Analysis Of Subtitling Strategies In Translating Culture-specific Items In If You Are The One Through The Relevance Theory

There has been no shortage of research on subtitling and culture-specific items in translation studies.However,the existing literature can be supplemented by an examination of how these two areas apply in the context of modern-day reality television,particularly against the divergent cultural settings of East and West.The household favourite Chinese dating show,If You Are the One(Fei Cheng Wu Rao),proffers a pertinent window into this inquiry via its jocular yet profound dialogue on themes reflecting contemporary China’s socio-cultural norms.This study examines how the show’s indisputably effective English subtitling,revealed in its enviable overseas ratings,has incorporated an arsenal of translation tactics in communicatively conveying culture-specific content of the source language to a target audience presumed to have only marginal understanding of Chinese culture.This study is anchored in the Relevance Theory coined by Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson in exploring how the framework delves into the cognitive and psychological mechanics of decision-making behind any translation process that is ultimately,an instance of communication.This paper adopts a descriptive and textually analytical approach in evaluating whether and how the show’s subtitling techniques overcome communication challenges posed by culture-specific items.The study finds that the Relevance Theory bears useful practical implications for gauging subtitling effectiveness in its paramount focus on meaning and context and arrives at a methodical formulation that can expect to help draw out the most relevant rendering for translators encountering culturally-infused content.