英语论文英文商标名汉化中的跨文化差异

Inter-cultural Differences on English Trademarks Naming Methods in Chinese . Introduction In order to obtain the international market, almost every successful enterprise concentrates on creating and strengthening its brands image and products image. They transform varied enterprises factors into simple symbols-trademarks. It is said “Name is the game.“ A good trademark naming is the permanent spiritual wealth for both enterprise and its product. In the inter-cultural transmission, it will lead to customers repulsion if the trademarks features can not keep consonant with the target markets, and the local marketing will fail latterly. A good and accurate translation of a foreign brand helps a lot in building its image and reputation locally. Take Coca-Cola as an example, when it entered into Chinese market with a name “口渴口蜡“, customers imagined it was tasteless and had a repulsion about it. Coca-Cola Company offered a reward to look for a better Chinese name for its product, so came the name“可口可乐“, which combines unified pronunciation and glorious connotation, the customers certainly have a good impression about it. Another example, American EXXON Company is the developed name of New Jersey ESSO Company, in order to unify its name and symbol all over America and other countries, they mobilized professors in philology, psychology, sociology and other fields, surveyed about over 55 languages, had interviews with more than 7000 persons, consulted from telephone over 15000 times, thereby created 10000 names through computer, and then eliminate through selection till left 8 names. Then the 8 names needed to be searched by about 100 kinds of languages in order to assure avoiding misunderstanding. After costing 1 billion dollars in 6 years, they finally confirmed the trademark “EXXON”, and set up the most expensive renaming case. Obviously, a successful trademark is very important to an enterprise. Since trademarks contain cultural connotation, designers need to keep developing a “cultural awareness“, and keep grasping the cultural environment in target markets, especially in elaborating and planning meticulously in the inter-cultural transmission. In this article I will introduce the trademarks definition and values; then describe inter-cultural differences on brands naming both in western countries and in China; and finally suggest English trademarks naming methods in China with a great deal of examples. 原创英语毕业论文 请咨询 QQ253771735 . Inter-cultural Differences on English Trademarks Naming Methods in Chinese 2.1 Trademarks Definition, Values, and Functions A trademark does not provide information in an analytic form, such as a list of ingredients or indication of size or chemical composition. While, trademarks provide information in a summary form through a symbol which the consumer identifies with a specific combination of features. 2.1.1 Trademarks Definition Definition from Microsofts Encarta96 Encyclopaedia: “Trademark is a distinctive name, word, symbol, motto, or design (and their combinations) used by a manufacturer or seller that legally identifies a company or its products and services, and sometimes prevents from using identical or similar marks. Typically, a trademark says little directly about the composition or specification of the good; while, it identifies the maker of the good. The buyer infers information about the features of the good by remembering his/her previous experience(s). Similarly, the trademark of a company does not explicitly reveal information about the company. The trademark just identifies the company; consumers have to remember what the company produces, the reputation of its quality, etc. Trademarks are an important way to convey information to consumers in a cost effective manner. Choosing and defending a trademark is often a very important part of a firms marketing strategy.” 2.1.2 Trademarks Values Trademark has many values, such as cost value, use value, but the most important values are economic value, cultural value, credit value, and aesthetic value. Here Ill explain these values one by one. Economic value The trademark is a source of high profit for the companies possessing these marks. A well-known trademark of good reputation and goodwill attains an added value and 原创英语毕业论文 请咨询 QQ253771735 -第 3 页- 吉林华桥外国语学院毕业论文用纸 competitive advantage from other marks, causing it at the end to be associated always in the customers mind with high price. For example, Mercedes is always seen as a luxury car with a high price. Therefore the trademark achieve large profits for the owners of these companies and these profits and revenues are exclusive and monopolistic rights for proprietors of these tracks, which no one could commit in fragments against benefit without permission or authorization of their legal own. Trademarks facilitate and enhance consumer decisions, they also create incentives for firms to produce goods of desirable qualities, even if these qualities are not observable before purchase. Both of these effects are consequences of the fact that trademarks permit consumers to distinguish between goods which look identical in all features that are observable before purchase. Cultural value The pink color of Owens-Corning insulation, McDonalds golden arches, the words, symbols, and colors embody the goodwill of the companies and institutions they represent on the unique shape of the classic Coke bottle. Potent cultural icons, trademarks are associated with quality, security, and even a sense of belonging in the minds of consumers. Credit value The trademark of a business entity can be used to attach a positive reputation of high quality to many products that this firm produces. Thus, there are typically increasing returns to scope in the use of a trademark. For example, given a valuable trademark in small cars, HONDA was able, over time, to use the same trademark for larger cars that it produces. It gives the association