On Chinese-English Translation Of Publicity Materials In The Light Of German Functionalist Approaches

In modern China, the fast development of cross-cultural communication gives rise to a growing need for publicity materials and their translation. Only high-quality translations play the key role in ensuring good communicative effect. However, there still exist many problems concerning the quality and intelligibility of translated texts despite great improvements in recent years in C-E translation of publicity materials. This thesis is a tentative study of C-E translation of publicity material, including its problems and possible solutions.The theoretical foundation of this thesis is basically built upon German functionalist approaches. According to German functionalism, translation is a purposeful activity and the purpose of translation determines the translation methods and strategies that are to be employed in order to produce a functionally adequate result. In Vermeer's terminology, a translation is thus a new offer of information in the target culture about some information offered in the source culture and language.This thesis is made up of six chapters. The first chapter gives a general introduction of the research background, purpose, and basic structure of this thesis. The second chapter first makes a brief review of some early researches on C-E translation of publicity materials and then focuses on theories such as Skopos Theory, theory of functional equivalence and reader-oriented theory. By doing so, the author expects to lay a theoretical foundation for further discussions. The third chapter discusses the definition of"publicity materials", briefly introduces the history of C-E translation of publicity materials in China, and analyzes the features as well as the translation purpose of publicity materials in order to make it clear that it is reasonable for the translator to choose a TT-oriented or reader-centered translation strategy. The fourth chapter probes into the problems in present C-E translation of publicity materials and categorizes them into four types, namely, improper information selection, cultural translation error, Chinglish, and problems of the source texts. Among them a special emphasis is laid on Chinglish, which brings about the major barriers during the cross-cultural communication. Based on the analysis of the above four chapters, the last chapter proposes three applicable principles of C-E translation of publicity materials, that is, proper information selection, reader-orientedness and achieving functional equivalence. Some specific strategies are also enumerated with examples which are choicely selected and analyzed to prove the feasibility and practicality of these principles. Conclusion is a brief review and summary of the whole thesis, in which the limitations of the study are figured out and suggestions for future research are made.In a word, the author of this thesis attempts to probe into the problems in the current C-E translation of publicity materials and seek a way out in the enlightenment of German functionalist approaches. It must be noted that the three recommended principles are tentative and remain to be tested and modified in translation practice. But it is the author's sincere hope that this study will be of some help to those involved in the work of translating publicity materials.