【正文】 n effective brand name can promote the brand development process and enhance the perceived value of a product. One good kind of modity adding on a good name is not different with improving on perfection, and its charm is infinite. Therefore, translations of brand names should be paid attention to. However, name translation is not an easy work as it seems. “Translation is a more plex munication than that within a single language because it involves two languages.”(Jinamp。 Nida, 1984:31). Knowledge about pragmatics, sociolinguistics,folklore,aesthetics, psychology and intercultural munication as well as cultural background should be applied to the translation. The principles of translation which are equivalence, inductive, aesthetic, advertising nature as well as some traditional principles should be abided by and understandings about different cultures are needed. And also appropriate methods should be choosed to suit different conditions in order to embody the information and functions which the original language brand name bears. Usually four approaches can be adopted in brand name translations, namely literal translation, transliteration, the bination method and free translation. All these can help the national products enter the target country market successfully. So the brand name translation is an 濟寧學院畢業(yè)論文 第 2 頁 共 21 頁 important but difficult job. “A failure to reflect the spirit and dynamics of the source document is a mortal sin.”(Nida,1993:118). As a result, how to translate brand name between English and Chinese properly bees an urgent issue. Many brand names are translated perfectly, but some still remain to be improved. There are a lot of papers and books as well as the researches dealing with this topic particularly. This thesis researches more deeply from the point that is the mon principles and methods applied in translations, and to take a few examples to discuss. Both successful and unsuccessful cases will be included in this thesis. Hopefully, this thesis could be useful and to be referred for brand names translation or similar topics. 濟寧學院畢業(yè)論文 第 3 頁 共 21 頁 Chapter 1 Principles of Brand Name Translation There are several principles dealing with the translation of brand names, which are equivalence principle, inductive principle, aesthetic principle, advertising functional principle and some traditional principles. This paper will analyze them one by one. Traditional Principles The most famous principle of translation in China is the trinity principle 信達 雅 (faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance） which is put forward by Yan Fu in his Introductory Remarks to his translation 《天演論》of Evolution and Ethnics by T. H. Huxley （ 1898） . The basic requirement of translation is faithfulness which demands the translator to be faithful to the content and style of the original one. So the translation can not only convey the message of the original one passes, but also the spirit. Expressiveness means reproduction of the original language, using coherent and smooth language to express the ideas of the original text, which might make the translation more authentic in the target language. Compared with faithfulness and expressiveness, elegance is the further requirement to a good version which means a better and more beautiful translation. Equivalence Principle The core principle in the Western translation theory is the equivalence principle whose definition is “the readers of a translated text should be able to understand and appreciate it in essentially the same manner as the original readers did.”(Nida, 1993: 119). In other words, the influence which the translated works gives us should be identical with the influence which the original text gives its first audience. “The readers of a translated text should be able to prehend it to the point that they can conceive of how the original readers of the text must have understood and appreciated it.”(Nida, 1993: 118). According to this principle, there are two factors the translated 濟寧學院畢業(yè)論文 第 4 頁 共 21 頁 brand name must have: a. the translated name should have the form as a brand name。 b. the translated one must have the ability to produce the same or approximate functions of the original brand one. So the translated name should be read easily, pleasant to hear as well as having a goodlooking. It must be the perfect unity of tone, form and meaning. In the above examples, both the original and translated words give the same influence to different accepters. The literal translation is the most plying method. It sent the information of the original brand name as well as the meaning. We will discuss about literal translation particularly later. Inductive Principle Bringing consumers’ attention, meeting their demand, stimulating the purchasing desire, and finally acplishing the purchasing behavior is the most important aim of the brand name. So inductive principle should be definitely regarded as an important principle in brand name translation. There is a bedding brand naming Fair Lady whose translation name is “ 貴婦人 ” . It expresses the meaning of the original name, implies the high quality and meet people’s mind. Prokids (小淘氣嬰兒用品 ) are using the love of mother to the child, indicating all these are for your lovely baby. So aren’t you are willing to pay them for your sweeties? Therefore, when translating brand names, we must study consumer’s psychology carefully in order to arouse the customers’ desire to buy. Aesthetic Principle The translated brand name mustn’t let the consumer have the bad association。 otherwise even the good product also cannot be sold out. This requests the translator consider the cultural and the historical perspective seriously. Let us see some examples: