摘 要

比利时语用学家韦索尔伦提出的顺应论认为，语言运用的过程就是语言选择的过程，翻译也是语言选择的一种，故可从顺应论的视角切入翻译的研究。而语言的选择要从语境关系的顺应、语言结构的顺应、顺应的动态性和顺应过程的意识程度四个维度来描述和解释。近年来，国外手机软件（App）的需求日益突出，我国App在国外拥有广阔的市场。诸如Tik Tok之类的社交类App更是其中的典型代表，为用户分享生活，表达意见和交流经验提供了平台，不仅在国内市场而且在海外市场都吸引了大量的粉丝。此类社交应用程序的成功与跨文化交流中的本地化重命名密切相关，可以其译名为代表，分析App译名的特点本文基于顺应理论，以Google Play下载量排名前20位的社交软件的名称为研究对象，从顺应论的四个维度入手，分析其在跨国交流中的适应性和本地化情况，助力中国重命名应用进入国际市场。

关键词：社交类APP；顺应论；本土化；翻译策略

Abstract

According to the adaptation theory put forward by Verschueren , a Belgian pragmatists, the process of language use is the process of language choice, and translation is also a kind of language choice. Therefore, translation can be studied from the perspective of adaptation theory. The choice of language should be described and explained from four dimensions: the adaptation of context, the adaptation of language structure, the dynamics of adaptation and salience of adaptation process. In recent years, the demand of Social Applications (Apps) for abroad has become increasingly prominent. and China's app has a broad market in foreign countries Social Apps such as Tik tok are typical representatives of them. They provide a platform for users to share their lives, express their opinions and exchange experiences, and attract a large number of fans not only in the domestic market but also in the overseas market. The success of this kind of social application is closely related to the localized renaming in cross-cultural communication. It can be translated as a representative to analyze the characteristics of App translation. Based on the adaptation theory, this paper attempts to take the name of the top 20 social software downloads of Google play as the research object, discusses its adaptability and localization in cross-border communication from four dimensions of the adaptation theory, then provides suggestions for renaming applications in China to enter the international market.

Key Words: Social Apps; adaptation theory; localize; translation strategy

Contents

1 Introduction 5

1.1 Background of the Study 5

1.2 Corpus Sources 7

2 Adaptation Theory 8

2.1 Contextual Correlates of Adaptability 9

2.2 Structural Objects of Adaptability 9

2.3 Dynamics of Adaptability 9

2.4 Salience of Adaptation Process 10

3 Social App Name 10

3.1 Definition of Social App Name 10

3.2 Function of Social App name 11

3.2.1 Information Function 11

3.2.2 Distinguish Function 11

3.2.3 Promotion Function 11

4 Analysis of the Social App Name Translation Based on Adaptation Theory 12

4.1 C-E Translation of Social App Names 12

4.2 E-C Translation of Social App Names 13

5 Conclusion 17

References 18

Study on Social App Translation from the Perspective of Adaptation Theory

-Taking Social App as an Example

1 Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Mobile App is the main application form of mobile Internet. Its name is a language phenomenon that combines functionality and fun. It is a memory point of Apps and a link between users and products. Suitable social App name can abstract the function of the App and create certain aesthetic value.

Linguistics has a long history of naming research. The problems reflected are different due to different research subjects. There are different characteristics, no matter in the field of ontology research or in the field of psychology research. The existing research on the naming of things is mainly from the perspective of phonetics, vocabulary, grammar and culture. Therefore, this paper combines linguistic theories and research objects to analyze and study the name of Social App through existing researches. Starting from the characteristics of the Social App, the uniqueness of the name of Social App is studied. Due to the outstanding achievements of social apps in overseas markets recently, this paper takes Social App as an example to provide a reference for the translation strategy of proposing App names.

In the study of adaptation theory abroad, IprAWorking Document 1(1987，4548), published by the Belgian pragmatics, Verschueren, marks the proposal of adaptation theory. He described pragmatics as a holistic, functional view of language and defines pragmatics as a cognitive, social and cultural study of language and communication. In 1995, Verschueren made a deeper and more systematic discussion on Adaptation Theory in his book. In 1999, he published Understanding Practices in the form of monograph, which makes the most systematic summary of adaptation theory. It also marked the maturity of the theoretical system of adaptation theory. As far as the development and perfection of international pragmatics is concerned, Verschueren's adaptation theory has opened a new theoretical perspective for the academic research. Adaption theory has been mainly introduced into China to promote further development.

 In domestic research, Qian Guanlian first introduced adaptation theory into China in 1990. In 1991, he published an article "Pragmatics: the Theory of Language Adaptation - a Review of Verschueren's New Theory of Pragmatics". This paper systematically introduces and evaluates the adaptation theory from the perspective of the relationship between the theory of adaptation and traditional linguistics. In the process of combining adaptation theory with translation, Chinese scholars have applied adaptation to specific translation practices besides analyzing and interpreting the significance of adaptation to translation studies from the perspective of translation theory such as literary works translation analysis, pragmatic strategy research, foreign language teaching research, cross-cultural communication and so on. However, in domestic research, researchers who are limited in the introduction and reiteration of the theory of Verschueren, always focus on the perspective of literary translation and practical translation. Most of them lack innovation, and the scope of application of the theory is not clearly stipulated.

Verschueren's theory of language adaptation holds that the process of language use means language users constantly choose language according to the communicative environment and communicative objects. Adaptation theory provides two inspirations of translation: first, translators can adopt translation strategies flexibly according to the specific context of cross-cultural communication. Then. except disorderly translation, every existing translation method has the value of its existence and application.

Adaptation theory has succeeded in combining linguistics with translation, more precisely expressing the principles to be followed by translation, and it is more referential in guiding some applied styles of cross-cultural communication. For China, the phone App sector is a new field with the advantages of easy development and easy promotion. If we can make a good understanding and development of cross-cultural communication, it is an excellent development direction for cultural communication. This paper simply analyzes the translation of social App name to provide clear ideas for App designers.

At present, there have been many research achievements in the field of foreign publicity translation, brand name translation, etc. However, there is almost no research on App name translation. This paper will analyze the research status of Social App name translation, investigate the necessity of it, and discuss the main translation strategies from the perspective of compliance theory.

1.2 Corpus Sources

App is the abbreviation of English word application. In modern life, Apps mostly refer to third-party programs that appear in smartphones or various terminals. At present, China has become the second largest market for App downloads in the world. However, facing the huge benefit and temptation, naming is the most direct problem in the international market. In terms of corpus selection, adhering to the principle of representation, this paper surveys the 20 Social Apps with the largest number of downloads in the of Google Play in the United Kingdom, the United States, and China.