陈苗苗论文

Brand Names and Their Characteristics

Introduction:

Brand names are based on nation culture and language culture. Brand names appear in our life everywhere. And brand names like people’s name is a symbol of goods. A good brand name is not only can take good first impression but also can bring vast economic benefits for establishment.

Brand names are provided with typical culture nature and contain determinate culture connotation. This text resumes the origin of brand names and their characteristics and the translation of brand names to annotation that brand names are closely related nation culture and language culture.

I. Brand Names Origin.

II. Brand Names Characteristics.

2.1 Language Brief and Easy to Remember. 2.2 Contain Rich Embaliment Connotation. Ⅲ The Translation of Brand Names.

3.1aking into Consideration Target Markets and Consumer Groups in the Culture Context. 3.2Taking into Consideration Target Markets and Consumer Groups in Aethestic Habit. 3.3culture taboo in Brand Names Translation. I.

Brand Names Origin.

Brand is develop from origin communicable mark symbol sign and commercial mark.Before scripts appeared ,brand is just pure abstract marks until scripts appeared. These brands are not only have pattern but also producing area name and so on. These are modern brand names’ embryo.

In 1830, France issued the world’s first law about brand The Law of Factory Manufacturer and Workshop. These are many famous establishments appeared in nineteen century, such as Benz, Goodyear, DuPont and so on .Then there are some brand names according to it’s producing area, such as Longines, Washington.

In Twenty century ,Limited Liability System appeared, it made establishments became bigger. Small workshops were instead of limited company. So people can not named goods on the basis of one person’s name. But use common English words, such as: Advantage(a perfume’s name), Signal(a toothpaste’s name) , Ienith(a TV’s name).After the World WarⅡ ,economy became better, science and technology also developed fast. There are more and more goods in the markets, brand names became more and more, too. As we know, brand names can not repeat, but many beautiful words almost used up. Another hand ,from then on, marketing start founded and developed, brand names became more and more important. So brand names changed imagination. According to good’s characteristics, nature, uses, language culture, psychology, market and aesthetics and so on. People create many new words, such as Auclax, Citgo, Duracell, Electrolux, Exxon, Fablon, Kleenex, Listerine, Sunbrella, Kodak, OMO.

In our country, in the Eastern Han Dynasty appeared brand names’ sprout, for example, there is a wine marker used his own name Du Kang for the wine, in the Henan Province at that time. In

Song Dynasty, Meng Yuanlao had recorded there are many brand names such as “Unlovely Grandmother’s drugstore” ,“Black Tiger Dr.Wang”，in his book named Dong Jing Meng Hua Lu. In Ming Dynasty, Beijing Enamelwork used “ cloisonne” for their good names and now it’s still famed the world over There is a batch honored brands such as “Zhang Xiaoquan Scissors”,“Nei Lian Sheng Shoes”, “Yi De Ge Chinese ink”, “Jiu Zhi Tang”,“Pan Gao Shou”,and so on, many of them inherited till now. From Qing Dynasty to Research of Professional, appeared“Wang Lao Ji Herbal Tea”,“Tong Ren Tang Chinese Patent Drug”. Before liberation, people mostly used natural world’s things such as hill, water, flower, bird, animal, insect, grass and place name for brand names such as Chrysanthemum, Camel, The Grate Wall, The Front Door. Some brand names mean progress such as “China Rich and Powerful”,“Huang Shan”,. After New China founded, in 1953, the government issued The Trademark Law. At that time, brand names are from public’s life, such as “Mount Taishan”, “Mount Huangshan”, “Yangtze”,“Yellow Crane Tower”, “Panda TV”, “Red Plum Cigarette”.

But during the Culture Revolution, brand names became boring and few, such as “Jie Fang”. “Sheng Li”. After reform and openness, markets economy developed fast, and people studied foreign progressive marketing ideas, brand names had a great progress and innovation such as “Jian Li Bao”, “Changhongit”, “Haier”, “Konka”, “Serene”, “Youngor” and so on.

Ⅱ Brand Names Characteristics.

2.1 Language Brief and Easy to Remember.

Brand names are different from daily expression, it must be simplify and striking, easy to read and convenient to remember. Chinese brand names are always make up of tow or three words. They can be found everywhere such as “Chuang Wei” (Skyworth), “Hai Er” (Haier), “Mei Di”(Mediea), and three words brand names can make you associateing Chinese traditional famous shops such as “Don Hua Xiang”, “Tong Ren Tang”, and so on. However, foreign goods are named on people’s name who may be the goods inventor, maker or seller, such as Budweiser, McDonald, Benz. These brand names no matter they are Chinese or English, they all have some common characteristics.

