语市场时。功能派翻译理论强调译文在目的语文化中的功能性，因而，翻译后的广告在目的语社会中的商业效益可用来衡量广告翻译
厂＼硕士学位论文
V喘》岁 仙气盯阻’Sn正0S
的好坏。一般而言，广告的商业效应分为三种：正面效应，零效应和负效应。
能带来正面效应的广告翻译，也就是说能帮助提高品牌的知名度及产品在目的
市场的销售，被视为好的翻译。但这一标准在应用于实践中也存在着问题，即
难以划分译者与广告创作者间的责任。本文提出，广告主与译者之间就广告翻
译达成协议可以帮助解决这一问题。
译者所遵循的翻译标准往往会决定译者对翻译策略的选择。在广告翻译中
常见的翻译策略可归纳为两种：直接传译法及调整性译法。调整性译法指在广
告翻译的过程中，为更好地克服国际广告中的文化障碍，译者可以在综合所有
提供给译者的资讯的情况下，对原文做文化及语言上的调整以适应目的语文化
及目的语读者。事实证明在广告翻译中，调整性译法能有效地克服国际广告中
的文化障碍，达到有效地宣传产品，提高销量的目的。为进一步对此结论进行
论证，作者进行了一次旨在测试目的语读者反映的小范围的问卷调查。
译者在运用调整性翻译方法时需格外注意文化干扰，即译者的母语文化对
硼译的负面影响。母语文化干扰会导致译者对目的语文化的误解，从而造成对
原文改写不当或过度。作者再一次采用问卷调查的方法简略说明了文化干扰对
广告翻译的负面影响。
文章结尾指出，广吉翻译中译者应着重实现译文在目的语文化中的预期功
能，而不是追求与原文等效。在实现译文预期功能的过程中，译者不可避免地
会对原文做文化和语言上的调整以适应目的语文化与目的语读者。根据功能派
翻译理论，本文作者认为广告翻译中应赋予译者充分的自由以发挥其创造性。
体现在翻译中的创造性才能使广告翻译立足于市场并使之真正成为一门职业。
With the rapid development of international business and multinational companies there is a growing need for efficient international advertising communication and translation. The amount of advertising translation is already substantial, and keeps increasing. However, incommensurate with its importance in cross- cultural communication, advertising translation is still an underexplored field which has not yet been adequately studied in the discipline of translation. As a branch of translation study, advertising translation has its own laws and demands a systematic study. This thesis approaches advertising translation from the perspective of functionalist theory and discusses advertising translation standard and strategies with the aim to practically help improve ad translation from Chinese to English.
Functionalist approach to translation is characterized by its target-orientedness. This theory emphasizes the functionality of the target text in the target culture. Under the theory, the original text is not the only source of material that translators can work on. Translators are encouraged to make full use of various sources of information and they are entitled to choose whatever translation strategies he thinks appropriate to achieve the expected functions of the translation. Functionalist approach to translation has opened up a new perspective to translation studies. The major contribution of functionalist approach to translation is that it enriches the theory of translation criterion through the introduction of the function and/or the purpose of the target text as the decisive criterion of all translation. (Schaffner, 1998:1). And another contribution of the theory is that it provides a theoretical basis for some unconventional translation strategies such as adaptation and rewriting.
Such translation strategies are frequently employed in advertising translation.
The analysis of the real-life phenomena in advertising translation indicates that to achieve its expected functions in the target culture, ad translation is not an imitative activity of reproducing faithfully the message of the source text but a dynamic one of creative interpretation which suggests adaptations of the original text to the target culture are usually intentionally made by translators to overcome the cultural barrier to international advertising.
The nature of ad translation determines that translation concepts and conventions are subject to changes when ad translation standard is established. "Functional equivalence" is a representative among the discussion of ad translation standard. Its feasibility, however, is questioned, especially when the ad is only targeted at overseas markets. Without the original text as a rigid reference, the evaluation of translation becomes subtler. So to find another pivot is the key to the evaluation of ad translation. Functionalism emphasizes the functionality of translation in the target culture, therefore, the commercial effect of an ad translation in the target culture is put forward as a yardstick of ad translation in this thesis. Generally speaking, three kinds of commercial effect of ads can be observed, namely, positive effect, zero effect and negative effect. An ad translation which brings positive effect is regarded as a good one, which means the translation contributes to an increase in brand awareness and demand on the promoted product in the target market. The potential problem of this criterion is also discussed in this thesis.