of a trademark with specific variety and quality features and help build the confidence for the customers. Aesthetic value A trademark basically contains letters (or characters), logos, colors, fragrances, names, three-dimensional shapes, and sounds. A good translation is always supposed to be following the rules of “faithfulness, smoothness and elegance”, of which “faithfulness” is always regarded as the basic criterion. However, since the chief function of trademark translation is to attract foreign customers, the response of foreign customers (or receptors of translation), should be the most important criterion. In the eyes of customers, trademark translated in consideration of aesthetic factors are usually more attractive. Therefore, both “faithfulness” and “smoothness” should be subjected to “elegance” in trademark translation. “It is more important to be as beautiful as the original.” (Xu Yuanchong, A New Translation, 2000, p. 2). The priority of “elegance” will influence the adoption of different approaches. And fancy designs of a trademark can arose customers interest and even collect it as an art production. MacDonalds fast food is almost the most popular restaurant all over the world. The designer of the trademark adopted the blue print that was a big yellow “M” like an archway. One reason is that “M” is the initial of “MacDonalds”, another reason is an archway like “M” represents a kind of recognize for franchised operation. Now, once people see the big yellow “M”, they remind MacDonalds delicious food, its really thanks to the trademarks charm. 2.1.3 Trademarks Functions Protective function Many states offer some trademark protection within their respective boundaries through the registration process. Symbols, words or designs, upon being “trademarked,” become the property of the producer, under specified rules of use and abuse, and thereafter are part of the assets of the producer. The trademark holder is given a legal monopoly on the use of these trademarked symbols and names in connection with the attached commodity, and is exclusively protected against infringement. Similarly, the law allows a trademark to be registered and used exclusively by a business entity. Legal protection of trademarks is granted with respect to specified and related goods and does not extend to all products. For example, the trademark FORD owned by the automobile manufacturer does not cover unrelated items, say clothing. Thus, the same (or similar) trademark can be used by different owners in different product categories. The Senate Committees recommendation on the law that became the Lanham Act described the two purposes of trademarks as follows: “One is to protect the public so it may be confident that, in purchasing a product bearing a particular trademark which it favorably knows, it will get the product which it asks for and wants to get. Secondly, where the owner of a trademark has spent energy, time, and money in presenting to the public the product, he is protected in his investment from its misappropriation by pirates 原创英语毕业论文 请咨询 QQ253771735 -第 5 页- 吉林华桥外国语学院毕业论文用纸 and cheats. This is the well-established rule of law protecting both the public and the trademark owner.” (S. Rep. No. 1333, 79th Cong., 2d Sess. (1946), reprinted in 1946 U.S.C.C.A.N. 1274). Identification function A trademark does not provide information in analytic form, such as a list of ingredients or indication of size or chemical composition. While, trademarks provide information in a summary form, through a symbol which the consumer identifies with a specific combination of features. Information in analytic form is a complement rather than a substitute for trademarks. Trademarks were originally used to identify makers of jewellery in the middle ages, although the craftsmens marks had been used since antiquity. Although the original intent was to identify the maker for possible fraud regarding the composition of the alloy, trademarks were soon used to identify quality standards of particular producers. At present, besides its function in indicating the source of a product and its quality, a trademark identifies the product (the full combination of features that constitute the product). For example, the trademark DR. PEPPER identifies the particular kind of Cola drink. 2.2 Different Naming Features of Trademarks Between Western Countries and China for Inter-cultural Differences Because of the differences in cultures and customs when using languages, foreign countries and Chinese enterprises use different naming methods. Brand is a kind of commercial culture; a national culture. There are different naming features for trademarks between western countries and China. 2.2.1 The Original Naming Features on Foreign Trademarks Naming in peoples names Western countries propagate individualism, which reflects in economic field, a symbolic representation is trademarks naming in peoples names. For example: In 1943, the Hungarian Laszlo Biro invented a kind of pen, which was easy to be dried, and cleaner than the pens in old style, namely ball-point pen. He named the new pen “Biro” in his name. Due to its rapid prevalence and low in price, more and more people used Biro ball-point pen, which makes people called every brand of ball-point pen Biro, and even breeds the verb “to biro” to describe write with ball- point pen. Later, it was said “Most white papers are now not penned, but biroed.” There are also other famous brand names which came from the designers: American Ford Motor Company, Louis Vuitton, Disney, Dell, Chanel, etc. This method utilizes celebrity charm: usually, the name used as trademark is well- known in the relative field. It can attract more customers attention than other common brands. Naming in coined words without real meaning English is a kind of alphabetic writing; the letter can be splited and combined, and can be read after restructuring the word. The coined words bring the western