英语毕业论文-广告英语中双关语的语用功能及其翻译

Pragmatic Function and Translation of Pun in English

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Abstract: Advertising English is characterized by its originality, flexibility of language usage and the diversity of the forms.Apart from the distinguishing features at lexical and syntactic levels, rhetorical vehicles, as decorative devices of language, are frequently employed in advertising English. Punning, a concise way to express humor and wit, is particularly favored by advertisers to enhance the appeal of language. Drawing on existing studies in the field,the author offers five strategies in the translation of puns in advertisement, i.e. preservation, creation, compensation, explication and omission.The author argues that each of the five strategies is not always applied on its own, and sometimes two or more stratrgies are jointly employed in advertisement translation in accordance with the principle of optimal relevance depending on the situation.

Key words: Advertisement; Pun; Pragmatic Function; Translation

广告英语中双关语的语用功能及其翻译

摘要: 广告英语的独特性在于其新颖、灵活的语及其形式多样化，除了在词汇和句法方面别具一格外，修辞手法也被广泛地运用来润色广告语言。双关，一种集幽默与智慧于一身的语言表达形式，因其独特的语言魅力而倍受广告商的青睐。结合大量的实例分析，本文详细地探讨了双关语在英文广告中所起的作用及其分类。通过分析与归纳，作者提出了广告双关语翻译的五种策略：保留、再造、补偿、解释说明以及省略不译。译者在翻译过程中可以选择一种或者多种策略以达到译文的最佳关联。

关键词：广告；双关语；语用功能；翻译

Introduction

The definition of advertisement by AMA(American Marketing Association): Advertising is the nonpersonal communication usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services of ideas by identified sponsors through the various media. It is a device to arouse consumers‘ attention to a commodity and induce them to use it. In modern age, people find themselves surrounded by various advertisements each day. An American writer writes: ― we find advertisement of all kinds ever ywhere, for example, glittering neon signs on top of high buildings and a long main streets, colorful pictures painted on buses pamphlets sent to very house, advertisement jammed between TV programs various advertisement glutting, newspaper and radio broad cast; etc.‖Facing so many advertisement, how to make the advertisement impressive is the main purpose of the advertisers. In order to enhance the appeal of an advertisement, advertisers pay much attention not only to such expressive devices as plates, color and the layout of a printed page, but also to the choice of words or phrases, to make an advertisement beautiful and attractive.

In the practice of the advertising English, people pay more attention to pun to make the advertisement succinct, accurate and vivid and to provide rich imagination and plentiful associations for readers so as to stimulate their desire.The frequent and wide use of figures of speech is an important characteristic of advertising English, which is an effective way to make the advertisement attractive. Among the figures, pun is loved deeply. Oxford Advanced Dictionary defines pun as ―humorous use of a word that has two meanings or of different words that sound the same‖ [1]. A pun (also known as paronomasia) can be understood like that it is a deliberate confusion of similar-sounding words of phrases for rhetorical effect, whether humorous or serious. It leaves a deep impression on readers by its readability, wit and humor. It can satisfy the requirement of advertisement characteristics—selling power, memory value, attention value, and readability. So pun is very popular in advertisement. The article just wants to present the pragmatic function and translatability of pun in

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1 Definition and classification of pun in advertisement

1. 1 Definition of pun

Looking at the same issue from different perspectives, we may often come up with different definitions of the thing under discussion. And, not surprisingly, pun can be thus defined in many ways. There is such a humorous explanation about pun: ―punning –to torture one poor word ten thousand ways (John Dryden)‖. In Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, pun is defined as ―An amusing use of a word or phrase that has two meanings, or words with the same sound but different meanings‖. According to The Oxford English Dictionary, pun is defined as ―the use of word in such a way as to suggest two or more meanings or different associations, or the use of two or more words of the same or nearly the same sound with different meanings, so as to produce a humorous effect‖. In Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, pun is defined as ―A figure of speech depending upon a similarity of sound and a disparity of meaning‖. From the above definitions, we can see that homonyms, homophones, and homographs all are available to construct puns with.

1. 2 Types of pun in advertisement

1. 2. 1Pun on Polysemy

―While different words may have the same of similar meaning, the same one word may have more than one meaning. This is what we call polysemy, and such a word is called polysemic word. Historically speaking, polysemy can be understood as the growth and development of or change in the meaning of words.‖ Pun on polysemy is used widely, especially with the name of the product such as the following examples:

―From sharp minds. Come sharp products.‖

The example is an adverti sement for the Sharp copier. The word ―sharp‖ praises the consumers‘ brightness, but also refers to the Sharp product. The advertisement praises the consumers who are sharp to buy the product which is sharp. The vanity of the audiences is aroused and they want to use it to show their wise, and also they believe the product is really sharp.

―Money doesn‘t grow on the trees. But it blossoms at our branches. Lioyd Bank.‖

It is the slogan of Lioyd Bank. ―branch‖ means ―part of a tree growing out from the tru nk‖, but here it implies the division of bank‖. The slogan encourages people to store their money in Lioyd Bank, and their money will be like the blooming flowers, yielding better fruits. After understanding its meaning, readers will figure it out in mind that their money will become more and more daily and daily, just like the leaves in spring.

1. 2. 2 Pun on Homonym

―Homonymy refers to the phenomenon that words with different meanings have the same form, i.e, different words are identical in sound or spelling, or in both. When two words are identical in sound, they are homophones. When the words are identical in spelling, they are homographs. When two words are identical in both spelling and sound, they are com plete homonyms.‖ The follow instances will explain that:

― ?VIPs‘ an atomical comfort.Variable Impact Pressure Sole‖

The advertisement of sportshoes uses the homophonic word ―VIPs‖. As we know, VIP usually stands for ― very important persons‖, while, here, it stands for ―Variable Impact Pressure Sole‖. It implies if you use VIPs, you will be a VIP. The word ―VIPs‘ motivates the audiences‘ vanity and induces them to buy the product.

―Trust us. Over 5000 ears of experience.‖

It is an advertisement for audiphone. The literal meaning is that the product has experienced a lot of texts. While ―ears‖ and ―years‖ are a pair of homophone. So it implies that the product has a long history and has high quality.

―Goodbuy Winter! 100% cotton knitwe ar $40‖

It is an advertisement for the sale of winter clothes. The advertisement seems to people that it s a good and cheap to buy cotton knitwear. But when the audiences read ―goodbuy winter‖ together, they will understand the good use of pun. ―Goodbuy winter‖ sounds the same as ―goodbye winter‖. The advertisement use homophone to show two meanings: it is a good business to buy the cotton knitwear now, and winter has passed away. Naturally, people will associate the situation happening every year that when they say goodbye to winter, the clothes will have a great discount and it is good time to buy them.

―More sun and air for your sun and heir.‖