FUNCTIONAL TRANSLATION: BRIDGING CULTURAL DIVIDES BY DECODING THE LINGUISTIC MOSAIC OF PRODUCT LABELS

Résumé

In today's globalized era, the world has witnessed an increase in localized advertisements gaining international prominence. This has been largely facilitated by translation, allowing various audiences to access and understand content from different cultural spheres. However, the translation of product labels (PLs) has been met with varied reactions, primarily due to the profound impact they leave on consumers' perceptions and purchase behaviors. This research compares and analyzes translated PLs between Arabic and English languages, representing eastern and western markets respectively. The study, thus, employs two fundamental translation theories: Vermeer’s Skopos theory, which emphasizes the purpose or aim of translation, and Nord’s text analysis model, which focuses on the functional and communicative aspects of texts. Through these perspectives, the paper seeks to uncover the strategies and techniques translators use in their work. The overarching aim is to determine the strengths and drawbacks in the translation of PL between these two languages. Preliminary findings suggest that the challenge of translating PL goes beyond the bounds of linguistic translation. Instead, it is a complex interaction of cultural differences, stylistic choices, and functional requirements. Therefore, it becomes imperative for translators to be not just linguistically proficient, but also culturally astute, to ensure that the essence and appeal of an advertisement are retained across borders.