Cross-cultural marketing communication and translation

This article addresses intercultural problems in translation, not by focusi ng on an obvious case of maladroit translation, but by considering the cont extual factors in a translation of marketing materials from German into Eng lish. The problems proved to be more intriguing than one might assume from the work referred to as 'the cultural turn' in Translation Studies. Drawing on an authentic consultancy assignment, this article 1)analyses through th e eyes of the business interculturalist the problems of 'translating' from German into English various commercial names and marketing texts, 2)shows t hat the marketing communication employed by the company in the German marke t was unsuitable for use in Britain, because of the values and norms addres sed in the German materials, 3)highlights the need for the 'translator to h ave bi-cultural competence, 4)concludes that the foreign language curriculu m for prospective business translators and their clients should include non -linguistic knowledge and skills derived from the areas of intercultural co mmunication and business communication.