Contents

Acknowledgments

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Background and Purpose of the Thesis-1

1.2 Structure of the Thesis-2

Chapter Two Literature Review-3

2.1 Previous study on Adaptation Theory-3

2.2 Previous Study on Translation of Advertisement Language-4

2.2.1 Non-linguistic approach-4

2.2.2 Semantic approach-4

2.2.3 Other approaches-5

Chapter Three Adaptation Theory Applied in Translation of Food Advertisement Language-6

3.1 Adaptation to the Mental World-6

3.1.1Adaptation to the Need for Food Security-6

3.1.2 Adaptation to the Need for Identity-6

3.2 Adaptation to the Social World-7

3.2.1 Adaptation to social settings and institutions-7

3.2.2 Adaptation to social culture-8

Chapter Four Conclusion-10

4.1 Major Findings and Implications of the Study-10

4.2 Limitations and Suggestions for Further Research-10

References-12

Abstract

With the development of society, food advertisements have penetrated into our daily life. As food advertisement language is widely used in the business world, it turns out to be a fixed register. Therefore, the study of the advertisement language is a key to the effective construction and translation of advertisements.

This thesis is an investigation on what translators have done and will do to adapt to the need of consumers, including social world and mental world. Besides, the thesis is a qualitative analysis on the data collected, and the research is a pragmatic translation of these data actually. The data under investigation are mainly based on the food advertisements in China and abroad, some of the data are collected from the internet where necessary. Besides, translators have to make linguistic choices so as to adapt to the social settings, institutions and social culture. Drawing on a range of work in pragmatics, advertising and communication, this paper attempts to make analysis on this particular advertisement language. 

The thesis is supported by adaptation theory. In this thesis, the author tries to confirm that the production of advertisement language is the realization of adaptation. Besides, it also analyzes in which way the translators try to persuade the consumers into buying their products. Through the research, the thesis also finds that the food advertisement language which persuades consumers into buying their products must adapt to the certain contexts, of which it will analyze in the following text. 

Key words:  Food advertisement language  adaptation theory  Mental world  Social world