Page 37 - Translation Journal July 2015
P. 37
Cultural Filters in Rendering Advertisements: A Case Study of Iran
By: Ghobadi and Rahimian
Abstract
To encourage consumers to buy products or services, advertisements play a significant role in society. With increasing imports and
exports, it is crucial to translate advertisements according to consumers’ backgrounds. This study aims to analyze translation techniques
applied to selected advertisements in Iran in terms of Venuti’s theory of domesticating and foreignizing, and Molina and Albir’s eighteen
classifications of translation, in order to bridge the gap between theories of translation in commerce and translators’ practices. Based on
these findings, most advertisements were translated into Farsi by the domestication translation procedure, and each English image in an
advertisement was domesticated into a Farsi equivalent. Results of a data analysis indicate that English advertisements were translated
into Farsi based on the translators’ cultural and ideological filters, so as to have impacts that are more influential on religious consumers
of a specific culture.
Keywords: cultural filters, translation of advertisements, translation techniques
I. Introduction
According to contemporary researchers, culture can be defined as an interrelated and interconnected set of idiosyncratically political
and ideological ways of thinking, speaking, and writing within a linguistic community. Therefore, the process and mechanics of
advertising may differ from one culture or language to another. “Culture may be formally learnt or unconsciously shared” (Katan, 2011,
p. 70). To translate an advertisement from one language or culture into another, the translator should consider the target consumers’
culture, their ways of living, and the dominant political and ideological reasons behind their specific shopping behaviors.
In this paper, the dominant political and ideological reasons behind translators’ specific behaviors in translating advertisements are
considered in terms of being cultural filters. The present paper tries to investigate the applied cultural filters and domesticating and
foreignizing translation strategies used in rendering advertising slogans, brands, and commercial images from English into Farsi.
Advertisements exist everywhere and constantly influence their audience and encourage them to buy the products or services. In
other words, the purpose of an advertisement is to promote a product or service. All advertisers endeavor to attract customers and to
encourage them to purchase their products. It is worth noting that “The translated advertisements should be both textually and inter-
textually coherent so that the readers can understand and trust them” (Cui, 2009). In addition, when translating advertisements, there
should be enough attention paid to persuasion, semiotics, and symbolism (Kappe, 2012).
Translation Journal - July 2015 | 37
By: Ghobadi and Rahimian
Abstract
To encourage consumers to buy products or services, advertisements play a significant role in society. With increasing imports and
exports, it is crucial to translate advertisements according to consumers’ backgrounds. This study aims to analyze translation techniques
applied to selected advertisements in Iran in terms of Venuti’s theory of domesticating and foreignizing, and Molina and Albir’s eighteen
classifications of translation, in order to bridge the gap between theories of translation in commerce and translators’ practices. Based on
these findings, most advertisements were translated into Farsi by the domestication translation procedure, and each English image in an
advertisement was domesticated into a Farsi equivalent. Results of a data analysis indicate that English advertisements were translated
into Farsi based on the translators’ cultural and ideological filters, so as to have impacts that are more influential on religious consumers
of a specific culture.
Keywords: cultural filters, translation of advertisements, translation techniques
I. Introduction
According to contemporary researchers, culture can be defined as an interrelated and interconnected set of idiosyncratically political
and ideological ways of thinking, speaking, and writing within a linguistic community. Therefore, the process and mechanics of
advertising may differ from one culture or language to another. “Culture may be formally learnt or unconsciously shared” (Katan, 2011,
p. 70). To translate an advertisement from one language or culture into another, the translator should consider the target consumers’
culture, their ways of living, and the dominant political and ideological reasons behind their specific shopping behaviors.
In this paper, the dominant political and ideological reasons behind translators’ specific behaviors in translating advertisements are
considered in terms of being cultural filters. The present paper tries to investigate the applied cultural filters and domesticating and
foreignizing translation strategies used in rendering advertising slogans, brands, and commercial images from English into Farsi.
Advertisements exist everywhere and constantly influence their audience and encourage them to buy the products or services. In
other words, the purpose of an advertisement is to promote a product or service. All advertisers endeavor to attract customers and to
encourage them to purchase their products. It is worth noting that “The translated advertisements should be both textually and inter-
textually coherent so that the readers can understand and trust them” (Cui, 2009). In addition, when translating advertisements, there
should be enough attention paid to persuasion, semiotics, and symbolism (Kappe, 2012).
Translation Journal - July 2015 | 37
