Rhetoric in Advertising English and their Translating Strategies.doc

毕业论文(设计)Rhetoric in Advertising English and their Translating Strategies1. Introduction12. Rhetoric in advertising English and their translating strategies42.1 Rhetoric in advertising English42.1.1 Types of rhetoric in advertising English and their functions Phonetic rhetoric in advertising English Lexical rhetoric in advertising English Syntactical rhetoric in advertising English122.2 Translating strategies for rhetoric in advertising English132.2.1 Translating principles Dr. Eugene A. Nidas dynamic equivalence Peter Newmarks communicative translation142.2.2 Translating strategies Rhetorical translation.1 Rhetorical transference.2 Rhetorical replacement Non-rhetorical translation193. Conclusion23References251. IntroductionWith the development of the economic globalization, the trading activities of all kinds of commercials have boosted the economic and cultural development of various countries in the world. Advertising plays an important role in such activities. A successful advertisement can not only help to stimulate the consumption, but also to deliver information effectively.According to American Marketing Association (AMA), advertising is the non-personal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services or ideas by identified sponsors through the various media(Wang Yanxi, 2004). From the definition of advertising, it can be learned that to be persuasive is the main function for advertising to play. Besides this function, advertising also possesses other functions, such as providing products information and establishing goodwill.From the above, a conclusion can be made that the purpose of advertising is to draw the attention of the consumers, to stimulate their interests, and to lure them into taking action to purchase the advertised products. In order to achieve this purpose, different kinds of devices have been used in advertising English. No matter how advanced the devices are, the basic one lies in using language. Thus the language of the advertising English inclines to be highly artistic. The employment of rhetoric plays an important role in making the advertising language artistic, hence attracting consumersattention. Rhetoric is effective in creating charming images and fascinating scenes. The proper use of different kinds of rhetoric can help to increase the appeal of the advertising language. Through producing such appealing effect, the products sale is pushed and finally the advertisings main purpose is achieved.In English, rhetoric consists of three types, phonetic rhetoric, lexical rhetoric and syntactical rhetoric. In advertising English, the most frequently-used English rhetoric are onomatopoeia, alliteration, simile, metaphor, metonymy, personification, hyperbole, pun, parody, parallelism, contrast and repetition. The employment of these rhetorical devices makes the advertising English more attractive and memorable. For the target consumers, in order to obtain the same effect as the source language does, it is necessary for consumers to know and appreciate these devices in advertising English. The apt translation can only be made on the basis of appreciating these rhetorical devices in the source language. However, because of the cultural and social differences between English countries and China, it is somewhat difficult for translators to translate such appealing English rhetoric into Chinese.Some scholars have committed themselves to working on the translation of rhetoric in adverting English into Chinese. According to different translating principles, different scholars have different translating strategies on translating rhetoric. Some scholar thinks that Dr. Eugene A. Nidas dynamic equivalence can be applied to rhetorical translation from English to Chinese. Nida emphasizes that “The readers of a translated text should be able to understand and appreciate it in essentially the same manner as the original readers did.” His equivalence is between the two impacts and he focuses on the target readers. He stresses that the same impact of the translated text should be produced as the original text(Nida, Eugene A, 2001:148). Another scholar considers that English rhetoric in advertising should be translated from the angle of aesthetics, that is to say, it should be translated to reflect the same aesthetic effect as the original one. Based on these different principles, they put forward some useful and proper strategies on translating the rhetoric, such as literal translation, free translation and flexible translation which are presented by Tan Weiguo.2. Rhetoric in advertising English and their translating strategiesAs is shown in the introduction, because of the unique object of advertising English, to attract consumers attention and encourage them to buy, the language used in advertising English should be vivid, attractive and impressive. Rhetoric plays an important role in making the language vivid, attractive and impressive. Consequently, it is widely and aptly used in advertising English.2.1 Rhetoric in advertising EnglishJ. A. Cuddon considers that rhetoric is the art of using language for persuasion, in speaking or writing; esp, in oratory. As for Aristotle, the originator of rhetoric, it is the art of discovering all the available means of persuasion in any given case. He focuses his discussion on the devices that an orator uses in order to achieve the intellectual and emotional effects on an audience that will persuade them to accede to his point or view(Chen Shuhua, 1990).Judging from the definition of rhetoric, it can be concluded that the most important role for English rhetoric to play is that it aims at persuasion. This meets equally the goals that advertising English intends to achieve. From this point of view, it is no doubt that different kinds of rhetoric have been greatly used in advertising English.2.1.1 Types of rhetoric in advertising English and their functionsThere are three types of rhetoric in English, which are phonetic rhetoric, lexical rhetoric and syntactical rhetoric. In advertising English, these three types of rhetoric are employed effectively. Phonetic rhetoric in advertising EnglishAs Chen Shuhua(1990: 91) points out, phonological sounds in diction is much more appealed to in description. They are to produce a musical effect or to give vivid expression and they are either rhythmic or true to life in reading. In advertising English, the sound merits are fully made use of in order to please the audiences ears, thus to attract their attention. Phonetic rhetoric in advertising English mainly contains onomatopoeia and alliteration.