从关联理论看语用失误 ——以中英文广告互译为例

论文摘要

语用失误会使交际者彼此之间产生不愉快甚至愤怒敌对的情绪,导致交际中断或失败,不能达到预期的交际效果。因此,语用失误严重阻碍了人们之间的交际。语用失误的研究始于Jenny Thomas,她在1983年发表的《跨文化语用失误》一文中首次提出语用失误这个术语,并把语用失误分成语用语言失误和社交语用失误。近20多年来,国内外很多语用学家们在这个领域作了大量的研究。但是,这些研究还存在不少问题。本文拟用关联理论这一才起步不久的认知科学对跨文化语用失误的本质及其原因进行分析,旨在证明关联理论对跨文化语用失误现象有极强的诠释力。关联理论的框架是否可以用来支撑跨文化语用失误的研究是本文讨论的一个重点。Wilson 1994在他的Relevance and Understanding一文中也提到:关联理论旨在表明人类行为及其话语理解的吻合性。由此不难看出,关联理论可以对交际的成功和失败做出合理解释。笔者认为,关联理论对跨文化语用失误具有同样的诠释力,其主要表现在两个方面即关联的程度性和关联的全面性。本文的另一个重点是在关联理论的基础上,对语用失误的本质及其原因作了新的具体论述。广告语言作为人类语言的一个重要组成部分,是语言中最活跃、最具影响力的东西,具有时代烙印,在现实生活中无处不在,能够折射出社会的方方面面。毋庸置疑,广告翻译具有丰富内容和一定的语用功能,是社会文化的写照。但由于广告中英风俗习惯、价值观念、宗教信仰及认知模式的巨大差异,跨文化语用失误时有发生。鉴于广告语言的特点,本文列举了大量中英文广告互译例子证明以上研究结论。本文还尝试总结出如何利用关联理论来引导广告翻译并避免其语用失误的发生以获得最佳关联。

论文目录

• 摘要
• Abstract
• Chapter One Introduction
• 1.1 The significance of the study
• 1.2 Theoretical framework
• 1.3 Date collection and research method
• 1.4 The structure of the thesis
• Chapter Two Literature review
• 2.1 Definition of pragmatic failure
• 2.2 Classification of pragmatic failure
• 2.3 Approaches to the study of pragmatic failure
• 2.3.1 From the perspective of cross-cultural communication
• 2.3.2 From the perspective of second language acquisition
• 2.3.3 From the perspective of foreign language teaching
• 2.4 The reason of choosing to study pragmatic failure from the perspective of relevance theory
• 2.4.1 The problems with the existing approaches
• 2.4.2 The value of this approach
• Chapter Three Theoretical framework
• 3.1 The basic cognitive notions of relevance theory
• 3.1.1 Mutual manifestness of cognitive environements
• 3.1.2 Ostensive-inferential communication
• 3.1.3 Non-demonstrative inference
• 3.2 The principle of relevance
• 3.3 Relevance theory in pragmatics
• 3.3.1 The contribution of relevance theory in pragmatics
• 3.3.2 Its limitations
• Chapter Four Application of relevance theory to the analysis of pragmatic failure in EC/CE translations of advertisements
• 4.1 The interpretative force of relevance theory on pragmatic failure in EC/CE translations of advertisements
• 4.2 Analysis of the cause, nature of pragmatic failure in EC/CE translations of advertisements from the perspective of relevance theory
• 4.2.1 The cause of pragmatic failure in EC/CE translations of advertisements from the perspective of relevance theory
• 4.2.2 The nature of pragmatic failure in EC/CE translations of advertisements from the perspective of relevance theory
• 4.3 Relevance theory in explaining pragmatic failure in EC/CE translations of advertisements in understanding
• 4.3.1 Failures to recognize implicature and explicature
• 4.3.2 Overestimation of hearer’s resources
• 4.3.3 Misunderstanding of the implicated premise
• 4.3.4 Inability to establish potential relevance
• 4.3.5 Discrepancy in cognitive environments
• 4.4 How to avoid pragmatic failure in EC/CE translations of advertisements based on relevance theory
• 4.4.1 Cultural relevance in advertisement translation
• 4.4.2 Strategies of EC/CE translations of advertisements in the guidance of relevance theory
• 4.5 Searches for the optimal relevance of advertisement translation
• Chapter Five Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Abbreviations in the Dissertation
• Appendix
• Acknowledgements