英语-文化视角下的商标翻译.docVIP

GRADE_________ International Business English and Translation Discussion on Translation of Trademarks from a Cultural Perspective文化视角下小议商标翻译 Student Name: Student ID number: 2012.1 Discussion on Translation of Trademarks from a Cultural Perspective Ⅰ. IntroductionTrademark is a legal label of a certain product to distinguish itself from other similar products in the market. A good trademark can help consumers to remember the product and promote the sale, thus it is also an intangible asset of a company. With the deepening of globalization and China’s entering the WTO, China’s export and import volume has increased remarkably. In this process, the translation of trademarks is becoming extremely important. However, the various cultural differences between different nations make the translation of trademarks quite complicated. We can not ignore such differences while translating trademarks. Otherwise, improper or even false translation may greatly lower the sales of products. Ⅱ. Translation of trademarks from a cultural perspective 2.1. Cultural differences caused by geographic location existing in trademarksNations locating in different places vary greatly in culture. For example, the word “zephyr” (west wind) means warmth and comfort for English people, for Britain faces the Atlantic Ocean and the wind coming from the west ocean is warm. Many English poets sing the praise of west wind. The celebrated poet Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote his famous poem Ode to the West Wind like this: “It is a warm wind, the west wind, full of birds’ cries”. Since west wind conveys such unique cultural information in Britain, it is understandable and acceptable in Britain to use “zephyr” as automobile trademark. However, when such automobile enters Chinese market, we can not simply translate its trademark as “西风”(west wind). As we all know, the west wind in China means coldness. China faces the ocean in the east, the east wind blowing from the ocean is warm. East wind means spring a