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Comparing Catalogues

Comparing Catalogues. Kristin Graf Translation Workshop SS 2003. Content:. Introduction German vs. English advertising Translation strategies Phonological aspects Semantic aspects Synta ctic aspects Pragmatic aspects Other aspects Stilistics References. Introduction.

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Comparing Catalogues

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  1. ComparingCatalogues Kristin Graf Translation Workshop SS 2003

  2. Content: • Introduction • German vs. English advertising • Translation strategies • Phonological aspects • Semantic aspects • Syntactic aspects • Pragmatic aspects • Other aspects • Stilistics • References

  3. Introduction • Globalization of advertisement can only be successful if the local market and its culture is respected • therefore one concept for all markets is almost impossible • advertisement is supposed to reflect the local culture (e.g. bed sizes; measuring)

  4. Introduction • The IKEA catalog is the print medium with the highest circulation of the world (24 mil.); it is issued in 30 countries • English translation of the catalog is not universal for all english speaking countries: it has to be modified for GB, USA, CAN,AUS as well as the German for CH, AU • the Source Text (ST) for the English catalog is in Swedish; for the German it is an English ST • IKEA has translation agencies in each country which are assisted by culture specialists and market researchers • Basic assortment stays the same and is added by national preferences

  5. English advertisement • contains direct affective consumer appeals(e.g.We know your children will be thrilled with their IKEA bedroom) • is primarily humorous, entertaining and emotive (e.g. Disaprove the chaos theory) • is low on information, understandability and credibility

  6. Germanadvertisement • focuses on information, incl. More details which are not available to the English-speaking consumers

  7. Germanadvertisement • is less humorous, although entertaining in an emotional way • is reasonably informative

  8. Translation strategies • Straight translation: fails to adjust to the cultural demands (only for passages that are not culture specific, e.g. IKEA policies)

  9. Translation strategies • Adaption: keep visuals, change text slightly or significantly (GB-D)

  10. Translation strategies • Revision: keep visuals, write new text

  11. Translation strategies • Substitution: new visuals, new text

  12. Phonological aspects • Not significant in written texts • No translation of Swedish product names although phonological difficulties for English speaking customers (e.g.: Granås) or negative connotations (e.g. Gudvik – product name for a bed) • Swedish accent in TV spots

  13. Semantic aspects • Prototype semantic: • thinking in categories/typical association • Is used contrarily (Stop thinking in categories – „Entdecke die Möglichkeiten“): e.g.

  14. Prototype semantic • (furniture does not match the typical categories of chair/wardrobe/etc.)

  15. Prototype semantic • „bedroom“ in German associated with „Schlafzimmer“ (room+bed); in English this term is often used to describe the size of real estates (3-bedroom house) • therefore it can also be translated as „Kinderzimmer“ or „Zimmer“

  16. Syntactic aspects • Cultural specific usage preferences: e.g. gerund, Genitiv (children‘s IKEA vs. IKEA Kinderwelt) demonstrative pronouns (unter diesem stabilen Bett vs. underneath a bed) • Word order: (Living with 2 children on 55 m2 can be a challenge. vs. Mit 2 Kindern auf 55 m2 Wohnfläche zu leben, ist eine echte Herausforderung.) • Articles, tenses , voice, gender, preposition, etc. differ too

  17. Pragmatic aspects • Skopos (Gerichtetheit) of the text: same skopossame audience, just different languages • Text function: communicative (informative + persuative ) appelativ (buy!) focused • Text type: advertisement • Register: neutral – colloquial (e.g. comfy vs. comfortable)

  18. Other aspects • Dialects/Sociolects: AmE/BrE/CanE/AusE • Politeness: direct requests (Give them...! Stop thinking...!) can be impolite • High/low context cultures: detremines the amount of detailed information • Layout (blue/yellow = Sweden) • Go Cubic (GB), Think cubic (USA), Live cubic (D)

  19. Stilistics • Metaphors: kinderleicht • Idioms: - it‘s the stuff that dreams are made of • mighty oaks from little acorns grow

  20. Stilistics

  21. References: • Albrecht, J. (1973): Linguistik und Übersetzung. Tübingen: Max Niemeyer Verlag. • Bell, R.T. (1991): Translation and Translating. New York: Longman Group UK Ltd. • Herbrechter, S. (2002): Critical Studies. Cultural Studies, Interdisciplinarity and Translation. Amsterdam/New York: Rodopi. • Smith/Klein-Braley: Advertising – A five-stage strategy for translation. In: Snell-Hornby/Jettmarová/Kaindl (1995): Translation as Intercultural Communication. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. • Snell-Hornby/Hönig/Kußmaul/Schmitt (1998): Handbuch Translation. Tübingen: Stauffenburg Verlag Brigitte Narr GmbH. • Sorvali,I. (1996): Translation Studies in a New Perspective. Frankfurt/M: P.Lang GmbH. • Robinson,D. (1997): What is translation? Kent/Ohio: The Kent State University Press. • Witte, H. (1998): Die Kulturkompetenz des Translators. Tübingen: Stauffenburg Verlag Brigitte Narr GmbH. • Venuti, L. (1992): Rethinking translation. London/New York: Routledge.

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