(1) Onomatopoeia In oratory and rhetoric, onomatopoeia is the formation of names or words from sounds resembling those associated with the object or action to be named or seemingly and naturally suggestive of its quality(Chen Shuhua, 1990: 96). As a rule, it is deliberately used to achieve a special effect, especially in auditory description.Onomatopoeia is one of the common phonetic rhetorical devices used in advertising English. It is often employed in TV advertisements. Because of their particular pronunciation, onomatopoeia words sound vivid, subtle and true to life. The employment of this device enables the product image to deeply impress the audience. The advertisement for advertising price-cutting by Service Federal Credit Union, “Zoom! Let Service Federal Credit Union show you the fastest way to save a new car or truck”(Liu Miao, Jia Dejiang, 2005), is a good example for the employment of onomatopoeia. As can be seen, “zoom” is a typical onomatopoeia word. Through the employment of this word, it describes the low, deep and humming sound made by a speeding car. At the same time, it shows that it is the fastest way to buy a car with a low price. In this way, the target audience can connect the sound with the advertised products and be impressive.(2) Alliteration In alliteration, the initial sound, not necessarily letter normally consonants, especially at the beginning of words, or stressed syllables, are repeated(Chen Shuhua, 1990: 91). Alliteration is good for sound rhyme, for musical effect and for significant emphasis, even for twisted expression. In advertising English, there are many slogans employed by alliteration. In this way, the language is cadence and easy for being intonating and memorable. It produces good musical effect and seems seductive, making people imitate.From this newspaper advertisement, “Health, Humor & HappinessGifts wed love to give”(Zhu Shanjun, 2007), the functions of alliteration are easily shown. These three words, health, humor and happiness are initially with “H”, which have strong rhythm. When hearing such an advertisement, people will easily imitate. At the same time, the advertisement shows the core of this newspaper, to provide health, humor and happiness. Lexical rhetoric in advertising EnglishLexical rhetoric in advertising English mainly consists of simile, metaphor, metonymy, personification, hyperbole, pun and parody. They are effectively used in advertising English.(1) Simile A simile makes a direct comparison between two or more unlike things and its normal signalers are the particles “like” and “as”(Chen Shuhua, 1990: 113). The two or more unlike elements in comparison must have at least one quality or characteristic in common and the comparison made is purely imaginative. Thus one thing is likened to another in such an imaginative way as to clarify and enhance an image.Similes are widely used in advertising English. They are effective devices for making the advertising language more attractive. On one hand, they enable the consumers to be familiar with the advertised products; on the other hand, they reflect the products in a more specific way. Consequently, the products are easier to be accepted by the target consumers because of the intimacy between the consumers and the advertised products. The advertisement on clothing, “Light as a breeze, soft as a cloud”(Zhu Shanjun, 2007), can be a good example to prove the above functions that simile possesses. As can be seen in the advertisement, the clothing is taken as a breeze and a cloud in these two similes. From this imaginative description, people can feel as if the clothing is soft and comfortable on them. At the same time, by using a breeze to show its weight and a cloud to show its softness, the clothings high quality is revealed to all. This leaves a deep impression on people who have seen or heard such an advertisement. In this way, people cannot resist the temptation to purchasing these clothes.(2) Metaphor Metaphor uses words to indicate something different from their literal meaning, that is, one thing is described in terms of another so as to suggest a likeness or analogy between them(Chen Shuhua, 1990: 117-118). It serves as a means by which the reader is led to bring his old knowledge to bear upon the comprehension of a new idea(Walter D. Scott, 2000). Metaphors are one of the frequently-used rhetoric in advertising English. In a metaphor, a fine object is usually used instead of the advertised thing, which is not familiar with people. By skillfully associating the thing with glorious images, the advertisements not only strengthen the aesthetic perception of the advertising English, but also produce a good effect of the product publicity.“EBEL the architects of time”(Li Yuxiang, 2006) for advertising a type of watch can be served as a good example for the employment of metaphor. “Time is money” is a famous saying that people are familiar with. Especially for business people, time is considered as money. Only watches with excellent quality can attract their attention. “The architects of time” is used to describe EBEL. This shows that EBEL is very exact for timing, just like the architect of time. Judging from that, the value and the excellent quality are easy for people to find.