English-Arabic Localization of Taglines on Food and Beverage Brand Websites: An Eco-Translatological Approach

Within the localization industry, translation is viewed as just a stage in a multi-stage process, while from the viewpoint of translation studies, localization is a type of translation. This study argues that the localization of websites could be explored thoroughly within the boundaries of eco-translatology - an emerging paradigm in Translation Studies which emphasizes the holistic perspective. Through selective adaptation and adaptive selection, translators try to create balance and harmony between the ecological contexts of the source and target texts. By analyzing the Arabic translation of English taglines on food and beverage brand websites based on Hu's (2020) eco-translatology theory, this study investigates the extent to which the interaction among the agents in the localization industry leads to a series of transformations to preserve the linguistic, cultural, and communicative dimensions of the taglines. The findings highlight that the eco-translatology approach provides a comprehensive framework to explain the transformations made by translators. Consequently, the study underscores the importance of harmoniously integrating translation studies and localization practices, ensuring that localization remains rooted in translation principles and incorporates advancements in research.