On-the-Translation-of-Film-Titles.doc

On the Translation of Film TitlesContentsAbstract1Key words1摘 要1关键词21. Introduction22. Features of Film Titles32.1 Art feature art feature32.2 Economic feature32.3 Social feature43. Approaches of the Film Title Translation53.1 Literal translation53.2 Free translation84. A Further Discussion on the Literal and Free Translation105. Some Other Influential Factors on the Film Title Translation115.1 Translator as a dispenser role on the film title translation125.2 Audience as an acceptant role on the film title translation126. Conclusion12Bibliography13On the Translation of Film TitlesAbstract: Todays society, the translation of film titles has become a popular term. We all know that how to do the film title translation very well has been the topic of heated discussion in the translation industry for a long time. Western film titles are different from th we should not say which one is better because the two translation methods are complementary. The author suggests that the two should be combined by analyzing specific issues. On the problems in the film title translation the two translation methods could achieve a balance by adjusting the orders, adding or reducing some words of the original film titles.Key words: film titles; literal translation; free translation; culture摘 要: 当今社会，“电影片名的翻译”已经成为一个流行的词语。众所周知，如何译好电影片名已成为翻译界很长时间内热烈讨论的话题。西方电影的片名不同于中国电影片名，在翻译的过程中，由于译者的想法、经验和知识不同，翻译也会有所不同认为。作者分析了直译和意译的不同，这主要是由于文化的不同，最后得出结论：不能片面地说直译好还是意译好，这两者是相辅相承的，作者提议两者之间应结合起来，具体问题具体分析，在电影片名翻译的问题上应用改变词序、增词或减词的方法来翻译片名以求得这两种翻译方法之间的平衡。 关键词: 电影片名；直译；意译；文化1. IntroductionIts well known that a good film needs a wonderful title. Every time we hear about a film, we always get to know its title first. And then we decide whether or not to see it. The pleasure of watching a film comes as much from its content as from its title. The film title translation requires using a few words to express the topic of the films and at the same time, people shouldnt forget it after seeing it. 1The translation of western film titles is quite different from that of Chinese film titles. The former one takes the reality importantly while the latter one considers the mood is greatly. These different views also mirror the translation of film titles and lead to the different understanding of the translation of film titles. (This also can be seen from the different translations on Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.) Simply out, they operate in different socio-cultural contexts. All of these are compounded in the translation of film titles.This paper will discuss a way to translating from the features and the approaches of the film title translation. And this paper gives a brief introduction to the features of the film title translation. People can see something of the film title translation from these features. Later the approaches of the film title translation are mainly observed by comparing the literal translation and the free translation. The paper comes to a conclusion that its better to keep a balance between the literal translation and the free translation, due to the cultural differences of the west and the east. A successful film title translation is concentrated on the acceptant role: audiences. And the response of the foreign audiences and the Chinese audiences would be coherent when they accept the translation of film titles. This is the high standard of the translation of film titles. Hence, keeping the equivalence of the language, the culture and the style is useful to the audiences understanding of the original film titles. This equivalence demands us to observe more closely to the features of the film titles.The author analyzes that people shouldnt hold only one-side view that the literal translation is good or the free translation is good. The literal translation and free translation ought to supplement and complement each other. These two methods must be combined and used adjusting the orders, adding or reducing some words of the original film titles to get the best results of the translation of film titles.2. Features of Film Titles Everything in the world has its own features, so do the film titles. They cant exist without their own features. To make the titles more impressive, many rhetoric devices are used in the film title translation, such as simile, metaphor, oxymoron and the like. The features of film title translation will be expounded from the art, economic and social perspective as follows.2.1 Art feature Film is a living art and as such it tends to respond promptly to the development of science and technology, which differentiates it from the other forms of art that can be written or painted on the paper. As the film title translation is the right key to keep the audiences attention, many factors are contained to reach this aim. One of them is the art feature. For example, the Chinese version of the film title “The Accused” is “暴劫梨花”, which consists of two parts: 暴劫 and 梨花. Here, 暴劫 roughly means ravaged or devastated while 梨花, which literally means pear flowers, is often used to mean a fragile woman. There common Chinese expression 梨花带雨(a woman in tears) is condensed from Bai Juyis (白居易): 梨花一枝春带雨. 2.2 Economic featureThere is no wonder that the film investors try any ways to attract peoples eyes. The film title translations are often putted on the leading places of the bills to attract peoples eyes. How to occupy 3. A Further Discussion on the Literal and Free Translation of Film TitleThe author uses a lot of examples to show the characteristics of the literal translation and free translation, just want to say that the literal translation and the free translation has their own advantages. But the author also gives an example at last paragraph of each外星人. Or they reduce some words to catch the main idea of the original titles, like “She is So Lovely” “可人儿”. This change prevents the translation of film titles are too plain to be remembered.4. Some Other Influential Factors on the Film Title Translation A film title is of the same importance to the film as the face to a person. If the face you see is beautiful that your impression of him or her will be good, too. So the designers of the film titlesthe translators bear a load to satisfy different layers of different audiences. Good translation is a culture, which is certainly an enjoyment to people. 10 Whereas, the audiences as the receivers of the film titles will become the right respond to the translations of the film titles. Both of them are important to the translations of the film titles.4.1 Translator as a dispenser role on the film title translationThe translation isnt come down without the translators hard working. For this reason, on the translation of film titles, translators simplify the translation to achieve brief and to the point. It is also a kind of creating while the translators are doing the translation works. The same film title will have different translations owing to the different translators. Every one has his own idea, experience and knowledge. They translate the titles according to their own understanding. So thats the reason why we say that the translators bear a load to satisfy different layers of different audiences.Due to these reasons, it is sure that these translators have a chance to sit together and discuss the future development of the film titles. Now there is no one who had get a whole system as the principles of the film title translation.4.2 Audience as an acceptant role on the film title translationFilm titles are restricted by the original titles. Since they are shot for the audiences, it is necessary to motivate the audiences interests. However, once the audiences do not possess any historical knowledge or literary cultivation, the translations of these film titles will lose their value of exist.The film title translation is better to be both refined and popular tastes. And its also important that the audiences would be active to accept the foreign culture. In the views of the audiences, the translations of the film titles appear that there arent any principles to obey.5. Conclusion The translation of the film titles is a special process of re-creation. It isnt simple to obey the content and the forms of the original titles, but a hard exploration to the film themes, social problems, the ethnic association and national condition. So finding the balance between literal translation and free translation is rational to the film title translation. Owing to the diversities of the west and the east, the westerners opinions towards the translation are naturally different from the easterners. We wouldnt only see a part of the film and rush into translating it into literal translation or free translation. This act is irresponsible. Translation is also a process of cultural communication owing to the differences of the principles of the translation, the linguistic customs of the foreign countries and the characteristics of the film titles. That is not only to the audiences, but also to the translators themselves. Translators should make every efforts with care to benefit the e