Preliminary Study on Cultural Image in Subtitle Translation

Preliminary Study on Cultural Image in Subtitle Translation

By Jing Wenxian

In partial fulfillment of the requirement

For the B. A. degree

Department of English

School of Languages and Cultures

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

May 2017

Acknowledgement

Firstly, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to my advisor Mr. Chen Zhijie for his support, guidance, and constructive suggestions in the process of paper writing. What he taught me will always be the guidance for me in my future study and career. And I also need to say thank you to my classmates Zhai Tianyuan and Yu Jiamin because they helped me answer many questions about the paper writing. Finally, I appreciate the accompany of my parents during the two months of paper writing.

Contents

1. Introduction 7

1.1 Movies and TV plays---art of cultural ideology 7

1.2 Cultural images---carrier of cultural ideology 7

1.3 The importance of the translation of cultural images 8

2. Constrained Translation of Cultural Images In Subtitles 8

2.1 Technical constraints 9

2.1.1 Space limit 9

2.1.2 Time limit 9

2.2 Other Constraints 10

3. Translation Principles of Cultural Images In Subtitles 10

3.1 Functional equivalent theory 11

3.2 Balance of domestication and foreignization 12

4. Methods for Translation of Cultural Images 14

4.1 Cultural reconstruction 14

4.2 Cultural modification 15

4.3 Cultural substitution 16

4.4 Translation techniques of several kinds of cultural images 17

4.4.1 Proverb, adage and idiom 18

4.4.2 Pun and paronomasia 19

4.4.3 Taboo words 20

5. Conclusion 20

References 22

Preliminary Study on Cultural Image in Subtitle Translation

Jing Wenxian

Department of English

School of Language and Culture

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

Abstract: In recent years, due to the trend of globalization, cultural exchanges are becoming more and more frequent between countries. Among all the means of cultural communication, movies and TV plays play a dominant role. So the subtitle translation is getting increasingly popular. However, because of the cultural differences between West and East, it is difficult for the target audiences to understand and accept the source cultural phrases with cultural image in movies and TV plays. Therefore, how to deal with cultural image is of prime importance in the process of subtitle translation. Additionally, the nonequivalence of cultural image caused by cultural differences could make the target audiences confused about the movie. If translators just literally translate all the cultural images, the cultural information cannot be delivered to audiences in the limited time. As a result, subtitle translators ought to be aware of the characteristics of the subtitle translation and cultural images, and use some methods and techniques to deal with the cultural differences in subtitles in conformity with certain principles so as to fully deliver the cultural information contained in original texts.

Key words: subtitle translation; cultural image; constrained translation; connotation; cultural differences; cultural exchanges

摘要：近年来，由于全球化的热潮，各个国家之间文化交流日益频繁。而在这其中，影视剧的传播更是文化交流的领头羊，影视剧字幕翻译市场也因此越发火热。但是，因为东西方文化存在差异，影视剧中许多带有文化意象的文化词语对本国以外的观众来说理解和接受起来存在困难，因此文化意象的处理也是影视剧字幕翻译中需要译员面对的重点和难点。因为东西方文化差异会造成文化意象错位的情况，所以翻译时如果采用直译手法处之，会让观众不知所云，影视剧中蕴含的文化意识形态就将无法在有限时间内传达给观众。因此，需要针对字幕翻译和文化意象的特点，遵循一定的翻译理论和原则，探寻出处理文化意象的一般方法和技巧，实现文化信息的完整输出。

关键词：字幕翻译；文化意象；限制性翻译；隐含意义；文化差异；文化交流

1. Introduction
   1. Movies and TV plays---art of cultural ideology

Movies and TV plays are the cultural carrier of the time, which reflects a variety of thinking of our times and the most typical ideologies of all the classes and groups of the society. As the trend of cultural globalization and popularization is emerging all over the world, movies and TV plays are becoming the kind of cultural art which boast most audiences. Movies and TV plays of different languages fully demonstrate their national traditions and cultural characteristics. They are used as the tool to advocate the values, ethics and morals, and the spirit of humanity of their countries. Movies and TV plays are playing an important role in the global cultural exchanges.

• 1. Cultural images---carrier of cultural ideology

In the process of cultural exchanges, cultural ideologies are contained in those cultural images. Cultural images are related to the language. Language is a tool for human beings to express their thinking and feeling and communicate with each other. Still language is more of an indispensable part of the culture. Furthermore, it can provide a real picture of the political and economical conditions, physical and cultural life, religious beliefs, mores and so on of different countries. (柴梅萍, 2001: 91)Language is an essential part of the movies and TV plays.

Cultural image is a kind of cultural symbol. Cultural images always have some certain cultural implications, and some might have a wealth of meaning and imply further meaning. Referring to these cultural images, people will immediately appreciate them so that it is convenient for them to exchange their ideas when communicating with each other. Image consists of two parts---physical image and connotation. Physical image is the carrier of communicational information, forming the objective facts of the image. And connotation is the implied meaning of the physical image in certain cultural context.(谢天振, 1999: 184)

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