Subtitling Translation As A Purposeful Activity

The present thesis, by drawing on Skopostheorie, is none other than an attempt to conduct a tentative study on film translation, aiming at the improvement of the approaches to the adequate translation of film subtitling, and thus at promoting our understanding of the present translation studies, on a microcosmic level and in a specific way. Drawing on Skopostheorie and adopting Farewell My Concubine as a case study, we scrutinize on how the translator deals with the C-E subtitling translation guided by "Function of TT" as the Skopos of his translational action. The research is not only conducive to the practical film subtitling translation but also to the research of general translation theories.The thesis consists of 5 chapters including both theoretical discussions and a case study. Chapter 1 serves as an introduction to the research background. We recapitulate the ongoing discussion around Skopostheorie and the poly-semiotic dimension of film as an audio-visual product, with a summary of the applicability of Skoposhtheorie to film subtitling translation.Chapter 2 to Chapter 4 is the focus of our case study. Skopostheorie gives special attention to three aspects: the intention of the sender, the needs of the receiver and accordingly the function of TT as well as the Skopos of the translational action, and the translation strategies adopted by the translator to realize that function and Skopos of TT. These three aspects receives due attention respectively in the following chapters. Chapter 2 analyzes the intention of the sender for the case film. Chapter 3 talks about audience's needs and expectations, as well as the corresponding...