For example, American classics brand—CoCa CoLa, it’s name is very easy to read and remember, but there are little people asked: “ What is the true meaning of CoCa CoLa?” In fact, CoCa and CoLa are two plants. CoCa’s leaf and Cola’s seed are the drink’s stock, but CoCa’s leaf contain cocaine, which is used as anaesthetic, especially used on eyes, noise or throat, since it can make people be excited and thrill. It is widespread used as drug. If CoCa CoLa company use this boring even fearful name as drink’s name. Who will buy theirdrinks? So the drink was named CoCa CoLa by the company. This name embellished it’s original meaning and make the public known and remembled CoCa CoLa.

2.2 Contain Rich Embaliment Connotation.

Marketing is like a campaign, a successful brand name like a flag forever. Nowdays market competition became more and more scorching, at this time, brand names seems particularly important. If a establishment want to have a foothold in the world’s brand forest, brand names not only must be brief and easy to remember but also must contain rich embodiment connotation.

For example, American famous fast food—McDonald’s, it’s name is the shopkeeper’s name. But McDonald was a nonentity person at that time. He was not famous as Disney, which was the pronoun of Cartoon World. In order to make McDonald became an global brand, they called it McDonald’s instead of McDonald’ shop. Chinese name is “mai dang lao”, it retained major original enunciate and reflected food shop’s quality.

Here’s another example, as we know ,American sport good—NIKE. It’s phonetic symbol is 「’naiki:」, which original meaning is victory goddess’ name in Greece Mythology. But if we according it’s phonetic symbol to translate it as “nai ji” or “na ji ”, many consumers may can not understand it’s meaning , so the company imitate it’s syllable and take into consideration that sport rig should be prolonged characteristic and abrasive resistance feature, then they named it NIKE. If we translate it into Chinese, it’s not difficult to understand it has the meaning of solid and wear well, contain the meaning of overcome difficulties. Final, it’s name has the same view of the Victory Goddess Nike.

Dove, is an interesting brand name. It’s a toilet soap’s name, but it’s also a chocolate’s name. If we translate into Chinese, when it as the toilet soap’s name called “duo fen” which means moist your skin and sweet-smelling. However, as a chocolate’s name, it could named “de fu”, let’s have an imagine of it’s message:“ Sweet milk, silkly feeling ”. Can you feel very sweet as you are eating chocolate right now? There is another view Dove Chocolate means “ do you love me”, this explain increase some romantic meaning of the chocolate.

Ⅲ The Translation of Brand Names.

3.1aking into Consideration Target Markets and Consumer Groups in the Culture Context.

Translation of brand names is not a simple mechanization translation from one language to another language. It is influence on many factors such as: language, regular, culture, customs and manners. Brand names contain rich culture, it can refract customers’ mental demand. So in the process of brand name translation, we have to take into consideration of the target markets and consumer groups in the culture context. And can not rashly alone.

For example, in China, dragon is very luck, it’s Chinese totem, we said ourselves are the offspring of dragon. Dragon is the symbol of China, since in English there is no word can well and truly explain it, only can translate it into dragon. But in the western culture dragon is an exceeding fierce and devilry animal. Certainly we can not open abroad market if we translation goods into dragon.

For another example, our country’s famous battery—Bai Xiang Battery. In Southeast Asia markets sells well, because in these areas ,elephant is a symbol of luck But in Europe and America, no one shows any interest in the battery, the reason is people translate Bai Xiang into White Elephant, in English white elephant means burdensome, rubbish and disgust.

Our country’s traditional export commodities—Junco Carpet suffered the same fate because of culture difference. Junk means sailing boat, besides it also means garbage, old and shabby . Fortunately the company turned Junk into Junco, opened the market successful. GoldLion

is Hang Kong’s famous brand when it decided march mainland market in China, the company did not according the original enunciate to translate it into “jin shi’’. Because lion is the same enunciate as lose in Chinese. And people always care about this word, so it was translated into “jin li lai’’, retaining the word gold’s propitious meaning besides it also avoid the indelicacy, and cater to customers’ mind.

3.2Taking into Consideration Target Markets and Consumer Groups in Aethestic Habit.

Since every countries’ cultural background, religion faith are different. Every countries’ aesthetic habits are different, too. Translation of brand names also need to fit with target markets and consumer group’s aesthetic habits.