Translator's choice of translation strategies is always guided by the translation standard he adheres to. Direct transfer and adaptive transfer as two ad translation strategies are discussed in this thesis. Adaptive transfer herein means that in
advertising translation, cultural and linguistic adaptations of the target text to the target culture and audience are sometimes called for to make sure of the success of the advertising campaign. Facts have proved that adaptive transfer is usually more effective in dealing with the cultural barrier to international a
功能派翻译理论以目的文本及目的语文化为导向。它强调目的文本在目的利用各种资讯，并有权选择最适合实现译文预期功能的翻译策略。功能派翻译理论为翻译理论研究开辟了一个新的视角。它对翻译理论研究的最大贡献在于将目的语文本功能的实现引入翻译批评体系，并将其作为衡量翻译质量的主要标准。它的另一个优点在于为一些非常规的翻译策略、方法比如改译、改写等提供了理论依据。而这些非常规的翻译策略及方法则常见于广告翻译中。
对现实生活中的广告翻译实例的分析表明，为克服文化冲突给国际广告交流设置的障碍并实现翻译在目的语文化中的预期功能，广告翻译不是一种将原文信息忠实转换到目的语中的纯模仿性行为，而是一种积极的、具创造性的诠释过程。在这一过程中，译者常常对原文做文化上和语言上的调整以适应目的语文化及目的语读者。
广告及广告翻译这种以目的语文化为导向的本质决定了传统的翻译观念及翻译标准已很难适用于广告翻译中。在已提出的广告翻译标准中，“对等效应”是极具代表性的一种。然而这种以原文本为中心的标准的可行性遭到质疑，尤其是当广告只用于目的语市场时。功能派翻译理论强调译文在目的语文化中的功能性，因而，翻译后的广告在目的语社会中的商业效益可用来衡量广告翻译
厂＼硕士学位论文
V喘》岁 仙气盯阻’Sn正0S
的好坏。一般而言，广告的商业效应分为三种：正面效应，零效应和负效应。
能带来正面效应的广告翻译，也就是说能帮助提高品牌的知名度及产品在目的
市场的销售，被视为好的翻译。但这一标准在应用于实践中也存在着问题，即
难以划分译者与广告创作者间的责任。本文提出，广告主与译者之间就广告翻
译达成协议可以帮助解决这一问题。
译者所遵循的翻译标准往往会决定译者对翻译策略的选择。在广告翻译中
常见的翻译策略可归纳为两种：直接传译法及调整性译法。调整性译法指在广
告翻译的过程中，为更好地克服国际广告中的文化障碍，译者可以在综合所有
提供给译者的资讯的情况下，对原文做文化及语言上的调整以适应目的语文化
及目的语读者。事实证明在广告翻译中，调整性译法能有效地克服国际广告中
的文化障碍，达到有效地宣传产品，提高销量的目的。为进一步对此结论进行
论证，作者进行了一次旨在测试目的语读者反映的小范围的问卷调查。
译者在运用调整性翻译方法时需格外注意文化干扰，即译者的母语文化对
硼译的负面影响。母语文化干扰会导致译者对目的语文化的误解，从而造成对
原文改写不当或过度。作者再一次采用问卷调查的方法简略说明了文化干扰对
广告翻译的负面影响。
文章结尾指出，广吉翻译中译者应着重实现译文在目的语文化中的预期功
能，而不是追求与原文等效。在实现译文预期功能的过程中，译者不可避免地
会对原文做文化和语言上的调整以适应目的语文化与目的语读者。根据功能派
翻译理论，本文作者认为广告翻译中应赋予译者充分的自由以发挥其创造性。
体现在翻译中的创造性才能使广告翻译立足于市场并使之真正成为一门职业。
With the rapid development of international business and multinational companies there is a growing need for efficient international advertising communication and translation. The amount of advertising translation is already substantial, and keeps increasing. However, incommensurate with its importance in cross- cultural communication, advertising translation is still an underexplored field which has not yet been adequately studied in the discipline of translation. As a branch of translation study, advertising translation has its own laws and demands a systematic study. This thesis approaches advertising translation from the perspective of functionalist theory and discusses advertising translation standard and strategies with the aim to practically help improve ad translation from Chinese to English.
