摘要

商铺名称作为一种静态的公示语，既表明了商铺的性质，又体现出商铺本身的服务特征，传达出丰富的文化信息。近年来，英文的普遍使用，使得英文店名在中国的大街上涌现，然而，一些街头的商铺却未有规范的英文名称。本文从一些商铺名称错误翻译的具体例子入手，主要有以下三方面的错误：一、中式英语；二、拼写和语法错误，三、文化误译。根据这些商铺名称翻译出现的错误，解释出现错误翻译的可能的原因以及提出如下建议：一、加强翻译者的语言功底；二、加强店家及政府的重视；三、提高跨文化意识。正确的商铺名称的英文翻译，对公众和旅游者生活中有着重要意义，对商铺名称的错误英文翻译，会影响我国的国际形象。

关键字：商铺名称；错误翻译；建议

Abstract

As a kind of static public sign, store name indicates not only the property of the store, but also the service characteristic of the store itself. In recent years, with the wide use of English, a large number of English store names appear in the streets in China. However, some stores don’t have standard English names. The paper begins with some specific examples of translation errors of store names, including three errors: Chinglish, spelling and grammatical errors and cultural mistranslation. According to the errors, it then figures out the possible factors that cause translation errors and the following suggestions: strengthening the translator’s language competence, attaching importance from stores and governments and improving intercultural awareness. Correct English translation of store names is of significance to the public and the travelers’ life while translation errors will affect China’s international image.

Key Words: store name; translation error; suggestion

1 Introduction

“With the globalization of world economy, especially with China’s entry into the World Trade Organization and the deepening of the Reform and Opening-up, all kinds of English store names are pouring into the streets of China.” It testifies that China’s economy links with the world economy and shows the necessity of communications with each other for those people who live in the “Global Village”. More and more foreigners begin to work, live or travel in China. Under such a background, foreign languages, especially English, are widely used with increasing frequency.