1 comparing catalogues kristin graf translation workshop ss 2003

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1 Comparing Catalogues Kristin Graf Translation Workshop SS 2003

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Page 1: 1 Comparing Catalogues Kristin Graf Translation Workshop SS 2003

1

Comparing Catalogues

Kristin Graf

Translation Workshop

SS 2003

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Content:• Introduction• German vs. English advertising• Translation strategies• Phonological aspects• Semantic aspects• Syntactic aspects• Pragmatic aspects• Other aspects• Stilistics• References

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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)

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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

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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

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German advertisement

• focuses on information, incl. More details which are not available to the English-speaking consumers

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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

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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“

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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

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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)

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Stilistics

• Metaphors: kinderleicht• Idioms: - it‘s the stuff that dreams are made

of» mighty oaks from little acorns grow

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Stilistics

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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.