Studies On Translation In International Publicity: A Rhetorical Persuasion Perspective

The present study attempts to conduct an interdisciplinary application researchon international publicity translation(IPT for short) under the framework of rhetoricalpersuasion theories, the core concern of the rhetorical studies. The research ismotivated by the following situations and perceptions of IPT studies: Firstly, theeffect of IPT is still far left behind the investment the country made to it and thusthere is ample room for improvement. Secondly, the current IPT studies focus mainlyon the common features of translation studies without giving due attention to theIPT s unique aspect the fact that IPT is part of the country s internationalpublicity practice. Thirdly, international publicity is an act of inter-culturalcommunication and persuasion with western audiences as its target receptors; henceto achieve such goal, international publicity translators need to turn to rhetoricaltheories for practice guidelines.Based on the above background and premises, the present dissertation attemptsto probe into the following research questions:Firstly, are there any converging points shared by both IPT and rhetoricpersuasion? What implications can rhetorical theories on persuasion shed on IPT?Thirdly, what new understandings on IPT can be generated if redefined from therhetorical persuasion perspective? And what translation strategies can be proposedunder such theoretical framework in order to better achieve the goal of IPT?To find answers to these questions, the dissertation makes an attempt to justifythe necessity to introduce rhetorical theories on persuasion into IPT studies and theirapplicability in IPT based on clarifying some confusing conceptions on IPT andanalyzing the converging points between rhetorical persuasion and IPT. Then thedissertation tries to sort out and summarize rhetorical theories on persuasion and takesthem as the theoretical framework which the author believe can provide a novel angleto look at IPT problems, which cover a variety of aspects, such as the translation act,translation process, translator, as well as the functions, and the like. Under the newconceptions on IPT, the dissertation makes tentative proposals on IPT principles and strategies, and endeavors to make analyses on three main text types of IPT aiming atjustifying the applicability and advantages of rhetorical theories on persuasion in IPTpractices.Based on the above conception, the dissertation attempts to probe into theproposed research questions with four main parts in seven chapters.The first part is introduction and literature review. Chapter One introduces theresearch background, research questions, significance of the current research, researchmethods as well as the structure of the dissertation. Chapter Two attempts to clarifysome confusing conceptions on IPT, to review and comment on previous studies onIPT under different perspectives. The perspectives under which previous IPT studiesconducted include experience summaries, cross-cultural communication theories,pragmatic linguistics approaches, functionalist translation approaches, cognitivelinguistic approaches, constructionist approaches, and eco-translatology perspective.On the basis of Chapter Two, Chapter Three focuses on the discussions on limitationsof the previous IPT studies, and the converging points between IPT and rhetoricalpersuasion through which the necessity of introducing rhetorical theories onpersuasion is justified, as well as redefining functions of IPT and exploringprinciples and strategies of IPT practices under such framework.Part two serves as the main body of the thesis, which contains roughly twosections, the theoretical foundation construction and IPT strategy exploration, in twoindependent chapters.Chapter Four sorts out rhetorical theories on persuasion and thus lays down thetheoretical foundation for the present dissertation. These theories include: Aristotle sthree modes of persuasion in Rhetoric ethos, pathos and logos; Perelman, C.&L.Olbrechts-Tyteca s claims of the centrality of audience, which accents that anyargumentation shall be adapted to the audience in order to persuade; Perelman, C.&L.Olbrechts-Tyteca s concepts of presence, choice and communion. As discussedin the New Rhetoric: a Treatise of Argumentation, an important aspect of argumentstarting points is the creation of presence. From the body of ideas that are agreedupon by a given audience, the orator may choose to emphasize or lend presence to certain elements while deemphasizing others. All points of agreement, moreover, maybe distinguished as primary or secondary according to the purpose of the argumentand the composition of the particular audience; Kenny Burke s identification theoryunder which persuasion is achieved through seeking consubstantial oridentification with others; Lloyd Bitzer s rhetorical situation theory which arguesthat rhetorical discourse is called into existence by situation, that is, rhetoricaldiscourse comes into play when exigence exists which calls for fitting response;Chinese rhetoric theorist, professor Tan Xuechun s rhetorical interaction theory whichclaims that a rhetorical act comes from communicative interactions under whichpresupposition is the cognitive precondition for both sides of the communicators asone kind of rhetoric expression presents certain presupposition, and one type ofrhetoric acceptance embodies certain presupposition. The rhetorical theories onpersuasion sorted out above makes in-depth probes into the nature of the rhetoricaldiscourses and strategies to achieve effective communication, which have served asrich sources of theoretical foundations for studies of modern communication science,psychology and the like. And IPT study shall be no exception.Under the theoretical framework sketched out in Chapter Four, Chapter Fiveattempts to discuss on what implications rhetorical theories on persuasion can bedrawn on IPT practices, upon which the author endeavors to put forward relevanttranslation principles and strategies to enhance IPT s publicity effects. Chapter Fiveconsists of three sections. Section one redefines IPT under the new theoreticalframework. As IPT and rhetoric highly converge in many aspects on a variety oftopics and methods, introducing rhetoric