Foreign brands always translate into two or three words in Chinese, because double syllables words fit Chinese language habit and aesthetic habit. Some English words are very long, has many syllables, it’s not easy to remember. However, double syllables or three syllables brand names can take more deep impression in customers’ mind. Such as ：McDonald—mao dang lao, Sprite—xue bi, Younger—ya ge er, Pentax---bing de , Versace—fan si zhe, Budweiser—bai wei, Chanel—xiang nai er, Hore be—hong bei, Reekon—ren ren kang , Erods—er duo si, Plover—zhuo mu niao, Smart—shun mei, Knok—kang jia , Safeguard—shu fu jia, Foster—fu shi da, Head and Shoulders—hai fei si, Hewlett-Packard—hui pu, Seven-up—qi xi.

In Munich, Germany, there is a automobile factory, it’s German full name is “ Bayerische Motoren Werke”, for short is BMW. In Chinese we call it “bao ma”, now BMW has became the symbol of success and reputation.

Minnesota Miming and Manufacting Company, for short 3 M. This name is easy to remember and would not make mistakes also has no humiliate meaning of religion culture. 3.3Culture Taboo in Brand Names Translation 3.3.1 Digit and Colour.

In China and Japan, number four is a unlucky word, four’s pronunciation is similar to death, so it’s a sensitive word, even fourteen and twenty-four never present to brand names. Japanese also taboo number nine because it’s sounds like bitter. Thirteen and Friday are worse symbols in western world, because on that day, Jesus was send to the cross. Chinese“three guns’’ underclothes, in Japan Columbia and North Africa area, it’s very popular since digit three in these areas means positive. But in Chad and Benin, it sells not very well, because in Chad odd number is dispositive, and in Benin three means witchcraft. In Britain, six six six means evil, in China, eight is sounds lika “fa’’, which means getting rich. In Japan, eight is also means good luck. Seven is a similar digit to eight in English, for example, American drink brand Seven-up.

Most Americans do not like purple. French and Germans hate dark green because Nazi’s military uniform is dark green, they like blue. But Egyptians think blue means hapless or unlucky. Brazilians taboo brownish yellow. Nalaysian think green means disease. western people say white

symbol pure, black means death. In China, green means life, red represents passion, white means pure and black means solemn.

3.3.2 Animal and Plant.

At first, let’s talk about dragon it’s the symbol of auspicious in China, but in western culture, dragon usually represents evil. If you hear they say a man like a dragon, it’s means the man is trespassed and annoying. Phoenix in ancient Chinese legend is a miraculous animal. In ancient, the order of the phoenix has signaled world peace. But in western legend, phoenix is a never dead bird, it means resurrection and regeneration. Turtle means long life is Japan, but in other countries, it means ugly.

In China, chrysanthemum is extremely popular, means noble and unsullied and faithful. There are many goods named chrysanthemum, for example, chrysanthemum aginomoto. But Italians and Spaniard like rose and hate chrysanthemum. Japan and many countries in Latin America also hate chrysanthemum. But French and American depending on the rose for national flower, the British taboo to send lilies. German taboo to send rose.

商标名和他们的特点

介绍：

商标名是基于民族文化和语言文化之上的，商标名在我们的生活中无处不在。商标名如同人的名字，是商品的象征。一个好的商标名不仅可以给企业带来良好的第一印象，而且也可以为企业带来巨大的经济利润。

商标名具有典型的文化属性，承载了一定的文化涵义。本文通过简单描述商标名的起源，特点以及商标名的翻译，来诠释商标名与民族文化，语言文化密切相关。

提纲：

Ⅰ. 商标名的起源。 Ⅱ. 商标名的特点。

2.1 语言简短，易于记忆。 2.2 蕴含丰富的个性内涵。

Ⅲ. 商标名的翻译。

3.1 充分考虑目标市场消费群体的文化背景。 3.2充分考虑目标市场消费群体的审美习惯。 3.3 商标名翻译的文化禁忌。

Ⅰ. 商标名的起源。

商标名是从原始的传达记号，象征符号和商业记号演变而来。在文字出现之前，这些符号都只是些纯粹抽象的符号。文字出现后，这些标志里除了图案以外，还有文字。如

制造者的名字，业主的名字和店名以及产地名等。这些都是现代商标的雏形。 1803年，法国颁布了世界上最早的商标法《有关工厂，制造场和作坊的法律》，很多著名的企业都在19世纪产生，如奔驰汽车，固特异轮胎，杜邦石油等。还有一些商品是以产品的产地命名的如：浪琴手表，华盛顿苹果等。 到了20世纪，有限责任制的出现，使企业越变越大，以一个人为业主的作坊形式的工厂已取消，取而代之的事有限责任制公司，因此不能以某个人的名字为商标命名，而是多采用普通的英语词汇，如：advantage 香水，洁诺牙膏，zenith电视机等。二战结束后，经济增长迅速，科学技术也得到了大的提高。商品日益丰富，商标名也越来越多。一方面，众所周知，商标名一般不能重复，而一些好的词汇几乎已经用尽。另一方面，从那时起，市场营销学开始创立并发展，商标名变得越来越重要。于是，商标名变得充满想象。根据商标的特点，性能，用途，语言， 文化，心理，市场，美学等创造出了一些从未有过的新词。如：奥达，雪铁戈，金霸王，伊莱克斯，艾克森美孚，Fablon（墙饰彩带厂），舒洁，李施德林，sunbrell包，柯达，omo等。

