!Analysis!of!Cultural!Distortion!and!Compensation in!Brand!Name!Translation

第11期总623期大观周刊Vol.623 NO.11Analysis Of Cultural Distortion and Compensationin Brand Name Translation熊云英(中南财经政法大学湖北武汉430073)中图分类号:G64文献标识码:A_文章编号:1673-5811(2013)03-0157-01AbstractB :rand, working as symbol of product and representative of corporate image, is in essence a unique and concentrated language.However, brand's cultural connotations are usually distorted and the unique culturalimage doesn't exist after transaion.In the view of ththe article will first generate the definition, function, characters of brand and current situation of brand translation, then introduce theoreti-cal basis of cultural distortion and compensation, in the end, propose three strategies to compensate the cultural images. In this article, ex-amples of brand name translation will be ilustrateda and case studies will be carried out.Key words:brand name; cultural distortion; cultural compensation;摘要:商标作为产品标识和企业形象的代表,在本质上是一种精炼,浓缩的独特语言，然而在商标翻译过程中其本身所具有的丰富文化内涵和独特的文化意象往往失真或消失。本文将会从商标翻译的概念、功能、特点和现状出发,在"功能对等" "目的论"等理论基础上，分析各种成功或失败的商标例子，并提出进行文化补偿的策略。关键词:商标文化失真文化补偿1.Introduction4.The strategies of cultural compensation in brand trans-With the acceleration of globalization and China' s entering in- lationto WTO, the international economic communication becomes muchThe transfer of cultural information is completelyavailable bymore frequent. The enterprises must take many aspects into consid- understanding other countries culture. We can abide by the princi-eration to maintain competitive in this heated and fierce global mar-ple of "Functional Equivalence" and “Skopos Theory" in severalket. One thing that matters is brand name of their products.As an ways. .integration of several disciplines, such as linguistics, aesthetics, ad-4.1 The misunderstanding of cultural connotationIf the target text is similar to the original text in form but maygood translation should consider from multiple angles, the thesis will cause cultural misunderstanding, the translator should make somemainly focus on the distortion of Chinese cultural connotation and changes. For example, transliteration with some explanation attachedreplace with a better name to compensate.behind. In the year of 1949, there was a famous Chinese battery2.Backgroundcalled“白 象”. So when the company went into the overseas mar-2.1 Definition and function of brand namesket, it wasA brand name is a ditinguishing symbol, mark, logo, word, ing. However, no one wanted to buy it regardless of its high qualitysentence, or a combination of them (Zhou Yu1, 1991). The basic and low price. they found the translation was a big mistake becausefunction of brand name is to distinguish products, provide informa- in western cultural“white elephant" means big but useless thing.tion, symbolize guarantee and stimulate consumption.4.2 The loss of cultural connotation2.2 Characters of brand namesIf the targeAs a factor to distinguish products, the primary character of cause the loss of cultural connotation, then it is very important tobrand name is distinctiveness and exclusiveness. Therefore, brand adjust for a better understanding of original connotation.names are always seemed as the specifie Proper Nouns. In the age5.Conclusionof economic globalization and competition, all the enterprises hopeThe main reason why the brand is so popular to national con-to maintain a unification of brand name in national and overseas sumers,markets, which can save advertising and promnoting cost and setup a product, is that it condenses the deep and abundant cultural inten-good corporate reputationand image.Other characters such as sion of nationality .Brand-naming itself represents a strategically im-brevity, novelty, readability and elegance are also very important.portant issue and may determine the success or failure of a product.3.Theoretical basisThetranslation of brand names will inevitably be the challenge asFunctional Equivalencewell as opportunity for both entrepreneurs and translators.1969 the famous American translation theorist Eugene A. Nidaput forward "Functional Equivalence" theory, He raise the defini-Bibliography:tion of“Dynamic Relationship" which indicate that 'the relation- [1]Cheng, J (2008). Analysis the effect of cultural differences onship between receptor and message should be subsantially the same business English translation.Guangxi Financial Institute Jourmal, 3as that which existed between the original receptors and the mes-(11):21-23.中国煤化工age’ (1969: 159). They choose dfferent methods according to the [2]Comfort, J. (19HCN MH Gistortion in C-Ediferent genres and types, which make“Functional Equivalence”translation.Oxford University Press, 2(2):21-24.more confusing (Nord, 2001: 8).157