Visual Translation of Dialect in Sichuan Catering Brands: From Linguistic Resource to Brand Experience

Abstract

Sichuan dialect has become increasingly visible in the visual systems of local catering brands, yet a stable analytical framework for explaining its transformation from spoken resource to visual expression remains underdeveloped. This study examines five Sichuan catering brands through comparative case analysis. Publicly available visual materials, including brand names, storefront signage, and in-store spatial texts, were collected and analyzed. The study adopts a three-dimensional framework covering naming semantics, typographic tone, and spatial deployment. The results show that dialect enters brand design through selective lexical use, gains perceptual tone through typographic treatment, and extends local atmosphere through node-based spatial distribution. These three dimensions do not function separately but form a continuous process of visual translation. The study argues that Sichuan dialect in catering brands is not merely a decorative regional symbol, but a design resource that helps organize brand recognition, tonal expression, and spatial experience. This framework provides a reference for the visual application of dialect resources in regional brand design.