English translation: a detailed explanation of the lexical, grammatical and rhetorical features of advertising language

In order to enable my friends to better prepare for the English translation qualification examination, I would like to share with you the vocabulary, grammar and rhetorical features of advertising language in the English examination column. The details are as follows for your reference ~

Advertising language is a commercial style and the best medium for sales. With the development of social economy, advertising has penetrated into every corner of society and become an indispensable part of people's daily life. The purpose of advertising is to promote products. Therefore, how to make advertising language more attractive has become the first consideration for advertisers. As an applied language, advertising English, because of its special practicability, has developed into a standardized special language and formed its own unique language style and characteristics.

First, the language characteristics of English advertising

1. Lexical features of English advertisements

In order to make products easy to be understood and accepted by the general public, English advertisements usually use concise words. Common nouns, monosyllabic words and verbs are also the most frequently used words in daily life, such as: buy, yes, get, make, live, love, have, come, go, take and so on. For example, the following advertising words: Buyonepair, getonefree (buy one get one free). The use of adjectives can add color to products. Therefore, adjectives are often used in English advertisements to describe the performance and texture of products. In particular, in order to beautify products and enhance the descriptive and attractive features of products, merchants will use a lot of commendatory words, or use comparative and superlative adjectives to compare with other products, so as to raise and highlight their products and enhance consumers' purchasing confidence. For example:

Jewelry advertisement: shangha? The first pearl merchant; The highest quality pearls are combined with the most extensive classics. Creative design; Excellent after-sales service; Fairprice to every customer In this example, many commendatory adjectives, such as first, highest and widest, are used in advertisements, which are very attractive. Sometimes, some new words and expressions are created by deliberately using typos, inventing new words or disorderly collocation, so as to satisfy consumers' psychology of pursuing new trends and flaunting individuality, and play an unexpected rhetorical effect.

Fishing advertisement: What can be more attractive than fishing? Delicious was invented by the sound Delicious, with the purpose of rhyming with the following delisher and highlighting the fun of fishing.

2. Grammatical features of English advertisements

Advertisements usually use simple sentences or ellipsis sentences, which can not only save space and money, but also be clear at a glance and leave a deep impression on consumers, so advertisements are often short and pithy. For example:

Coca-Cola Advertising: Coca-Cola is it. Coca-Cola is better! )

Diamond ring advertisement: A diamond lasts forever. )

English advertising writing can be summarized as a kiss principle: namely? Keep it short and sweet. ?

In order to narrow the gap with readers, English advertisements often use interrogative sentences and imperative sentences to create intimacy with readers. For example:

Who else can guide you to have a successful meeting? (Holiday Inn)

Test us, try us, fly us (the plane)

3. Rhetorical features of English advertisements

Successful advertising English has beautiful, harmonious, vivid, concise and humorous language, which makes people unforgettable and memorable. The use of various rhetorical devices is the key to realize the art of advertising language. These rhetorical devices mainly include metaphor, personification, pun, rhyme and repetition. For example:

Porcelain advertisement: as thin as eggshell and as white as it is now (as thin as eggshell and as white as ass). The use of personification in English advertisements makes cold food humanized and friendly.

Cigarette advertisement: me? I am more satisfied! I'm more satisfied with Moore cigarettes. In this advertisement, the word has double meanings, one is an adverb? More? Meaning, one is brand? Moore? . The application of semantic pun combines sound, form and meaning, and deepens customers' impression of the brand.

Advertising of Sony products: high fidelity, high fun and high fashion, only from Sony (high fidelity, high fun and high fashion, only from Sony). In tHis advertisement, Hi-Fi, Hi-Fun and Hi-Fashion rhyme hi and f respectively, which is full of rhythm, pleasing to the eye and impressive.

Second, how to translate advertising language well

In today's society, international business contacts are increasingly frequent, and many foreign goods enter our market, and advertisements for foreign goods are overwhelming. How to make consumers understand the advertisements of foreign products and make rational consumption, the translation of advertising English is very important. So how can we accurately translate an advertisement?