Functionalist approach to translation is characterized by its target-orientedness. This theory emphasizes the functionality of the target text in the target culture. Under the theory, the original text is not the only source of material that translators can work on. Translators are encouraged to make full use of various sources of information and they are entitled to choose whatever translation strategies he thinks appropriate to achieve the expected functions of the translation. Functionalist approach to translation has opened up a new perspective to translation studies. The major contribution of functionalist approach to translation is that it enriches the theory of translation criterion through the introduction of the function and/or the purpose of the target text as the decisive criterion of all translation. (Schaffner, 1998:1). And another contribution of the theory is that it provides a theoretical basis for some unconventional translation strategies such as adaptation and rewriting.
Such translation strategies are frequently employed in advertising translation.
The analysis of the real-life phenomena in advertising translation indicates that to achieve its expected functions in the target culture, ad translation is not an imitative activity of reproducing faithfully the message of the source text but a dynamic one of creative interpretation which suggests adaptations of the original text to the target culture are usually intentionally made by translators to overcome the cultural barrier to international advertising.
The nature of ad translation determines that translation concepts and conventions are subject to changes when ad translation standard is established. "Functional equivalence" is a representative among the discussion of ad translation standard. Its feasibility, however, is questioned, especially when the ad is only targeted at overseas markets. Without the original text as a rigid reference, the evaluation of translation becomes subtler. So to find another pivot is the key to the evaluation of ad translation. Functionalism emphasizes the functionality of translation in the target culture, therefore, the commercial effect of an ad translation in the target culture is put forward as a yardstick of ad translation in this thesis. Generally speaking, three kinds of commercial effect of ads can be observed, namely, positive effect, zero effect and negative effect. An ad translation which brings positive effect is regarded as a good one, which means the translation contributes to an increase in brand awareness and demand on the promoted product in the target market. The potential problem of this criterion is also discussed in this thesis.
Translator's choice of translation strategies is always guided by the translation standard he adheres to. Direct transfer and adaptive transfer as two ad translation strategies are discussed in this thesis. Adaptive transfer herein means that in
advertising translation, cultural and linguistic adaptations of the target text to the target culture and audience are sometimes called for to make sure of the success of the advertising campaign. Facts have proved that adaptive transfer is usually more effective in dealing with the cultural barrier to international a
引文
Kim-lung Au, Kenneth. Cultural Transfer in Advertisement Translation [J]. Babel, 1999(4): 97.
Mueller, Barbara. International Advertising: Communicating across cultures[M].大连：东北财经大学出版社，1998．
Newmark, Peter. Approaches To Translation[M]. 上海：上海外语教育出版社，2001．
Nord, Christiane. Translating as a Purposeful Activity [M].上海：上海外语教育出版社，2001．
Schaffner, Christina. Translation and Quality [C] Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Ltd, 1998.
Snell-Hornby, Mary. Translation Studies [M].上海：上海外语教育出版社，1995
Sidiropoulou, Maria. Advertising in Translation: English vs. Greek [J]. Meta, XLⅢ,2,1998.
