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An Analysis Of Subtitle Translation Of Desperate Housewives From The Perspective Of Functional Equivalence Theory

Posted on:2013-04-09Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:C Y ShiFull Text:PDF
GTID:2235330395452079Subject:English Language and Literature
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The economy has been developing quickly, so do science and technology. Thewhole world is like a village. The communication of different countries, cultures, andraces has become more and more frequently. The cross-cultural communication betweendifferent countries has been deepened than ever before. They have some similaritiesbetween them, and at the same time, they also have their own peculiarity, and personality.They have some connection between them; meanwhile, they have their own specialcultural elements. The similarities and connection between different countries are thevery basis and foundation, which make cross-cultural communication and translationpossible. However, the special personality of different country and peculiar culturalelements become the barrier of cross-cultural communication between different countries.The difficulty of translation is not in comprehension and expression, but in theknowledge of cultural background information. Apparently, translation is not onlylanguage transformation; it is the channel for culture, communication and the process ofintegration. The relationship between language and culture is mutual existence andreliance. Language is not only the part of culture, but also an independent system ofculture. Nowadays, movies and TV series have become the indispensable communicationmedia for cross-cultural communication. Meanwhile, they have become one of the formsof arts, which have the most audience. In recent year, American TV series have becomemore and more popular in China. As the bridge of inter-lingual communication, subtitletranslation should arouse more and more native scholars’ and experts’ attention andnotice. Whether audiences can have the closest, natural, and practical comprehension isdue on the quality of the subtitle translation. The subtitle translation lacks the instructionof standard translation theory and strict regulation at home. As the bridge of inter-lingualcommunication, it should arouse more and more native experts’ notice and attention.This paper is based on famous American translation theorist Eugene Nida’sfunctional equivalence theory. It analyzes and studies the subtitle translation of thepopular American TV series Desperate Housewives in order to prove the practicalinstruction and significance of Nida’s functional equivalence theory. The main contents are as follows:This paper is made of three parts: introduction, main body, and the conclusion.The first part is introduction. It explicitly states and analyzes the definition ofsubtitle, classification and the current study situation at home and abroad. Because of thefast development of movie and TV series industry, the experts and translators abroadhave studied subtitle translation much earlier than the native experts and translators.They have done a lot of researches and practices to analyze the merits and demerits ofsubtitle. They have also put forward practical subtitle translation strategies and principals.Eugene Nida’s famous functional equivalence theory has further influence on translation.It has practical, instructive and regulated function on translation. In China, a lot oftranslators and experts were influenced by Nida’s functional equivalence theory.However, compared with western countries, the subtitle translation has not drawn enoughattention and notice in China. There is no integrated translation theory to base on.Translators have no authorized translation strategies and translation principles to regulatesubtitle translation. The special institution or organization should be founded to instructand regulate subtitle translation.The second part is the main body, which is composed by four chapters.The first chapter mainly introduces the introduction of Nida’s lifetime, his famousworks, and the deviation and development of his famous functional equivalence theory.Nida’s functional equivalence theory emphasizes the importance of translation is thesimilar functional equivalent response between the source text and the target language.The perfect translation is to reproduce the closest, natural equivalence of the originalsource text in the limited time and space. At the same time, he also put forward sometranslation principles and translation strategies to instruct practice in order to achieve thefunctional equivalence between the source text and the target language.The second chapter, based on functional equivalence theory, analyzes explicitly thesubtitle translation of Desperate Housewives. It also expounds the concrete examples ofthe subtitle translation of Desperate Housewives from the perspective of functionalequivalence theory. Therefore it proves the practical instruction and significance offunctional equivalence in the process of subtitle translation. Desperate Housewives wasbroadcast by American broadcasting Company. Until now, there are already eight seasons. The setting of this TV series is set in the imaginary tow of Fairview. It depicts the dailylife of five housewives in the town of Fairview. The citizens are rich, and their lifeseemed happy and peaceful. The life of the housewives seemed happy and perfect, whichactually full of secrets and danger. The plot of the story is striking and expressive. Thedialogues between them are special and typical. Every play has its special theme, whichmakes people wonder and meditate. The TV series tell us the truth of our life. The title ofthis TV series Desperate Housewives has become a phenomenon, which shows theAmerican culture and life. This TV series reflects American cultural phenomenon andcharacteristics of the language.The third chapter mainly analyzes the important function of culture in the process oftranslation. He indicates that “the most serious translation mistake is not the improperexpression of words and sentences, but because the false culture assumption.”(Nida,1993:38) He indicates that translation means recurring in the target receptor’s languagethe information of the original source text in the closest natural way. He emphasizes themeaning over the style, meaning first, and then style. Language is the form of the humancultural behavior; therefore, the nature of translation is cultural translation. The nature ofsubtitle translation is also cultural translation. Therefore, translators should put greatemphasis on the important function of cultural elements. Finally, the target audiences canhave the closest and natural understanding about the source text.The fourth chapter concludes some translation principles that should be conformedunder functional equivalence theory through the above analysis and argumentation.When it can not be achieved at the same time, priority should be put on content. Thestyle might conceal the cultural meaning in the source text, and hinder the culturalcommunication. Translators should consider the four aspects of functional equivalence astheir translation principles; therefore, they can faithfully express the cultural connotationof the source text in the target language. Subtitle translation belongs to practicaltranslation. It should make some proper adaptation strategies in subtitle translation.Translators should conform to the principles of similarity in effect, correspondence infunction in order to achieve functional equivalence between source text and targetlanguage.The last part is conclusion. The paper analyzes explicitly on the current situation and features of subtitle translation theory. Nowadays, more and more foreign movies andTV series are imported into Chinese market, and become more and more popular amongChinese audiences. Although subtitle translation has become the most important media inthe cross-cultural communication, it does not get the attention what it is supposed to pay.But a lot of work of subtitle translation only rely on several translation factories or somesubtitle translation amateurs’ efforts. This can not satisfy the increasing demand of theaudiences. This field desperately needs the joining of more and more translators, theoriststo improve the quality of subtitle translation gradually. This paper analyzes the subtitletranslation of Desperate Housewives from the perspective of Nida’s functionalequivalence theory in order to put forward some translation principles and translationstrategies. And it also offers some theoretical regulation and basis for subtitle translation.The other goal of the paper is trying to arouse the scholars and experts’ attention. Finallywe can find the most appropriate functional equivalence translation methods. It can bebetter applied in regulation of subtitle translation. Reducing the cross-culturalmisunderstanding, therefore it can better develop the important function in thecross-cultural communication. And foremost, it can better promote the cross-culturalcommunication all around the world. Just like other form of translation, subtitletranslation also needs professional organization or institution, which can perform theregulated and instructive function. Therefore subtitle translation can develop in thevirtuous cycle, at the same time; there will be more and more excellent subtitletranslation to satisfy the need of the audiences. Only in this way, subtitle translation canbetter promote the cross-cultural communication.
Keywords/Search Tags:subtitle translation, functional equivalence theory, translation principle, translation strategy
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