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The following are the reasons why the topic Pragmatic Function of Puns in English Advertisements and Its Translation is chosen as the object of my study.
Firstly, pun is the most persuasive rhetorical device in advertising, while it dose not seem to receive the attention as it deserves. Secondly, the studies at home and abroad provide guidelines for translation of puns in advertising. Thirdly, the study of puns' translation and its functions in advertisements may be of practical importance in China. The study of object will help us better understand English advertisements. Finally, the subject is of my personal interest.
By researching into a large amount of cases, the thesis discuss the pragmatic function and translation of puns in English advertisements. The aim of the paper is to offer inspirations for those who are also interested in puns, and looking forward to exchange opinions with them.
II .Literature Review
2. 1 Definition of Pun
Looking at the same issue from different perspectives, we may often come up with different definitions of the thing under discussion. And, not surprisingly, Tun can be thus defined in many ways. There is such a humorous explanation about pun: “punning – to torture one poor word ten thousand ways (John Dryden)”. In Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, pun is defined as “an amusing use of a word or phrase that has two meanings, or words with the same sound but different meanings”. According to The Oxford English Dictionary, pun is defined as “the use of word in such a way as to suggest two or more meanings or different associations, or the use of two or more words of the same or nearly the same sound with different meanings, so as to produce a humorous effect”. In Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, pun is defined as “A figure of speech depending upon a similarity of sound and a disparity of meaning”. From the above definitions, we can see that homonyms, homophones, and homographs all are available to construct puns with.
2.2 Types of Pun in Advertisement
2. 2.1 Pun on Polysemy
“While different words may have the same of similar meaning, one same word may have more than one meaning. This is what we call polysemy, and such a word is called polysemic word. Historically speaking, polysemy can be understood as the growth and development of or change in the meaning of words.” Pun on polysemy is used widely, especially with the name of the product such as the following examples:
“From sharp minds. Come sharp products.”
The example is an advertisement for the Sharp copier. The word “sharp” praises the consumers’ brightness, but also refers to the Sharp product. The advertisement praises the consumers who are sharp to buy the product which is sharp. The vanity of the audiences is aroused and they want to use it to show their wise, and also they believe the product is really sharp.
“Money doesn’t grow on the trees. But it blossoms at our branches. Lioyd Bank.” It is the slogan of Lioyd Bank. “branch” means “part of a tree growing out from the trunk”, but here it implies the pision of bank”. The slogan encourages people to store their money in Lioyd Bank, and their money will be like the blooming flowers, yielding better fruits. After understanding its meaning, readers will figure it out in mind that their money will become more and more daily and daily, just like the leaves in spring.
2. 2.2 Pun on Homonym
“Homonymy refers to the phenomenon that words with different meanings have the same form, i.e, different words are identical in sound or spelling, or in both. When two words are identical in sound, they are homophones. When the words are identical in spelling, they are homographs. When two words are identical in both spelling and sound, they are complete homonyms.” The follow instances will explain that: