Localization and Translation Strategies of English Brand Names

摘要

在经济全球化和国际贸易日益频繁的背景下，越来越多的跨国公司把战略目光投入到中国这一全球最大的市场。为赢得市场竞争，他们制定了各种在地化的营销策略，并逐渐意识到一个好的商标翻译对于吸引消费者和将自身品牌和商标打入中国市场的重要性。品牌和商标翻译的在地化已成为一种趋势。然而，商标的翻译受哪些因素影响？在地化影响下，怎样的商标翻译才能被在地消费者所接受？近20年来这些问题已成为翻译学和营销学研究的焦点。

本文以语言顺应理论和归化与异化理论为依据，研究在地化对英语商标汉译的影响，探讨在地化影响下商标的汉译策略。本文由五个部分组成：第一部分论述在地化趋势及在在地化影响下的商标翻译的意义；第二部分为论述商标及相关理论，包括商标的基础知识，包括定义、特点和命名原则,介绍商标翻译的研究状况和涉及到的翻译理论；第三部分分析影响商标汉译的在地化因素，包括在地语言特色与审美习惯、在地的民族文化、价值观与社会习俗以及在地民众的消费心理等因素；第四章以异化和归化理论为指导，探讨在地化影响下商标的汉译策略,包括直译法，音译法和音意结合法等；第五章总结全文，对影响商标汉译的在地化因素和汉译策略进行归纳并对商标汉译进行展望。

本文不仅是商标汉译领域的必要补充，也将在华或即将入华的跨国企业的商标翻译和营销策略的制定提供一定的参考依据。

关键词：在地化，商标翻译，语言顺应理论，归化与异化

Abstract
With the globalization of economy and increasing exchanges of international trade, a growing number of multinational corporations turn their strategic attention to China, the largest market in the world. In order to get an advantageous position in the market, they have made all types of localized strategies and have realized that a good brand name translation plays a very important role in attracting consumers and succeeding in the fierce competition. Localization of brand name translation has become a kind of economic tendency. However, what are factors that impact brand name translation? Or how can brand names be translated so as to be widely accepted by consumers in the local market? These questions have been the subject of study and research both in translation and marketing for nearly two decades.

Guided by the theories of Linguistic Adaptation，domestication and foreginization, this thesis mainly discusses the factors that influence the localization of brand name translation and explores brand name translation methods. The thesis consists of five parts. The first part introduces the localization tendency, localization and significance of brand name translation; The second introduces basic knowledge of brand, including its definition, features and reviews studies of brand name translation and localization and relevant translation theories; The third part uses examples to analyze factors that impact localization of brand name translation, including local language features and aesthetic habits, local culture, values and customs and local consumers’ purchasing psychology. The fourth employs foreignizaiton and domestication theory to probe brand name translation methods, including literal translation, transliteration, and sound-meaning combined translation. The last part concludes the whole thesis with factors impacting localization of brand name translation and translation methods.

The result of this thesis will be a supplement to the study of brand name translation and will act as a reference to multinational corporations in the translation of their brand names and making marketing strategies.

Key words: localization, brand name translation , Linguistic Adaptation Theory, domestication and foreignization,