1. We must understand the content of the advertisement correctly. Because understanding is the premise of expression, there is no exact expression without correct understanding. To understand advertising English correctly, we should not only know the language characteristics of advertising English, but also know the allusions quoted, which requires us to have certain cultural background knowledge. For example:

Ludamlan Cosmetics-Love me tender, love me true. (? This advertisement originated from an American folk song: Love me tenderly, love me sincerely.

Diet advertisement: I know you eat eggs and bacon for breakfast at home. But you are content to do as the Romans do, drink coffee and eat bread rolls. What's in the advertisement? Do as Romans do in Rome. From proverbs? Do as the Romans do? .

2. Free translation and transliteration can often be used in advertising English. Translation is the art of language. Good translation gives people a sense of beauty and directly affects the effect of advertising. American Coca-Cola drinks were translated into China? Coca cola? This translation is better than the original. It turns out that Coca-Cola only has the names of two plants, but it is translated into Chinese? Coca cola? But combining the characteristics of drinks skillfully, the Coca-Cola Company of the United States highly praises this translation. Fengnian tire is a kind of tire. Goodyear tires? ,? Solid? ,? Special? 、? Different? These three words will undoubtedly show the characteristics of tires, such as firmness, wear resistance, superior performance and uniqueness. All the above are precedents for successful advertisement translation, and the translation of these advertisements embodies the beauty of transliteration.

3. In advertising translation, sometimes words are added, subtracted and explained. The diamond slogan we mentioned above? Are diamonds eternal? Translate into Chinese:? Diamonds last forever, a water cycle? Add a few words appropriately to make this advertisement look appropriate and natural. Of course, when adding words, we must pay attention to the fact that the added words should adapt to the original trademark in meaning and timbre, otherwise it will be redundant.

There are also some words that are often translated into Chinese four-word phrases in Chinese translation, such as: good taste (pure taste), handsome appearance (beautiful appearance), pretty and colorful (gorgeous and colorful), smooth (delicious taste) and fragrant (rich taste). These four-character structures are very infectious to read and have the beauty of Chinese translation. This can be found in many successful advertisement translations.

The most influential advertising slogan launched by Coca-Cola Company in the 1920s? A refreshing pause? Translated into? Bring a cool moment? What else was introduced later? Can you? Don't beat this feeling! ? Translation? Irresistible temptation? Everything is wonderful.

Interpretation refers to a way of translation that clearly expresses vague concepts in the original text. If there is an advertisement describing cashmere sweater:

They are bright, soft, light, warm and comfortable to wear? Word-for-word translation inevitably blurs the concept of characteristics of this product. This product is bright in color, soft to the touch, comfortable to wear, light and warm? So it's clear.

When translating English advertisements, we should fully consider the cultural differences between English and Chinese. You can't translate it literally, otherwise it will make a joke or backfire. For example, there is a shampoo called poison, which is very popular in foreign markets. What is the original meaning of poison? Poison? Named after it, it conforms to the psychology of many foreign women who advocate wildness. But what about word-for-word translation in China market? Poison? I'm afraid it's hard for consumers to accept it. Love God? In line with China's cultural habits. Another example is the brand name of dry battery for going out. White elephant? It should be correct to translate it into a white elephant, but what does a white elephant mean in English? Heavy burden? Or? Useless and cumbersome things? . You can imagine the consequences of this advertisement translation in the British and American markets. In a word, the purpose of English advertisement translation is to realize the localization of foreign advertisements, thus opening up the market and promoting sales. Therefore, English translation should get rid of traditional translation methods, and its principle should be based on the re-creation of advertising creativity. We should pay attention to the equivalence of the source language and the descending language in form and content, and pay more attention to the equivalence of the target language and the source language in function or effect. The translation of advertising sentences sometimes requires the use of various translation techniques and multi-level processing from different angles in order to achieve vivid, vivid and vivid translation effects.

Advertising language is a commercial style and the best medium for sales. With the development of social economy, advertising has penetrated into every corner of society and become an indispensable part of people's daily life. The purpose of advertising is to promote products. Therefore, how to make advertising language more attractive has become the first consideration for advertisers. As an applied language, advertising English, because of its special practicability, has developed into a standardized special language and formed its own unique language style and characteristics.