(3) Metonymy Metonymy means the use of one thing for another related to it(Chen Shuhua, 1990: 122). That is to say, it expresses a relation between the thing spoken and the thing meant, in such a way that mentioning one suggests the other. Metonymy is usually used in advertising English to achieve the effect of brevity and connotation.In this advertisement for Scotland travelling which employs metonymy, “The whole area becomes ablaze with the whites, yellows, reds, and oranges of tulips, daffodils and other species popular in English gardens”(Tan Weiguo, 2003), the effect of brevity is achieved. In this advertisement, whites, yellows, reds and oranges stand for the colors of tulips, daffodils and other species. It is unnecessary to use “white tulips, white daffodils, etc” to state tulips or daffodils in the color of white. Only by using “whites”, people can understand what they refer to. From this description, people can easily get the scene. Thus it appeals to people to visit Scotland.(4) Personification The figure endows things or abstractions with personality, either masculine or feminine. It is inherent in many languages through the use of gender(Chen Shuhua, 1990: 128). In advertising English, the advertiser always gives human qualities or abilities to the products, which creates intimacy between the consumers and the products. Through the employment of personification, this kind of advertisements emphasizes the functions and characteristics as well as increases the readability of the advertising. Undoubtedly people will take action to buy the advertised products.In this “Flower” advertisement, “Flowers by Interflora speak from the heart”(Li Yuxiang, 2006), Interflora flowers are personified. They act like lovers to talk to each other with sweet words. The image leaves a deep and vivid impression on people. In this way, people will take action to purchase Interflora flowers.(5) HyperboleHyperbole is a rhetorical figure which produces a vivid impression by extravagant and obvious exaggeration for emphasis. It may be used for intensification of feeling or emotion, for elevation to heroic or mythical status and for humor or ridicule(Chen Shuhua, 1990: 131). Through the employment of hyperbole, advertising English beautifies the advertised products, pointing out their unique features. Most of the advertisements of this kind usually use evaluative adjectives, such as marvelous, first-class and ever-lasting, and the superlative form of other adjectives. The proper hyperbole can strongly express the theme of the advertising, show the confidence of the manufacturers and hence be impressive to the consumers.From the following advertisement for a kind of pie, “Weve hidden a garden full of vegetable where youd never expect. In a pie”(Liu Miao, Jia Dejiang, 2005), the effect of hyperbole in advertising is easily shown to all. Through hyperbole, it can be learned from the advertisement that the pie is rich in all kinds of vegetables. It emphasizes that the product is made of many different kinds of vegetables, so many that it is like a vegetable garden. Therefore, it can be concluded that the unique feature of this pie is healthy, with lots of vegetables.(6) Pun A pun is a play on words based on the identity or similarity between the sounds of words with different meaning(Chen Shuhua, 1990: 160-161). It is usually amusing and often intended humorously. Puns can be divided into two types: the homophonic pun and the homographic pun. The former means two words that sound the same, the latter means one word that has different meanings. The homographic puns are greatly used in advertising English, stimulating the readers imagination and deepening their impression on the products.The weight-watcher ice cream advertisment, “Spoil yourself and not your figure”(Liu Miao, Jia Dejiang, 2005), is a good one which successfully employs pun by the word “spoil”. “Spoil” is a polysemy word. “Spoil yourself” means “enjoy yourself to your hearts content”, but “spoil your figure” means “damage your figure”. This kind of ice cream is produced mainly for people who are on a diet. The pun is skillfully used in the advertisement, which makes the target consumers naturally accept the advertising and buy the product in a relaxing and humorous way.(7) ParodyA parody is a piece of writing intended to amuse others by imitating the style of writing used by somebody else(Liu Miao, Jia Dejiang, 2005). It humorously reveals the peculiarities or excesses of the original work by taking a serious style of writing(Xu Peng, 1996). Parody is often employed in advertising English by imitating idioms, proverbs, sayings, etc. Through reserving the basic structure and change some minor words, the parody gives a new definition for the advertised product, generating fancy effects. Thus people are greatly impressed in such kind of rhetoric. The advertisement “A Mars a day keeps you work, rest and play”(Liu Miao, Jia Dejiang, 2005) comes from the sayings “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” and “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. People are familiar with these two sayings. On hearing or seeing such an advertisement, people will easily remember this kind of product. Syntactical rhetoric in advertising EnglishThere are three types of syntactical rhetoric frequently used in advertising English. They are parallelism, contrast and repetition.(1) Parallelism The method of expressing ideas of equal importance in the same grammatical form is called parallelism, a rhetorical device for giving emphasis, clarity, and coherence of ideas and sentences(Chen Shuhua, 1990: 186). In advertising English, parallelism has the advantage of variety, economy and conviction by sheer bulk.The advantage of parallelism is fully shown i