论英文广告中双关语的翻译.doc

摘 要广告英语作为一种应用语言，有着自己独特的语言特点和风格。广告英语用词优美，句法简洁却内涵丰富，修辞变化多端，耐人寻味，以最简单的语言表达最复杂的意义，语言的魅力在广告中得以充分的展示。广告旨在于打动人心，激发人们的购买欲，一字一句都需要充分发挥它的魅力和产品所要表达的商业目的。因此，广告商挖空心思地追求新的创意，在广告中运用丰富的双关语。巧妙的双关能使语言含蓄、幽默、生动、机智，起到旁敲侧击、借题发挥的作用，能很好的突出广告的特点，因而在广告中得到大量应用。本文从同音双关、谐音双关、一词异义双关、一词多义双关几个方面对双关语在英语广告中的运用作了阐述；同时也运用契合译法、分别表义法、套译法、侧重翻译法和补偿法等对英语广告双关语的翻译作了些探讨。关键词：英语广告；双关语；翻译技巧ABSTRACTAs an applied language, advertising English has its own specific language style and features. With appealing dictions, succinct sentence structures, rich connotation and varied use of rhetoric devices, advertisements surprisingly give full play to the charm of language, using the simplest language to express the most complex meanings. Advertisements aim to stimulate peoples desire for shopping. Therefore, manufacturers wrack their brains to be creative with the use of rich puns. The artful use of such rhetorical devices makes advertisements connotative, humorous, vivid and wittyimpressive in a roundabout way. Thus pun becomes widely and frequently used to achieve purposed effects of advertisements. This article aims to elaborate on the various forms of puns such as homophonic pun, paronomasia, antalaclasis and syllepsis, and to probe into some common techniques of translating English puns in advertisements such as fit translation, semantic translation, sets translation, priority translation, and compensation translation.Keywords： English advertisements; pun; translation techniquesContents1Introduction of pun11.1 The definition and features of pun11.2Classification of pun22. Function of puns in English advertisement32.1 Rhetoric function32.2 Pragmatic function43. Translation of puns in English advertisement43.1The importance of pun translation in English advertisement43.2Delabastitas theory for translating puns53.2.1The comment on Delabastitas method for translating puns53.2.2 Translation methods of puns on basis of Delabastitas theory63.3 Translating techniques of puns in English advertisement63.3.1 Fit translation(契合译法)73.3.2 Semantic difference（分别表义法）73.3.3 Sets translation(套译法)83.3.4 Priority translation(侧重译法)93.3.5 Compensation translation（补偿译法）104Conclusion11Acknowledgements12References13中国最大的论文知识平台1Introduction of punPun is one of the ancient trope, which is now widely used as a rhetorical means in advertisements, literature and drama. It is defined as the humorous use of a word or words that are formed or sounded alike but have different meanings in such a way as to play on two or more of the possible applications1. Since pun contains comic and rakish language style which put the advertisement into the most suitable language environment, many advertisers would like to choose the pun as the most important way of expression in advertisements so that they can be more persuasive and touching. However, some discrepancy between different culture and languages sometimes makes pun untranslatable. For all these reasons, pun becomes the most charming but hard nut to crack.1.1 The definition and features of pun Pun is defined in Longman Dictionary of the English Language as a witticism, involving the use of a word with more than one meaning, or of words having the same, or nearly the same sound but different meaning2. In the book A Detailed Study of Figures of Speech in English, Professor Li Xinhua has concluded that pun has two essential features. The first essential feature of pun is ambiguity. No matter with the same sound or the same spelling, what a pun wants to convey is the difference instead of the sameness in meaning3. In daily communication, people are trying to avoid the presence of ambiguity. However, pun attaches much importance to ambiguity. It expresses addressers intended meaning with literary meaning together. Another characteristic is that a pun contains a double context. It is easy to understand that a pun is a form of word game in which a word or phrase unexpectedly and simultaneously combines two unrelated meanings. Of course, every meaning has its own context. Professor Archibald A. Hill points out that there are three elements in analyzing and composing a pun: a double context, a hinge and a trigger4. A hinge is the pun itself, and a trigger refers to the intention and background that lies behind the puns.1.2Classification of pun As Xu Zhongbing(China) states in The Varieties and Translation of English Puns: pun can be roughly divided into two parts. They are named paronomasia and antalaclasis5. Paronomasia always involves two words, which are similar in pronunciation but different in meaning. As for antalaclasis, it refers to the same word which is used twice or more, but each time it contains different meaning, according to English Writing and Rhetoric written by Prof. Wen Jun, a more specific approach of classification is concluded. It classifies four categories of pun, that is, homophonic pun, paronomasia, antalaclasis and sylleptic pun. Homophonic pun is the use of words, which are identical in pronunciation but different in spellings and meanings. For example, (1)Make your every hello a real good-buy(telephone advertisement). Here buy reminds people the image of buy and good-bye. The advertiser tries to catch the customers eyes and assure that the purchase of their telephone is sensible. Paronomasia involves two words which have similar pronunciation but different meanings. As the beneficial advertisement says that (2)Drunk drivers often put the quart before the hearse. Here quart has similar pronunciation as cart, while hearse has similar pronunciation as horse. quart is a vessel for alcohol and hearse is a carriage specially used for conveying the dead to the grave. This pun is used to warn the drivers that drunk driving is dangerous and to remind them of the importance of safe driving. Antalaclasis refers to a word used twice or more, but each