Skopostheorie-based C-E Translation Of TV Program Titles

Television is the cradle of modern social culture among the masses. Because of its unique charm, TV program is popular among the masses and has far-reaching influence on mass media all around the world. With expansion of China’s reform and opening up, foreign exchange becomes more and more frequent. Not only have an increasing number of Chinese TV programs been appearing on domestic screen, but some excellent ones are spreading abroad. How can Chinese TV program attract more foreign audiences with distinctive program title so as to ensure their own powerful position in the media and promote exchange between Chinese and western culture? A good translation to TV program title is of particular importance.Translated version of Chinese TV program title, as the first impression TV media leaves on to foreign audiences, is like an art, giving a person with aesthetic feeling and even add more brilliance to program station’s present splendor. Translation to Chinese TV program title is a kind of cross-cultural communication, thus translation to its title has a strong purpose. It should not only cater to the needs of audiences, thus to promote cultural exchange and transmission and to improve ratings, but also help the audience understand and appreciate program content. Translation to Chinese TV program titles into English should comply with way of thinking, cultural psychology and aesthetic standard of English audience.Based on comprehensive study on corpus of Chinese TV program titles, this paper aims to discuss naming principles and approaches of Chinese TV programs. Under the guidance of Skopostheorie, it gives an analysis of translation techniques used in translating process. Through cases analysis, the author argues translators need to reflect four translation principles of TV program titles, namely information providing, faithful, cultural and aesthetic principles. Meanwhile, this paper gives a detailed analysis of translation methods such as literal translation, liberal translation, combination of literal and liberal translation and creative translation.