Chinese Translation Of Automobile Brand Names From The Perspective Of Aesthetics Of Reception

Despite the flourishing development of automobile industry in China, foreign automobiles still dominate the Chinese automobile market. The automobile brand is the “window of goods” as well as a guide that the consumers rely on to recognize and purchase the automobile. The automobile brand stands for the automobile, and shows commercial opportunities to the manufacturers for its abundant cultural connotations. Automobile brand names, as a kind of advertisement, play an irreplaceable role in propagandizing the products, stimulating consumption and exploring more markets. Therefore, the translation of automobile brand names is of great importance if an auto company plans to explore its market in China.The thesis has made a study on the Chinese translation of automobile brand names in the perspective of Aesthetics of Reception. First, an introduction has been given to the researches on Aesthetics of Reception and brand name translation, and some limitations have been found. Then, the main ideas in Aesthetics of Reception have been summarized and the feasibility has been discussed that Aesthetics of Reception can be used as guidance in the Chinese translation of automobile brand names. Starting from the goal of automobile brand name translation, the thesis has investigated the functions, the translation orientations and the translation methods under the guidance of Aesthetics of Reception.(1) The automobile brand name is supposed to have informative function, aesthetic function and vocative function in order to propagandize the product and promote the sales.(2) The aesthetic features of automobile brand names are beautiful in sound, in meaning and in form, which help to stimulate the aesthetic feelings of readers, consequently impelling the realization of the functions.(3) The thesis has recommended three translation orientations serving to display the aesthetic features in a translated brand name. They are faithfulness to the ST, reader-orientation and fusion of horizons.(4) In translation practice, the translation method varies with the categories of automobile brand names. The translator is required to not only convey the information and the image of the original brand name but also take the readers’ acceptance ability into consideration, broadening their horizon of expectations in the range of possibility. During the study, the author has found some improper translations and has made some improvements under the guidance of Aesthetics of Reception.