Abstract: Trademark plays a significant role in cross cultural business activities. Therefore, accurate, valid and legible translation of trademarks has been widely concerned to facilitate understanding, arouse consumer’s desire and the appropriate association. Under the guidance of Nida’s functional equivalence theory, together with arrays of trademark translation examples, the author believes that transliteration, free translation, combination of transliteration and free translation, creative translation  prevail in trademark translation and the above mentioned strategies should be implemented flexibly.

Key words: trademark translation; functional equivalence; translation strategies

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Trademarks and Functional Equivalence-2

  2.1 Definition and Functions of Trademark-2

  2.2 Functional Equivalence Theory-3

  2.3 Principles of C-E Translation of Trademarks Under Functional Equivalence-4

3. Cultural Elements in C-E Translation of Trademarks-6

  3.1 Different National Psychology-7

  3.2 Different Cultural Values-8

  3.3 Different Aesthetic Sentiment-9

  3.4 Different Associations of Certain Words-10

4. Application of Functional Equivalence and Strategies in Trademark Translation-11

  4.1 Application of Nida’s Functional Equivalence-11

  4.2 Trademark Translation Strategies-12

    4.2.1 Transliteration-12

    4.2.2 Free Translation-14

    4.2.3 Combination of Transliteration and Free Translation-15

    4.2.4 Creative Translation-17

5. Conclusion-18

References-20