theories into IPT studies helps us redefineIPT, covering the nature of IPT, translation process, and translators as well as theirrelations with other relevant factors from a new angle. The new perspective leads usto form a new conception on IPT under China context: IPT is part of the country sinternational publicity work which aims to strengthen the nation s rhetoric ability. Insuch course, the translator should not only serve as a transmitter of the information ofthe source text, but as a rhetor who bears the mission of achieving the enhancement ofthe national soft power through international publicity practice. Reshaping our conception on international publicity translator s role can help us get a clearer look atthe relations between translator and other involving factors in IPT practice, such asthe patrons (government international publicity institutions, or enterprises), sourcetext, target text, as well as target text recipients. The second section discusses on whatpossible implications such rhetorical theories can bring to IPT practice. The firstimplication is that international publicity translator should enhance their rhetoricalawareness, including the audience centrality awareness and rhetorical situationawareness. The second implication advises that the translator employ rhetoricalstrategies, such as Aristotle s three modes of persuasion, Perelman s starting points bychoice and presence, Burke s persuasion by identification and the like, in IPTpractice. The third section makes an attempt to discuss strategies to improve thequality and efficiency of the country s international publicity under the rhetoricaltheoretical framework. Under the new conception on IPT, the dissertation attempts toreshape the conception of IPT s functions: to get audience informed, to make thetranslated text delightful, and to achieve identification with the audience. As thetransmitter of the information of the source text, the translator shall deliver the sourceinformation to the target audience accurately. Moreover, the translator also need tomake the translated text readable and enjoyable so as to ensure a smooth channel ofcommunication of translation for the purpose of achieving the intended purpose ofreporting China, disseminating Chinese culture, and interpreting China s stand andachieving identification with the target international audience. Based on the newconception of IPT function, the dissertation endeavors to propose new principles forIPT practice: loyalty, effect and appropriateness. For loyalty, we mean that IPTshall serve the end of the country s international publicity and be loyal to his client sinterest. For effect, we mean that IPT practice shall aim at achieving the intendedpurpose of the country s international publicity, and take it as the most importantparameter to evaluate the quality of IPT. And for appropriateness, we intend tostress that the international publicity discourse constructed by IPT shall be suitable inthe target language context which not only fits target audience s reading taste but canalso well serve the end of the country s international publicity. In addition, this Chapter also introduces how some common rhetoric tacts can be employed in IPTpractice, through which we justify the necessity and applicability of using them in IPTpractice.Part three is the case studies. Chapter Six makes analysis on the translation ofthree text types: news reporting on China, enterprises international publicitymaterials and Chinese Classics. This Chapter tries to identify relevant theories thatcan guide IPT practice and justify the applicability of the proposed translationprinciples in IPT practice.Part four concludes the whole thesis. Chapter Seven comprises of a summary ofthe theses and the future research possibilities. The first section summarizes thecontents of the thesis, research findings and its significance. The second sectionproposes future research directions after summarizing the limitations of the presentstudy.The research has the following findings. As an important part of the country sinternational publicity practice, IPT is an act of inter-cultural communication andpersuasion with western audiences as its target receptors. Looked at it from thisperspective, it is necessary to take IPT practice as a rhetorical behavior in which thetranslator plays a dual role of both a transmitter of the source text information and arhetor who attempts to inform, and to persuade. As an information transmitter, thetranslator shall take it a priority to accurately deliver the information of the source textto the target audience. While as a rhetor, the translator shall take efforts to adapt totarget readers language norm and make the translated text readable and enjoyable soas to ensure a smooth channel of communication of translation for the purpose ofachieving the intended purpose of reporting China, disseminating Chinese culture, andinterpreting China s stand and achieving identification with the target internationalaudience. Based on the above new conception on translation process, purpose andfunctions of the IPT, the dissertation puts forward tentative translation principles forIPT practice: loyalty, effect, and appropriateness. To explain it briefly, internationalpublicity translator shall be loyal to his client and thus serve the end of IPT. In themeantime, IPT shall achieve the goal of the client s publicity work and take it an essential criterion to evaluate translation quality. While in practice, internationalpublicity translator shall take appropriate translation strategies by taking targetlanguage norms into consideration so as to better serve the end of IPT.The current study on IPT under the framework of rhetorical persuasive theoriesexplores larger space for IPT studies involving in its theoretical foundation andpractice with the purpose of promoting a multi-approaches, interdisciplinary researchpattern of IPT. While what should be pointed out is that the aim of the current study isneither to negate the current IPT theories nor to seek a replacement for them. Quite onthe contrary, the present dissertation is a supplemented endeavor to the exploration ofIPT studies, providing a new perspective for IPT studies with the purpose of seekingfor translation strategies to enhance the country s international publicity effects.