我国早在东汉时期就出现了商标名的萌芽，如，当时的河南省有一个酿酒者用自己的名字杜康作为酒的名字。 孟元老在《东京梦华录》里记载了很多当时的商标名，如：丑婆婆药铺，黑老虎王医生。 明代，北京珐琅制品就以“景泰蓝’’为商标名闻名于世。清朝，更是创建了一批老字号，如：张小泉剪刀，内联升鞋，一得阁墨汁，九芝堂，潘高寿等。他们中许多流传至今。从清朝到民国时期，出现了王老吉药茶，同仁堂中成药等。民国到解放前，人们多采用自然界的山水花木鸟兽虫草以及地名命名。如：菊花，骆驼，长城，前门等。也有寓意进步的商标名如：中国富强，华生等。新中国成立后，1953年颁布了《商标法》。这个时期的商标名大部分来自于大众生活，如：泰山，黄山，长江，黄鹤楼，熊猫电视机，红梅香烟等。 文革时期，商标名只是那几个且乏味枯燥的词语如：解放，胜利等。改革开放后，市场经济发展迅速，人们学习外国先进营销思想，商标的命名也有了大的进步和创新。如：健力宝，长虹，海尔，康佳，西瑞，雅戈尔等。

Ⅱ. 商标名的特点。

2.1 寓意简短，易于记忆。

商标名不同于日常用语，它需要简练，醒目，易于上口，便于记忆。中国商标名多采用两个字或三个字的名称。它们随处可见，如：海尔，长虹等。而三个字的商标名会让人联想到中国传统老字号的商号，如：稻花香，同仁堂等。外国的商标名则多与与商品有关的人物的姓名作为商品的名称，如：百威，麦当劳，奔驰等。这些商标名，不管是中文还是英文的都有一些共同的特点：易于上口，便于记忆。

再如，美国经典品牌可口可乐，它的名称读起来朗朗上口，便于人们记忆。但很少有人会问一句：可口可乐的真实意思是什么呢？实际上，coca 和cola是两种植物，古柯树的叶子和可乐树的籽是这种饮料的原材料，但是古柯树的叶子里富含可卡因，是一种被用于做麻醉药，尤其是用于眼睛，鼻子或喉咙。还因为它能使人感到兴奋和刺激而被广泛用做毒品。如果可口可乐公司将这个枯燥乏味甚至有些可怕的名字作为商标名，那还有谁会买这种饮料呢？但公司将这种饮料命名为可口可乐，既美化了它原本的意思，又让大众接受并记住了可口可乐。

2.2蕴含丰富的个性内涵。

营销就是一场战役，一个成功的品牌名称就是战场上一面永久的旗帜。在市场竞争日益激烈的今天，商标的命名显得尤为重要，要想在世界商标之林有立足之地，在为商标命名时不仅要语言简练，易于记忆，更要有丰富的内涵。

例如，美国著名快餐品牌麦当劳，它的英文名称是McDonald’s.它是店主人的名字，但当时麦克唐纳只是一个小人物，他远远比不上迪斯尼，那时的迪斯尼已经成为了卡通

世界的代名词。为了让麦当劳成为一个世界品牌，他们将其命名为McDonald’s 译成中文为麦当劳，这个名字既保留了单词的原发音也体现出了食品店的性质。

另一个例子，众所周知的美国运动品牌耐克，它的音标是「’naiki:」，本意是希腊神话中胜利女神的名字，但如果直接按照其发音译为奈姬或娜基，很多顾客都不了解它的含义，所以公司模仿其音节并考虑到作为运动品牌应该具有经久耐磨的特点。将其命名为NIKE，翻译为中文是耐克，既有坚固耐穿的含义又包含了克服困难的意思，这样与原胜利女神的含义也不谋而合。