Toury, Gideon. Descriptive Translation Studies and Beyond [M]. 上海：上海外语教育出版社，2001．
陈德鸿、张南峰．西方翻译理论精选[C]．香港：香港城市大学出版社，2000．
陈小慰．翻译功能理论的启示[J]．中国翻译，2000，(4)：9-12．
范祥涛．论翻译选择的目的性[J]．中国翻译，2002，(6)：25-28．
黄国文．语篇分析的理论与实践----广告语篇研究[M]．上海：上海外语教育出版社，2001．
金緹．等效翻译探索[M]．北京：中国对外翻译出版公司，1998．
贾文波．谈对外广告翻译的情感传递[J] 外国语，1996，(2)：57-59．
刘宓庆．文体与翻译[M]．北京：中国对外翻译出版社，1998．
刘宓庆．当代翻译理论[M]．北京：中国对外翻译出版社，1998．
李淑琴、马会娟．从符号学看商标词的翻译[J]．上海科技翻译，2000(4)：43-45．
黎海斌．编著 商务人员看广告学英语[M]，北京：中国纺织出版社，2003．
潘红．从背景期望看广告翻译[J]．上海科技翻译，1998，(1) 26-29．
平洪．文本功能与翻译策略[J]．中国翻译，2002，(5)19-23．
乔治．E．贝尔齐 麦克尔．A．贝尔齐著 张红霞 李志宏译 广告与促销[J]．东北财经大学出版社，2000．
苏淑惠．广告英语的文体功能与翻译标准[J]．外国语，1996，(2) 51-54．
司显柱．译作一定要忠实原作吗?[J]．上海科技翻译，2002，(4) 44-46．
吴伟雄．何必译“龙”为“虎”---浅议广告商标翻译评论的误区[J]．上海科技翻译，2002，(2) 52-54．
杨志松．一句话打动你我---广告标语传播效果分析[M] 昆明：云南大学出版社，1993．
杨全红．译者，绎也——试探国际广告的非常规翻译法[J]．中国科技翻译，2000，(1)：16-20．
杨晓荣．翻译批评标准的传统思路和现代视野[J]．中国翻译，2001，(6)：11-15．
周红民．实用文本翻译三论[J]．上海科技翻译，2002，(4)：15-17．
赵静．广告英语[M]．北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1997．
张南峰．走出死胡同，建立翻译学[J]．外国语，1995，(3)：1-4．
张长明．广告汉英翻译的现状与改进办法[J]．中国科技翻译，2001，(2)：26-29．
仲伟合、钟钰，德国的功能派翻译理论[J]．中国翻译，1999，(3)：47-51．
周兆祥．翻译与人生[M]．北京：中国对外翻译出版公司，1998．
Mueller, Barbara. International Advertising: Communicating across cultures[M].大连：东北财经大学出版社，1998．
Newmark, Peter. Approaches To Translation[M]. 上海：上海外语教育出版社，2001．
Nord, Christiane. Translating as a Purposeful Activity [M].上海：上海外语教育出版社，2001．
Schaffner, Christina. Translation and Quality [C] Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Ltd, 1998.
Snell-Hornby, Mary. Translation Studies [M].上海：上海外语教育出版社，1995
Sidiropoulou, Maria. Advertising in Translation: English vs. Greek [J]. Meta, XLⅢ,2,1998.
Toury, Gideon. Descriptive Translation Studies and Beyond [M]. 上海：上海外语教育出版社，2001．
陈德鸿、张南峰．西方翻译理论精选[C]．香港：香港城市大学出版社，2000．
陈小慰．翻译功能理论的启示[J]．中国翻译，2000，(4)：9-12．
范祥涛．论翻译选择的目的性[J]．中国翻译，2002，(6)：25-28．
黄国文．语篇分析的理论与实践----广告语篇研究[M]．上海：上海外语教育出版社，2001．
金緹．等效翻译探索[M]．北京：中国对外翻译出版公司，1998．
贾文波．谈对外广告翻译的情感传递[J] 外国语，1996，(2)：57-59．
刘宓庆．文体与翻译[M]．北京：中国对外翻译出版社，1998．
刘宓庆．当代翻译理论[M]．北京：中国对外翻译出版社，1998．
李淑琴、马会娟．从符号学看商标词的翻译[J]．上海科技翻译，2000(4)：43-45．
黎海斌．编著 商务人员看广告学英语[M]，北京：中国纺织出版社，2003．
潘红．从背景期望看广告翻译[J]．上海科技翻译，1998，(1) 26-29．
平洪．文本功能与翻译策略[J]．中国翻译，2002，(5)19-23．
乔治．E．贝尔齐 麦克尔．A．贝尔齐著 张红霞 李志宏译 广告与促销[J]．东北财经大学出版社，2000．
苏淑惠．广告英语的文体功能与翻译标准[J]．外国语，1996，(2) 51-54．
司显柱．译作一定要忠实原作吗?[J]．上海科技翻译，2002，(4) 44-46．
吴伟雄．何必译“龙”为“虎”---浅议广告商标翻译评论的误区[J]．上海科技翻译，2002，(2) 52-54．
杨志松．一句话打动你我---广告标语传播效果分析[M] 昆明：云南大学出版社，1993．
杨全红．译者，绎也——试探国际广告的非常规翻译法[J]．中国科技翻译，2000，(1)：16-20．
杨晓荣．翻译批评标准的传统思路和现代视野[J]．中国翻译，2001，(6)：11-15．
周红民．实用文本翻译三论[J]．上海科技翻译，2002，(4)：15-17．
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