本科毕业设计(论文)

2019 年 5 月30日

Analysis of C-E Subtitle Translation from the Perspective of Culture Translation Theory—With “National Treasure Files” as an Example

by

Chen Linjie

Under the Supervision of

Zhang Wei

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

English Department

School of Foreign Languages and Literature

Nanjing Tech University

June, 2019

Declaration

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person or material which has to a substantial extent been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at any university or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgment has been made in the text.

Signature:

Name: 陈林婕

Date: May 30^th, 2019

Table of Contents

Abstract (English) i

Abstract (Chinese) ii

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Research background 1

1.2 Literature review 2

1.3 Need of the study 3

1.4 About National Treasure Files 3

2. Cultural Translation Theory 5

2.1 The birth and development of culture translation theory 5

2.2 Susan Bassnett’s Cultural Views on Translation 5

3. Subtitle Translation 8

3.1 The principles of subtitle translation 8

3.2 The subtitle translation of National Treasure Files 8

4. Analysis of C-E Subtitle Translation in National Treasure Files from the Perspective of Cultural Translation 10

4.1 Material culture 10

4.1.1 Cultural compensation 10

4.1.2 Cultural borrowing 11

4.1.3 Cultural substitution 11

4.1.4 The translation of antiquities 12

4.2 Behavioral Culture 13

4.2.1 Social culture 13

4.2.2 Religious culture 13

4.3 Spiritual Culture 14

4.3.1 Poetry 14

4.3.2 Sentences 15

5. Conclusion 17

References 19

Acknowledgments 21

Abstract (English)

National Treasure Files, a TV program on CCTV-4, introduces Chinese history and culture. With bilingual subtitles, this program can be of great significance to the cultural transmission.

This thesis aims to analyze the C-E subtitle translation in this program from the perspective of Cultural Translation. It makes the analysis from the aspects of material culture, behavioral culture and spiritual culture. In terms of material culture, it explores cultural strategies, such as cultural compensation, cultural borrowing and cultural substitution. Due to the exhibition of a great many antiques in the program, the thesis will discuss their translation in particular. Behavioral culture, including social culture and religious culture, is also mentioned in the translation of subtitles in this program. Finally, the spiritual culture reflected in poetry and sentences will be studied in this thesis.

Through detailed analysis, the author hopes this thesis can help to improve the quality of C-E subtitle translation and make the subtitle translation of current cultural programs in China standardized.

Keywords: cultural translation theory; subtitle Translation; National Treasure Files

Abstract (Chinese)

《国宝档案》是中央电视台四台一档介绍中国历史文化的电视节目。它以主持人的讲述为主线，以文物为支点，介绍了一个个有趣动人的历史故事。节目的双语字幕形式，对中国文化具有比较好的传播意义。

本文就从文化的角度出发来分析这个节目的字幕英译。根据文化翻译观，文章主要分为三个角度即物质文化，行为文化以及精神文化方面。在讨论物质文化时，从文化补偿、文化借用以及文化替代这些文化策略进行探讨，探索译者在翻译时如何让在充分理解原文化的基础上运用这些的文化策略的。由于该节目涉及了大量的文物翻译，本文也会着重笔墨来讨论文物的翻译，为文化类节目的文物翻译设定一定的翻译标准。行为文化，包括社会文化和宗教文化，在本节目的字幕英译中也有体现，在分析过程中也会体现译者在翻译过程中侧重于传达文化观念这一特点。最后，本文将对诗歌和句子中体现的精神文化进行研究，探索译者如何在保持文化特色的同时，让外国人更能接受由时空限制的字幕翻译所传达的精神文化。

本文希望能够通过对优秀例子的具体分析，帮助提高我国当前文化节目的字幕翻译质量，规范文化节目的翻译，让这些文化节目能够更好地被外国人接受。

关键词：文化翻译观； 字幕翻译； 《国宝档案》

Introduction

1.1 Research background

Nowadays, more and more Chinese TV programs designed to introduce Chinese culture, such as National Treasures, Chinese Poetry Conference and Masters in Forbidden City, have gained population throughout the nation. Not only these cultural TV programs can satisfy the spiritual needs of audiences, but also draw foreigner’s attention for the exquisite production and the beauty of Chinese culture. However, these programs don’t own English subtitles, which is inconvenient for foreigners to watch these programs. With the deep love of cultural TV programs, some audiences make the English subtitles on their own and hope Chinese culture can be understood well by the world. Without a fair standard, there are a lot of inappropriate and inadequate translations in the subtitles.

Considering the subtitle quality of Chinese cultural TV programs, we need to analyze some valuable examples of subtitle translation. In this case, National Treasure Files, with its bilingual subtitles, can be borrowed a lot in the translation study. The English subtitles of National Treasure Files are concise, which helps target audiences understand easily. The combination of long and short sentences is arranged properly, which helps target audience accept the description in the program quickly. It is valuable to find some ways that the translator uses in the translations. Since this kind of programs refer to culture, the cultural translation theory can be used as a theoretical guide for subtitle translation under the circumstance.

According to cultural translation theory, Translation goes in special cultural environment. Language is not isolated. Every language belongs to a certain culture. It is difficult to separate language and cultural identity. Therefore, from the perspective of cultural translation, it is necessary to study how the translator of National Treasure Files focuses on cultural differences and promotes mutual understanding.

1.2 Literature review

In the study of cultural translation theory, Susan Bassnett is the most outstanding figure. She put forward four points about cultural translation. First, the needs of different cultures and different groups should be met by the translation, which was illustrated clearly in Translation, History and Culture.[1] Therefore, in order to meet the needs, it is necessary for translation to comply with different principles and norms in different eras. Susan Bassnett claims that in different occasions, different strategies should be adopted, which is quite different from the viewpoints of the traditional translation theorists. Next, translation is not the description of the source text. The functional equivalence is the purpose of translation.[2] Then, translation is not a process of decoding and recoding. It is more of an activity of communication.[3] Last, culture belongs to a part of translation. Culture is a perspective of translation.