Dove，是以个有趣的商标名，它是一种香皂的名字同时又是一种巧克力的名字。如果作为香皂品牌名称译成中文时，可译成多芬，有滋润肌肤，芬芳香气的意思，而作为巧克力时友可译成德芙，让我们想象一下它的广告词“牛奶香浓，丝般感受”,还有一种关于德芙巧克力的解释是：Do you love me 这个解释让这个巧克力增添了很多浪漫的含义。

Ⅲ.商标名的翻译。

3.1 充分考虑目标市场消费群体的文化背景和审美习惯。

商标名的翻译不是一种简单的由一种语言向另一种语言的机械翻译。它受语言规律，文化，风俗，习惯等因素影响。商标名蕴含了丰富的民族文化，折射出广大消费者的心理需求。因此在商标名翻译过程中我们要充分考虑目标市场消费群体的文化背景和审美习惯。不能草草了事。

例如， 在中国龙使吉祥的象征，它是中国的图腾，我们称自己是龙的传人。由于在英文中找不到与之相对应的词，只能将它译成dragon，但是在西方文化中龙使指一种特别凶狠，残暴的动物。如果我们将商品名翻译为龙，必定打不开国外市场。

再如，我国驰名商标白象电池，在东南亚市场十分畅销，因为在这些地区象是一种吉祥的象征。但在欧美市场却无人问津，因为白象在英语中有累赘，废物，令人讨厌的东西的意思。我国传统出口商品帆船地毯，也是由于文化差异的原因遭到同样的命运。帆船英文为“junk”，但是这个单词在英文中除了有帆船的意思以外还有垃圾，破烂的意思。幸运的是，帆船公司后来将junk改为junco才打开了市场。

GoldLion 是香港著名品牌，当它决定进军大陆市场时，公司并没有按照音译直接将它命名为金狮。因为狮与失同音，只是中国人所忌讳的字眼。译为金利来，既避免了狮与失的同音又保留了金字的含义。大大迎合了消费者喜欢吉利的心理。

3.2充分考虑目标市场消费群体的审美习惯。

由于各个国家的文化背景，宗教信仰不同，造成了审美习惯不同。商标名在翻译过程中也要符合目标市场消费群体的审美习惯。外文商标名在翻译成中文时多采用两个字或三个字的形式。因为双音节单词更符合中国人的语言审美习惯，有些英文单词较长，音节较多，不便于人们记忆，而双音节或三个音节的商标名更能给人留下深刻的印象。例如：麦当劳，雅戈尔，雪碧，宾得，范思哲，百威，夏奈尔，红贝，人人康，鄂尔多斯，啄木鸟，顺美，康佳，舒肤佳。德国慕尼黑有一家汽车厂，德文全称是拜那里奇飞机引擎生产厂，简称是BMW，译为宝马，这个商标已经成为成功和信誉的标志。再如，明尼苏达矿业及制造公司，简称3M，这个商标名既易于记忆，又不会在别的国家造成误解，对宗教文化业没有侮辱性的含义。

3.3 商标名翻译禁忌。

因为各个国家的民族文化，语言文化，宗教信仰，审美习惯的不同，在商标名翻译的过程中，要充分了解目标市场的文化背景，避免误入文化禁区，造成不必要的尴尬。尤其注意在数字，颜色，动物，植物四个方面。

3.3. 1 数字和颜色。

在中国和日本，4和死读音相近，是一个敏感的数字，连14,24 也尽量避免出现在商标名中。日本人忌讳9，因为9 与苦同音。13和星期五在西方国家是不好的象征，因为那一天耶稣被送上了十字架。中国的三枪牌内衣，在日本，哥伦比亚和北非地区销量很好，因为3在这些地区象征积极意义，而在乍得，贝宁地区却业绩不高。原因是在乍得奇数是消极的，在贝宁3有巫术的意思。在英国666象征恶魔。在中国，8和发同音，有发财的含义，在日本8也象征好运气。在英语中，具有相似的意义的数字是7，例如，美国的七喜饮料。

大部分美国人都不喜欢紫色，法国人和德国人讨厌墨绿色而偏爱蓝色，因为纳粹军服的颜色是墨绿色。埃及人视蓝色为倒霉，巴西人忌讳棕黄色，马来西亚人认为绿色象征疾病，西方人以白色象征纯洁，以黑色比作死亡。在中国绿色象征生命，红色象征热情，白色象征纯洁，黑色象征庄严肃穆。

3.3.2动物和植物。

菊花在中国是很受欢迎的，许多商品都以菊花命名，但意大利人和西班牙人却讨厌菊花喜欢玫瑰，日本和拉丁美洲许多国家也忌送菊花，但是法国和美国视玫瑰为国花，英国人忌送百合，德国人忌送玫瑰。