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1
Comparing Catalogues
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
German advertisement
• focuses on information, incl. More details which are not available to the English-speaking consumers
7
German advertisement
• is less humorous, although entertaining in an emotional way
• is reasonably informative
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Translation strategies
• Straight translationStraight translation: fails to adjust to the cultural demands (only for passages that are not culture specific, e.g. IKEA policies)
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Translation strategies
• AdaptionAdaption: keep visuals, change text slightly or significantly (GB-D)
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Translation strategies
• RevisionRevision: keep visuals, write new text
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Translation strategies
•SubstitutionSubstitution: new visuals, new text
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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
Knut2002.mov
13
Semantic aspects
• Prototype semantic:– thinking in categories/typical associationIs used contrarily (Stop thinking in categories –
„Entdecke die Möglichkeiten“): e.g.
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Prototype semantic
(furniture does not match the typical categories of chair/wardrobe/etc.)
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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)
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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
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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.