Translators and Advertisers as an Accomplice in the Objectification of Women in Advertising

Abstract

The study was carried out to find out whether women are objectified in the source language (English) verbally and non-verbally, and evaluate and assess the advertisers and translators’ role in objectification of women in the target language (Turkish). To evaluate the objectification of women in the source and the target languages scientifically, the researcher developed a scale consisting of 16 items, which analyse any advertisement in terms of verbal and non-verbal objectification. To ensure reliability and validity, four experts’ opinion as to the items of the scale was resorted and statistical analysis was carried out before it was applied to. Magnum ice cream, Toyota, Efes Zilli Sally & Delikanlı Harry, Game of Sultans and L`Oréal Paris skin cream commercials were analysed verbally and non-verbally in two languages. The results of the study show that in both languages, women are extensively objectified and in some advertisements, the physical beauty of women was dehumanized and even reached to the border of pornography.