From three dimensions, including phonological features, cultural imagery, and emotional appeals, this study draws a comparative analysis of divergent lexical aesthetic preferences embedded within English and Chinese perfume advertising copy. A quantitative lexical analysis of the two samples is carried out from part of speech and phonology: the study tallies the total word count of each advertising copy, alongside the quantity and proportional share of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and other lexical categories. It further quantifies the proportion of English terms featuring alliteration, plosives, fricatives, and polysyllabic structures, as well as Chinese vocabulary marked by end rhymes, reduplication, Pingze rhyme scheme, and labial phonemes. Besides, this study compares lexical items carrying cultural imagery and emotional connotations in the two advertising texts, before putting forward targeted translation countermeasures. By combining translation theories with real-world challenges arising from the English translation of advertising texts, the study delivers deeper insights into translational regularities of perfume advertising copy across languages and offers feasible solutions for the English translation practice of perfume promotional materials.
Cite this paper
Zhang, A. and Wang, W. (2026). A Comparative Study of Lexical Aesthetic Selection in English and Chinese Perfume Advertising Copy and Relevant Translation & Communication Strategies. Open Access Library Journal, 13, e15911. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1115911.
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