time with a different meaning. For example, (3)You need the strongest line of defense against gum disease(advertisement of JNJ dental floss). Its a common sense that dental floss can keep teeth clean and healthy by defending against gum disease. Here line refers to both the material of dental floss and the defensive line against gum disease. Sylleptic pun is similar to antalaclasis, but the word is used as a pun only once with two or more different meanings. With sylleptic puns, the advertisement can convey the information in fewer words. For example, (4)money can not be grown on trees but it blossoms at our branches. This is the advertisement for Lloyd Bank in Britain. Branch is a pun and has two meanings: one is in agreement with trees in the first sentence, meaning the arm of a tree; the other meaning is division and subsidiary bank. The bank smartly warns consumers that money can not be gained from trees but can be increased continuously once they save money in Lloyd Bank.2. Function of puns in English advertisement While the qualities of advertisements are evaluated, the following values are usually taken into consideration: information value, attention value, aesthetic value and memory value6. Information value is the most important of the four. Only when an advertisement informs readers of the details of products, such as quality, package and use can make consumers remember the products or be willing to buy them. Otherwise, the potential consumers are easy to be attracted by other products with similar topics and contents. Aesthetic value can create the sense of beauty, which can sometime determine whether the advertisement will succeed. The above three values turn the memory value into reality: to attract the consumers eyes, to fulfill the purpose of the advertisement, and above all to persuade consumers to buy the products. Advertisers put pun in English advertisement because pun plays an important role in rhetoric and pragmatic areas.2.1 Rhetoric function From the rhetoric point of view, a pun is a figure of speech which consists of similar words or phrases for rhetorical effect, whether humorous or serious7. The pun is basically one of the rhetoric devices that can fulfill this purpose of attracting the attention of readers. A pun is so implicative that it leaves readers so much space for thought and association. The connection between the two respective words or the several relevant meaning conveyed by the same word is able to enrich both the content and the influence of the advertisements. Once the content of advertisement is distinctive with his own brand, it will be easy for the consumer to accept and trust the products the advertisement promotes. As for an advertisement, once attention has been drawn on it, it will merely be a matter of time for consumers to fall in love with it. As the proverb says: “A bit in the morning is better than nothing all day”. Pun is irreplaceable to catch the first eye in advertisements. For example: (5)Cock refreshes you like no other can. The word can may be comprehended literally as aluminum tin used to contain liquid while it can also be considered as a modal verb. Therefore, the advertisement can be interpreted in two ways: Cock refreshes you so greatly that no other drinks can refresh you or Cock is able to provide you the number one refreshment than doing other things can achieve. Above all, this advertisement aims to state the function of cockto bring people the feeling of delight and refreshment.2.2 Pragmatic functionFrom the pragmatic point of view, the advertisement with pun can provide information so that the audience can come to know the details of products. Because the use of puns can strength the attention value and direct function of the advertising language, the advertisement with puns inspires the audiences interest in reading. According to Tanaka, the reason why a pun can cause the interest is that it can create ambiguity, which stimulates the audiences high on processing and discover the connotation. In this way, reader can remember the advertisement deeply, which the purpose of the advertisement is fulfiled . For example,(6) Mind your own business? Move it to Milton Hotel.(7) Milton Hotel is a good location for business.By the contrast of the above two advertisements, it is easy to discover that the first advertisement, which uses pun, is almost certainly more successful in attracting attention than the second one, which does not contain puns. To some degree, the advertising pun has the great capability of evoking the audiences attention than other advertisements. In short, the use of the pun ensures that the message is communicated with more strength. 3. Translation of puns in English advertisement3.1The importance of pun translation in English advertisementIt is not easy for an advertisement to attract the publics eyes and impress them deeply. While pun can make use of its concise language style, combine the respective meaning of words into a harmonious image, enrich the image that provides the information of advertisement, and ensure the advertisement unique and profound. However, the translation of puns is considered to be extremely difficult. Many people consider puns as untranslatable. And we have to admit the difficulty in the translation of puns. On the one hand, we must try our best to eliminate the barriers of different culture and language so that we can convey information precisely. On the other hand, we have to make adjustment and break through the limitation of culture and language so as to keep balance of source language and target language. To some degree, it is very crucial to apply dexterous techniques to translate puns in English advertisement. 