功能对等理论视角下英文版《甄嬛传》的字幕翻译

Subtitle Translation of Empresses in the Palace from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence Theory

Abstract

TV series are vital means of cultural communication. Subtitles are important information carriers of them and play a crucial role in audience’s understanding to plots and foreign cultures. Therefore, the quality of translated subtitles is significant for cultural communication. The Chinese version of Empresses in the Palace is an imperial court struggle play of Qing Dynasty which has been widely acclaimed in recent years. Its dialogues with Chinese characteristics have aroused great interests in audience. In 2015, the TV series were translated and broadcasted by an American translation team, causing hot debate both at home and abroad and wining praise from foreign audiences. Under the guidance of Eugene A. Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory, the thesis conducts case analysis of subtitles translation of Empresses in the Palace,by exploring the translation strategies and skills of subtitling from the linguistic and cultural levels. It also summarizes the gains and losses of translation and puts forward some suggestions in the hope of providing references for future subtitle translation.

This thesis consists of five chapters. The first chapter is the introduction to the backgrounds of Empresses in the Palace and language features of the Chinese version. The second chapter describes the definition, classification, features and literature review of subtitling. The third chapter provides a general overview of the theoretical background of Functional Equivalence Theory and determines the translation principles and strategies of subtitling. The fourth chapter summarizes, based on the given theory and from the perspective of linguistic and cultural levels, translation skills for the sake of achieving functional equivalence of the original text, including sentence division or combination, transliteration, literal translation, free translation, image shifting and paraphrase. The fifth chapter reflects on the success and failure of translation in the basis of audience’s feedback and gives suggestions. Foreign audience thinks highly of this TV series and translation crews contribute to its success by using diverse skills to transfer the original information. 

Key words: subtitle translation; Functional Equivalence Theory; Empresses in the Palace