Use of English and Chinese in Alibaba’s Alipay Advertisements

mcenedella | 51 points

I think the analysis may be interesting to readers who can't read Chinese, but I don't think the author has taken the time to analyse the phrase in the context of advertising, and I don't think the conclusion is at all surprising.

To begin with, I tend to disagree that the alternative the author suggested ("yīqǐ Zhīfùbǎo 一起支付宝") is catchier. Using "let's" in this context does forgo rhythm but it's also a lot catchier when it's read out in an advertisement for exactly the same reason—I would argue that people remember it because of the sudden interruption introduce by the disruption in rhythm and change in language.

In fact, if this multiscriptal advertisement was carefully designed (instead of the designer thinking that it's simply cool), I would go as far as arguing that they only want people to remember the second half of the phrase, "let's 支付宝".

As for the conclusion that "[Alipay] wanted to sound international, since Alipay has global aspirations", as I mentioned earlier, I don't think it's at all surprising.

Growing up in Hong Kong, multiscriptalism in advertisements has been around for as long as I have been alive and the purpose, at least for as long as I have been able to understand the purpose of advertisements, has always been to either make a product appear to be hip and cool and/or international.

hmwhy | 6 years ago

China is probably unique in that you can allude to ancient literature in marketing materials and expect large portions of the educated population to get it. Kids all over the country learn to recite old poetry from a very early age.

msvan | 6 years ago

I know that in Japanese, that language's equivalent of “let's” is very frequently used, in fact it's a not even a phrase, it's a particular verb ending in the grammar. Does Mandarin Chinese have an equivalent?

TazeTSchnitzel | 6 years ago

I could not follow why 「支」己 is to be translated as "Pay Pal".

不明白為什麼,把「『支』己」翻譯成「Pay Pal」。

solidsnack9000 | 6 years ago

English translations on cheaper end, especially manuals for electronic appliances tend to be awesome and Heavy Metal.

ONE MUST TAKE THESE STEPS TO ENSURE PLEASANT EXPERIENCE TO FOLLOW WHILE HOLDING THIS PART INSTEAD OF DEATH BY PAIN OF ELECTROCUTION.

Hell yeah, it is just a 9v adaptor!

KON_Air | 6 years ago