3.2Delabastitas theory for translating puns 3.2.1The comment on Delabastitas method for translating puns According to Chang Namfung，a Chinese scholar, Delabastitas theory of translating puns is detailed and reasonable. And Delabastitas ten translation methods can be classified into two categories.8 The first category aims to emphasize the importance of explaining translated text sufficiently, including translating a pun with a non-pun word, copying the pun word and translating the pun with editorial techniques; while the second category aims to emphasize the importance of accepting the essential meaing of translated text, including translating a pun with a pun of different type, omitting the original pun word, translating a non-pun word with a pun word, adding a pun in the translated text. The method of translating a pun with a pun of the same type owns the characteristics of both categories. Chang Namfung holds that Delabastitas translation-method classifications of puns do not own much specificity of language, which means that the classifications are be applicable in some situations, including the translation of puns between European languages as well as the translation between English and Chinese in the rough. He also says that the method for translating puns by copying is an exception, for it is much more used in the translations between Latin languages but less used in the translation between English and Chinese. Therefore, it is reasonable to make use of the advantage of this method and abandon its disadvantage, making the translation of pun easier.3.2.2 Translation methods of puns on basis of Delabastitas theory Delabastitas translation-method classification is detailed, but it is thought to be over-elaborated. Besides, from what has been discussed above, it is known that not all the translation methods for puns listed by Delabastita suit the translation of puns from English into Chinese. Therefore, the methods of translating the puns from English into Chinese should be further categorized. On the basis of Delabastitas theory and some practical examples of translations of puns from English into Chinese, this paper holds that when translators try to translate an English pun into Chinese, the following methods can be adopted: translating a pun with a pun, and translating a pun with a non-pun word or phrase.A. Translating a Pun with a PunThis category of methods for translating puns includes Delabastitas first three methods, that is, translation of a pun with a pun of the same type, translation of a pun with a pun of different type and translation of a pun with a different pun. B. Translation of a Pun with a Non-pun Word or Phrase.This category of methods exist because of the limitations in translation of languages, cultures, customs and the like, especially when two referential meanings of a pun in English can not always be translated into Chinese at the same time. When a formal translation, rather confusing, causes some troubles for target readers, and fails to convey every connotation of the original pun, it would be better for the translator to find and focus on the most important meaning. That is to say, the translated text may have to sacrifice the comparatively minor significant meaning in the original pun. 3.3 Translating techniques of puns in English advertisement Generally speaking, faithfulness and expressiveness are the two common criteria in translation. Faithfulness refers to be faithful in conveying the content and style of original text. The translators should express the original meaning comprehensively and accurately without any important loss. Expressiveness means that the version must be clear, distinct and fluent, easy to be understood. Sometimes the expressiveness can only be achieved by sacrificing faithfulness. In fact, the translation of puns is somewhat a contradictory combination. It is a torturing task to decide when to comply with faithfulness, when to choose expressiveness and when to integrate both. Therefore, puns untranslatable essence determines what techniques should be adopted in translating puns. 3.3.1 Fit translation(契合译法) Translating puns is considered as a daunting task because the same type of pun or different pun have to express the double meaning, while the pronunciation, word form and the various meanings of puns have constructed the barriers of translatability of double meaning. But some puns is not definitely untranslatable, it is possible to combine the source language and the target language9. As we know, no translation is completely equivalent, so it is best to speak of “functional equivalence” in terms of a range of adequacy. Functional equivalence is first called “dynamic equivalence”. In Eugene Nidas book Toward a Science of Translating, he defines dynamic translation as “the closest natural equivalent to the source-language message”. (Nida 2001b, 166) On the basis of integrating the two languages, the association-combined translating skill gives attention to both the form and the content of the advertisement. That means to translate the language under the direction of the Functional Equivalence theory. It is the highest criterion of translating pun in English advertisement.eg: (8)Every kid should have an apple after school.(advertisement of computer)译文：每个孩子都应有台苹果牌电脑。 Here apple is a pun, which refers to one kind of fruit and a brand of computer. Therefore, this advertisement covers two meaning: One implies that children should eat an apple for extra-nutrition after class. The other means that it is more essential to own an apple computer for the childrens pabulum. 3.3.2 Semantic difference（分别表义法） Translatability has always been the controversial issue in translation study for a long time. Obviously, some translators take puns as the preferred instance to validate the untranslatability. However, each kind of language has its own specific national history, culture and psychological backgro