Abstract:With the development of society, public service advertising (PSA), as a major component of the modern culture, plays a more and more important role in people’s life. Though much attention has been paid to the phenomenon and some researches have been performed on the linguistic aspects of PSA, the study of translation of PSA has been ignored by many scholars from a pragmatic perspective. This thesis makes a detailed analysis of pragmatic mistakes on English translation of PSA from a perspective of adaptation theory. The function of PSA is to encourage people to behave beneficially to the society and to arouse their consciousness to take care of social affairs. As a result, its language must be vivid and eye-catching, and a complex process of making relevant choices in the translation constantly. The study, based on Jef Verschueren’s adaptation theory, analyzes pragmatic failures in the process of PSA translation. 

Keywords:  PSA translation   adaptation theory   pragmatic failure

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Purpose of the Study-.1

1.2 The Structure of the Paper-1

Chapter Two Literature Review-2

2.1 Definitions of PSA-2

2.2 Previous Studies of PSA-2

2.3 A General Survey of Pragmatic Failures-2

2.4 Key Notions of the Adaptation Theory-3

Chapter Three Pragmatic Failures in the Translation of PSA-4

3.1 Failures from not Adapting to the Communicative Context-4

3.1.1 Not Adapting to the Mental World-4

3.1.2 Not Adapting to the Social World-5

3.2 Failures from not Adapting to Linguistic Structure-6

3.2.1 Not Adapting to Lexis-6

3.2.2 Not Adapting to Discourse-8

Chapter Four How to Avoid Pragmatic Failures-9

4.1 Catering to Foreigners’ Psychology-9

4.2 Recreating to Relieve Culture Shock-10

4.3 Conforming to Westerners’ Thinking Pattern-10

Chapter Five Conclusion-12

Reference-13