products more optional naming methods. They also bring many advantages; they make the products more unique, and more exclusive. For example: wristwatch name brandRolex, it makes people associate it with “rolling”, not only create a good meaning for the brand itself, but also create a profound impression for customers. Global drink brandPepsi, it comes from the idea that the symptom of dyspepsia will ease after drink it(by omitting “dys” and “a”). Welcon(卫康) is a kind of liquid medicine for contact lenses. The designer changed the last two letters of “welcome” into “n”. It makes people associate the products with “welcome” easily. Not only refresh customers feeling, but also make a deep the products impression into customers brain. Two great American tobacco brands Marlboro and Kent are separately from the romantic sentence “Man always remembers love because of love only” and “Kiss ever never teaches”, which makes customers associate the products with beautiful fancy. Naming in words from Latin and Greek languages Most of the languages used by western countries belong to “Indo-”, and the classical Latin language and Greek language are the chief origin of scientific parlances, religionary parlances. They are seemed to be noble and elegant，so the trademarks naming in Latin or Greek languages seem to be “luxury brands”. For example, the famous trademark “Lux” (力士), it comes from Latin language and means the sunshine, and “Lux” makes people associate it with English words “lucky” and “luxury”. Another example, American famous trademark “Xerox” (施乐), it comes from Greek word “Xeros” means dry, as a kind of scientific parlances，it means a kind of special reprography techniques. So this trademark represents both the feature of duplicating 原创英语毕业论文 请咨询 QQ253771735 -第 7 页- 吉林华桥外国语学院毕业论文用纸 machine and the imply name-brand. And later, imitating photography and mimeography, there comes xerography. Naming in new combination of read-made words A kind of celerity camera named “Instamatic”(“傻瓜”照相机), it is the combination of “instant” and “matic”, showing the feature of the camera is not only celerity, but also automatism. The Nestle Company produced the first instant cafe, named it Nescafe. It is the combination of the company name “Nestle” and “cafe”, showing the special and skillful naming idea. 2.2.2 The Naming Features on Chinese Trademarks Deeply affected by Confucian thoughts The Chinese culture is almost different from western countries, it tends to propagate collectivism and humanity, and the commercial culture is affected by the Confucianism deeply. The representations are companies are fond of using the characters as “仁”, “德” , “信”, “义” when they look for the good idea for naming their products. Take some old famous brands as examples “同仁堂”, “全聚德”, “喜来登”and so on. They all show Chinese traditional virtues. Affected by national customs China is a country with civilized history, wide clime, and multitudinous nationals. The folk-customs affect national trademarks naming greatly. The designers prefer to choose words with folk-customs or regional habits as their products name in order to attract more customers who are fond of regional products. For example, Shaoxing yellow wine “女儿红”, “状元红”. These brands are not only popular in China, but also famed overseas. Naming in words of literature China is one of the four biggest civilized countries; we have centuries-old literature history, which endow products naming with much literary connotation. It can promote the art value of products and arose customers nice imagine. For example, Wuxi “红豆” Company, the idea comes from famous verse “红豆生南国”, which is known by every Chinese person. And also, Shaoxing “孔已己茴香豆”; Shangxi “杏花村” wine. These brands make use of the well-known verses to deeper the impression of customers, as well as bringing the artistic conception of verses into the products to differ their trademarks from other common ones. Obvious sexual distinction Usually, products for women, due to show womens elegance, effeminacy, and peaceful, designers love using characters like “娇” “嘉” “婷” “雅” “倩” and so on. There are some famous brands like “雅倩”, “娇兰佳人”, etc. In opposite, for men, trademarks should show their brave, strong, and toughness like “恺撒” men dressing, “帝豪”cigarette, etc. This distinction can give a clear guide to customers. Naming in words of similar pronunciation For example, the “八喜” cigarette, designer make use of Chineses fond of number “8”, for it pronounces like character “发”, it means get rich, earn more money, so people can accept this brand easier and happier. Naming in traditional legends The Tianjin “狗不理” brand is involved in an interesting legend about one of the eight fairies named Lv Dongbin kindly feed a dog with meat bun, the dog ate the food but didnt pay attention to Lv Dongbin. The legend endow the brand with traditional and interesting connotation, and deeper customers impression effectively. 2.3 Suggested Naming Methods for English Trademarks in Chinese With the development of globalization, plenty of foreign brands come into Chinese market bringing abundant trademark cultures. People in different countries had different understandings upon the same characters or pictures, so multinational companies have paid great attention to trademark culture. They often put much money into link to the product or service directly and also get a glorious connotation. In this part, I will talk about some successful and failed examples on naming foreign trademarks, and some suggested naming methods. 2.3.1 Successful and Failed Examples on Naming Foreign Trademarks in China When P “洁” represents P nearly 20 brands of products into Chinese market, all the Chinese names of the brands are created after large-scale research. Now, no matter Rejoice(飘柔), Pantene(潘婷), Head and Shoulders(海飞丝), or Safeguard(舒服佳), Olay(玉兰油), Whisper(护舒宝), Crest(佳洁士), Tide(汰渍), Zest(激爽), Pampers(帮宝适) are all 原创英语毕业论文 请咨询 QQ253771735 -第 9 页-