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Applying Functional Equivalence Theory In Translating English Subtitle Into Chinese

Posted on:2008-10-19Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:M J LvFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360215452372Subject:Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
Film, as a kind of mass media, functions as a transmitter of culture and information to the masses since its first appearance. Over the recent decades, with the acceleration of China's economic development and the deepening of China's opening, China is having more communications with other countries, among which film communications account for a large proportion. A large number of foreign movies are flooding into Chinese market. While there is an obvious discrepancy between the important social roles that movie translation has on people and the limited attention it usually receives. The marketing of this global product calls for efficient translation, or in other words, efficient subtitling.The thesis is composed of five chapters.The first chapter is the introduction, presents the purpose of this thesis and the material that is to be used.The second chapter is a literature review on subtitle and subtitle translation studies. It starts with a definition of subtitle, the classification of subtitle and a comprehensive characterization of subtitle, followed by the role of subtitle. In the following part of this chapter, studies on subtitle translation in China and abroad are introduced and major contributions by different scholars and the significances are listed out. The question of what the good subtitling should be is proposed after its studies and how to control the quality of the subtitle translation has become another focus of those subtitle translation theorists as well as practitioners.The third chapter introduces Nida's functional equivalence theory and explains the theoretical application of functional equivalence in English-Chinese subtitle translation. It first analyzes the feasibility of the application of functional equivalence. And due focus is attributed to the comprehensive explanation of how the theory is applicable to English-Chinese subtitle translation. At the end of this chapter, the necessity of the application of functional equivalence is reiterated.The fourth chapter is a case study, discussing the English-Chinese subtitling of Pride and Prejudice in light of functional equivalence theory. In the detailed explanation of the subtitle, the thesis focuses on two different levels of equivalence: the linguistic equivalence and the stylistic equivalence. All the findings are illustrated with sample subtitles plus extensive analysis of their contextual effects and processing efforts.The last chapter is the conclusion. In this chapter, the author gives a summary of the thesis.
Keywords/Search Tags:functional equivalence theory, subtitle, subtitle translation
PDF Full Text Request
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