Abstract:With the development of globalization, global trade and cooperation continue to deepen, and cross-cultural cooperation plays an important role in the market. As an important means to open up the market, advertisements have received extensive attention in global trade cooperation. However, due to the differences between Chinese and Western cultures, especially the difference in consumer culture, various conflicts and solutions are often encountered in the process of advertising translation, which affects the transfer of commodity values and ideas.

Different historical backgrounds and trade development processes in China and the West have led to a gulf in thinking mode and value. Consumption culture has also evolved and developed in this process, with distinct differences. In the west, Jean Baudrillard put forward the concept of consumer culture and consumer society, while China has opened up the market under the strong influence of Western culture, transforming traditional consumer concepts into modernization. This paper compares the differences of consumer cultures in China and West, lists the transformations that occur in advertising translation to suit different consumer cultures, and analyzes the impact of consumer culture on advertising translation and then proposes relevant translation strategies. The study of advertising translation will help avoid global Cultural shocks in trade.

Key Words: advertising translation, cultural differences, consuming culture, translation strategy

摘要:随着全球化的发展，全球贸易及合作不断深化，跨文化合作与交流在市场中占据重要的影响作用。广告作为打通市场的重要手段，在全球贸易合作中受到广泛关注。然而，由于中西文化的差异，尤其是消费文化的差异，在广告的翻译过程中往往会遭遇各种冲突与误解，影响了商品价值观和理念的传递。

中西不同的历史背景和贸易发展进程导致了双方不同的思维模式和价值观差异，消费文化在此过程中也各自演变发展，差异鲜明。西方学者Jean Baudrillard提出了消费文化和消费社会概念，而中国在西方文化的强势冲击下打开了市场，由传统消费观念向现代化转变。本论文通过比较中西方消费文化差异，列举广告翻译为了适应不同消费文化而发生的转化，并分析消费文化对广告翻译的影响，从而提出相关的翻译策略，这些策略有利于避免在全球贸易中发生文化休克。

关键词：广告翻译，文化差异，消费文化，翻译策略

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments i

Abstract ii

摘要 iii

1 Introduction 1

2 Advertising 2

2.1 The Definition of Advertising 2

2.2 The Composition of Advertising 2

2.3 The Targets of Advertising 3

3 Consumer Culture in China and Western Countries 5

3.1 The Conception of Consumer Culture 5

3.2 Consumer Culture in China 5

3.3 Consumer Culture in Western Countries 7

3.4 Differences of Consumer Culture in Cross-cultural Communication 8

4 Advertisement Translation in Chinese and Western Consumer Culture 12

4.1 The Properties of Different Consumer Cultures in Ad Translation 12

4.2 Influence of Chinese and Western Consumer Culture on Advertisement Translation 19

4.3 The Differences of Advertisement Translation in Chinese and Western Countries 21

5 Conclusion 23

Bibliography 25

1 Introduction

As an art form for commodity publicity, advertisement plays a decisive role in attracting consumers’ eyeballs, promoting sales and expanding market share. However, the advertising translation determines the success or failure of advertising strategies. Language is a supporter of culture, and culture has a deep effect on language. Advertising translation is not only the product of economic operation, but also the exchange of Chinese and Western consumption culture.

There are great differences between Chinese and western consumption concepts. The most typical difference can be found in a commonplace story. The story is about a Chinese old lady and an American old lady who met in heaven, talking about their life in the world. The American one said, "I’ve worked hard for thirty years and finally paid off my housing loan." The Chinese one said: "I’ve worked hard for thirty years, finally had enough money to buy a house." The American one lived in her house for thirty years and met her monthly repayments in the rest of her life, while the Chinese one deposited money in her life, when she just has had enough money to buy a house, but she went to the heaven, with no blessing to enjoy the house. Obviously, Americans have long been used to loan consumption and the Chinese prefer to deposit consumption. Indeed, “the great cultural differences between China and the West have had a great impact on the two consumer culture and permeated all aspects of consumption”. (He Xuefei, 2008) The Chinese people's consumption culture is biased toward tradition, seeking thrift and frugality, and pursuing goods of good quality and well worth the price. While Westerners emphasize carpe diem, willing to spend money to buy luxury goods to show personality, are reluctant to save money instead of overspending for the future.