The Influence of Pragmatics on Translation in Selected Advertisements

الملخص

This research investigates the influence of pragmatics on the translation of advertisements across different languages and cultures. Pragmatics, as a branch of linguistics concerned with how context shapes meaning, plays a fundamental role in advertising translation, where the goal extends beyond literal word transfer to conveying intended communicative effects on target audiences. The study draws on theoretical frameworks from translation studies — including the works of Nida, Catford, Wilss, and Hatim & Mason — to examine how cultural, social, and linguistic factors shape translators’ decisions. Through the analysis of selected advertisements, including Chinese-English translations of Yili product campaigns and English-Arabic translations of global brand slogans such as Nike, smartphone advertisements, and luxury perfume ads, the research demonstrates how achieving both linguistic-pragmatic equivalence and socio-pragmatic equivalence is essential for effective advertising translation. The findings highlight that successful advertisement translation requires not only bilingual proficiency but also deep cultural awareness, sensitivity to register, and an understanding of the multimodal and persuasive nature of advertising discourse. The study concludes with recommendations for future research, including comparative effectiveness studies and the role of emerging technologies in pragmatic translation practices.