Figures of Speech in the Translation of Audiovisual Advertisements

Abstract

Effective translation of figures of speech in persuasive texts is crucial but complicated. Different cultural worldviews may sometimes cause misunderstandings due to vagueness in language, which otherwise may be comprehended through context or contextual associations. This study will address the following research questions: which figures of speech are the most common in advertising discourse; which translation techniques and procedures are used to render the various figures of speech in small and large sized target countries; is there a relation between country size, as measured by population, and the adaptation level of international marketing campaigns to the intended audience. The authors of the study hypothesise that international advertising campaigns are adapted through translation to a lesser degree in small sized target countries and vice versa, in large sized countries. The findings of the current study show that most probably there are other factors affecting the choice of translation techniques in audiovisual advertisements.