Subtitling Translation Of Main Theme Films:from The Perspective Of Rewriting Theory

As a form of literature and art, film is not only an entertainment. More importantly, it is a means of cultural communication. In China, films imported are far more than films exported over the years. If Chinese films are going to be more popular around the world, the subtitling translation must get due scholarly attention.Main theme has a long history in Chinese films. As a special kind of films in China, main theme films refer to films produced in a certain period of time to reflect the national mainstream ideology and values. They are usually about typical events emerging in country-construction and social development, aimed at shaping the national image under the leadership of the Communist Party, promoting socialist spirit and inspiring people’s patriotic enthusiasm. It. seems that main theme films are a national ideological project. Recently, main theme films have become very popular among the audiences in China, especially around the60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in2009and the80th anniversary of the Communist Party of China in2011. But at present, these films are mainly issued domestically. International markets are thus of critical importance for their success, which cannot be achieved without high-quality subtitling translation. Owing to the particularity of the content and theme of main theme films, the subtitling translation of them, while finishing language transformation, must take full consideration of such factors as political power, ideology, culture and the target audience’s acceptance as well.Most of the pioneering studies on subtitling translation are flawed by approaches biased by the linguistic dimension, ignoring various socio-cultural factors that have an impact on the final decision on how to translate a film. With the advent of the cultural turn in translation studies, Andre Lefevere develops his rewriting theory. It provides an effective way to explain the subtitling translation of main theme films, because what Lefevere proposes is just to shift translation studies from the traditional linguistic paradigm to the socio-cultural paradigm. According to Lefevere. translation is not produced in vacuum. Any translation is rewriting, and rewriting is manipulation, which is caused by the interaction of the three control factors, i.e., patronage, ideology and poetics within a literary system. Therefore, this thesis analyzes the feasibility of rewriting theory to the subtitling translation of main theme films from these three aspects and, with The Founding of a Republic, the most successful and most typical main theme film domestically produced by far, as a case study, illustrate in details how the translator is manipulated under the three factors to rewrite the original effectively. Meanwhile, the thesis points out that although it is effective to probe into the subtitling translation of main theme films from the perspective of rewriting theory, manipulation of patronage, ideology and poetics can never be exaggerated. Translation should base on the original subtitle, only rewriting appropriately.It is hoped to prove the significant role played by the three factors (i.e., patronage, ideology and poetics) of the rewriting theory in the subtitling translation practice of main theme films through the method of a case study. On the one hand, there will be some implications on the subtitling translation of main theme films; on the other hand, a new angle is provided to studies on subtitling translation, so as to promote both theoretical and practical development of the subtitling translation.