2 Literature Review 3

3 Theoretical Foundation 4

3.1 Communicative Translation 4

3.2 Semantic Translation 4

3.3 Comparison between Communicative Translation and Semantic Translation 5

4 Application of Newmark's Semantic Translation and Communicative Translation in Translating English Automobile Ad 7

4.1  Profile of Automobile Ad 7

4.1.1 Definition of Automobile Ad 7

4.1.2 Components of Automobile Ad 8

4.1.3 Functions of Automobile Ad 9

4.2 Translation of Brand Name in Automobile Ad 10

4.2.1 Semantic Translation of Brand Name 10

4.2.2 Communicative Translation of Brand Name 11

4.2.3 Combination of Semantic Translation and Communicative Translation of Brand Name 12

4.3 Translation of Slogan in Automobile Ad 13

4.3.1 Semantic Translation of Slogan 13

4.3.2 Communicative Translation of Slogan 13

4.3.3 Combination of Semantic Translation and Communicative Translation of Slogan 14

4.4 The Limitations of Semantic Translation and Communicative Translation in Translating Automobile Ad 14

5 Conclusion 15

References 16

On the Application of Newmark’s Semantic Translation and Communicative Translation in Translating English Automobile Advertisement

1 Introduction

1.1 Research Background

With the rapid development of commodity economy and the enforcement of reform and opening-up policy, China has strengthened exchanges and cooperation with the outside world. Countless foreign goods and services are flooding into Chinese market and goods in China has also found a way into the market of foreign countries. Automobile industry is one of the most popular international industries in the world. More and more world-known automobile manufacturers are marketing their products in Chinese market. Advertising is absolutely a great way to promote their products. Advertisement today plays an important role in people's life. In our modern society, with the help of mass media, advertising is especially effective in promoting sales, providing services and building up images. It is a most effective way for traders and businessmen to promote their products and services to consumers. The competition of advertising is tough. The intensification of international exchanges and the severe competition set a higher demand on advertisement translation which plays an indispensable role in international marketing.

Peter Newmark has made a prominent contribution to the study of translation by putting forward his notions of Semantic Translation and Communicative Translation, whose theoretical basis is functions proposed by the functionalists: Malinowski, Ogden and Richards, and M.A.K Halliday. And it pores that the theory of Semantic Translation and Communicative Translation is constructive and effective in advertisement translation.(Liao, 2000, p133-134) In Approaches to Translation, Peter Newmark proposed his notions of Communicative Translation and Semantic Translation: Communicative Translation attempts to produce in its readers an effect as close as possible to that of the readers of the original; and Semantic Translation attempts to covey messages to readers, as closely as the semantic and syntactic structure of the second language allow, the exact contextual meaning of the original.(Newmark, 1981, p11)

1.2 Research Significance

This paper means to study the application of Newmark's Semantic Translation and Communicative Translation theory in English automobile advertisement translation. There are many differences in history, culture, geography and custom between China and English-speaking countries. The study of advertising translation, especially the translation between English and Chinese language, is far from being satisfactory. So it is difficult to translate advertisements perfectly. More and better approaches and strategies need to be found in advertisement translation. Peter Newmark's notions of Communicative Translation and Semantic Translation are advisable to make translation more acceptable. The research will help translators translate English advertisements better.