Translating Advertisements
The translation of advertising texts has its own specific features requiring both translation skills and the knowledge of technologies of writing marketing materials. Translation of advertising texts must not only set out the data exhaustively, but also be clear and easy to read. The translator must take into account the purpose of the advertising message, its audience and their needs, specifics of the particular advertising media, language capabilities, which make it possible to create the desired associations, emotions and moods. Such an approach requires the translator to know the subject, referred to in the original, well and be skilled in generating advertising creative ideas and copywriting. If advertising messages are translated without taking into account these factors, the purpose of an advertising message - raising awareness among consumers and, therefore, increasing sales - will not be achieved. In our country most advertisers are foreign companies. Many of them have a problem of translating an original long phrase and its adaptation to the Russian (Kazakh) language. The reason is, obviously, typological differences in the Russian (Kazakh) and English languages. In English the meaning of the phrase is expressed through changes in the formal characteristics of words. But in Russian (Kazakh) it is transmitted through a combination of the meanings of several words. When translating English-language advertising texts, in some cases, Russian (Kazakh) translators do not translate the text, but give its "semantic equivalent." For example: Maybe she's born with it, Advertising text of "Johnny Walker" in English is "taste life". In literal translation it would be “попробуй жизнь на вкус”. But it was translated as “Живи, чтобы было, что вспомнить”. This is a typical example of the pragmatic adaptation of the text. Advertising text tries to convey the properties of the advertised product as by means of images, and by means of the language, example: usually advertising style of expensive perfume is concinnous and expressive: 'M' is for moments you'll never forget? For days marvelous with flowers and laughter. For nights magical with means and old promises. `M 'Fragrances by Henry C. Miner. It's Magic; Advertising style of autocars aims to make impression of speed and efficiency. In this regard, there are advertising texts which include elements of interjection and sound imitation: Lemonade "Merinda" M e r i n d a - a - a - a.... Sheweps: Sh - sh - sh -veps M - m - m - m "Danone" In the Russian-speaking environment there are a lot of untranslatable slogans that contain words from a minimum vocabulary of foreign words of an average high school student. This factor is largely due to the successful introduction of untranslatable slogans in the foreign language to the Russian market: Sports company Nike - Just do it. The company Sony - It's a Sony. The company Panasonic -... from Panasonic. The existence of foreign language advertising slogan in the Russian-speaking environment in the original language is possible. Practice of Translation of advertisement has shown that English slogans in Russian-speaking environment requires certain conditions. The first condition requires the target audience should know English. The second is that it emphasizes the foreign origin of the advertised product. The third condition is that the slogan should be extremely laconic in order it can be perceived well and remembered by the consumer.
Expressive means of advertising texts. Verb combinations and their translation A special place in translating advertising texts takes verbal combinations. If we look at the English-language advertising we can see that verbal combinations such as "Buy this", "Discover that", "Try some today", "Do not forget", "Treat yourself" are quite common. They are found in all parts of the advertising text - in the title, body and echo phrase. The study of English advertising texts shows that the most frequently used imperative verbs are as follows: buy, try, ask, get, see, call, feel, taste, watch, smell, find, listen, drive, let, look, drink, do, discover, start, enjoy. Here are some examples: Buy the car. I own the road. (Pontiac Grand Am) Drive the new Paseo. Fall in love. Your future awaits down the road. (Toyota Paseo) Give your lips a double infusion of color. (Estee Louder). An analysis of Russian advertising texts shows the same number of imperative verbs, i.e. the ratio of the verbs is equal. Translators of the English advertising pay attention to the special nature of the use of personal and possessive pronouns in the advertising texts. The earnest tone of the advertising appeal (which is also characteristic to the Russian advertising) is often built on the consistent application of the following communication model: " We, our " is to describe the advertiser, " you, your " is to refer to a potential buyer, and " they, their " is a reference to potential competitors: (Реклама банка) Звоните прямо сейчас и Вы получите эти часы с 10 % скидкой! Это предложение только для Вас. Приходите и убедитесь сами. In both languages personal and possessive pronouns of the 2nd person are frequently used because they reinforce the advertising appeal, for example: Your own car. Your own phone. Your own place. Your dad's insurance? (Nationwide Insurance) Билайн - это ваш выбор! "Мы сэкономим Вам 1 миллион рублей!; "Звоните и Вы сэкономите 1 миллион рублей!" Thus, in the English advertisement there is a number of verb combinations, personal and possessive pronouns that are found in the text very often. These examples are relevant in interpreting the entire message and its extra-linguistic reality.
Translation of attributive word-combinations and comparisons Study of some advertising texts lead to the conclusion that the adverbs and adjectives are the key words of the advertising text. Advertising is full with words "more", "less", "better", "more favorable", "best", "unique", "super". All these words are signals showing that the advertised brand is compared directly or not with other brands of the same product category. And the adjectives and adverbs help to create a unique tone of the advertising appeal, which allows to convey the quality and dignity of the advertised subject. When translated into another language this fact must be taken into account: Мы докажем: Вы можете выглядеть моложе". (Реклама крема Oil of Olay) When translating advertising texts adjectives and adverbs are used to describe a wide variety of properties of the advertised product: shape, size, quality, cost, feeling that this product causes. In the English-language advertising the most common adjectives are: natural, sensual, innocent, passionate, romantic, mysterious, etc. In Russian: новый, новинка, первый, революционный, непростой, необычный, в отличие от обычных and other. Just as in the Russian advertising frequently used adjectives in the English-language advertisements are: good, better, best, free, fresh, delicious, full sure, clean, wonderful, special, fine, big, great, real, easy, bright, extra, rich, gold. Often there are adjectives that indicate the authenticity of the brand - genuine, authentic and original. But perhaps the record for frequency of use in the English language advertising is the adjective new - it can be found in almost every other advertising text, for example: New LAST OUT extra extending mascara with a new advanced protein formula; The new truth for sensitive skin: Estee Lauder invents Verite; Special attention must be paid to the comparisons that are widely presented in the advertising text. Competing brands that make up the natural class of comparison are usually ignored. In translation we should take into account this effect. In some the same linguistic techniques serve to mislead skillfully, while others are to soften the categorical unpleasant messages or just to make the message more expressive. Хорошие хозяйки любят Лоск. (Эта фраза телевизионного ролика, воспринимаемая на слух, многозначна: хозяйки любят стиральный порошок "Лоск" или чистоту - лоск.). Клей Момент - Цени Момент Harmonious combination of advertising idea with the means of expression. A peculiarity of successful advertising is the harmonious combination of the primary advertising idea with the means of expression which are the most consistent with this idea and give a special power to the text, increasing its total figurative and language impact to a mass audience. Usage of the associative properties of the sound form of the word helps to create a certain image, for example: Russian advertising of drink Schweppes beverage - Sh-sh-sh-veps A desired advertising image with the help of background imitation or onomatopoeia is created in the following English ad fragment, which tells about the virtues of a relaxing vacation on Lake Ontario: The dip and pull and ripple of the paddle, the whistle whirring of the reel, the echo of the loon. When choosing the translation method you should take into account many factors such as the audience (if it's necessary to localize the text) or the purpose of advertising. If you need to focus on imported goods, you can leave some words or even sentences without translation. If you want to induce positive emotions, you should use more emotive words.
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