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1、浅谈电影名翻译技巧On Translation of Film Titles摘要: 随着对外开放的不断深入，越来越多的英语影片通过译制在国内上映，而电影的中文译名成为一部外语片是否吸引国内观众的重要因素。翻译界对电影片名的翻译也存在着不同的观点和方法，导致电影的中文译名良莠不齐。本文首先简单介绍电影片名的特征及其功能，并举例分析英语片名中译的常见误译，进一步提出片名的中译原则及技巧，力争使电影片名翻译更加科学化，规范化。关键词: 电影名 翻译 原则 技巧Abstract: With the deepening of opening up, more and more English films
2、 were shown in China through being translated into Chinese. The translation of Film title is very important, because it is a main factor to decide if a foreign movie attract Chinese audiences. There are different views in how to translate movie titles in translation area. It results in that good ver
3、sion and bad version existed in the same time. This thesis first described the characteristics and functions of film titles briefly, took some examples of mistranslations in common, and then put forward the principles and skills of translating English movie titles into Chinese. Try to make the film
4、title translations are more scientific and standardized. Key words: film title, translation, principles, skills1 Introduction Today, movies have become an indispensable part of peoples lives. Different types of movies attracted different kinds of audiences. By region, the film can be divided into Eu
5、ropean and American films, Japanese and Korean films, Hong Kong and Taiwan films, Chinese films. By application of art form in the movie, the film can be divided into feature films, horror films, action films, science fiction and so on. With the constant deepening of Chinas opening up, more and more
6、 European and American films which were very excellent were introduced into China, such as Avatar, Inception. There are also many European and American classic films recognized by Chinese audiences through the Internet and other ways. If an English films attracts Chinese audiences, the title, plays
7、a vital role. A good title can quickly capture the audiences which did not know much about the content of the film, but a bad title can make the audience turn away from this movie. So, it requires more to translators whose work are translating English movie titles into Chinese. However, which princi
8、ples and skills of translation are effective to translate movie titles? To response this question, we must understand what kind of the characteristics and functions the film title has firstly. Secondly, we must understand the common forms of mistranslations and why they happend. On this basis, putti
9、ng forward the principles and the skills of translating English movie title into Chinese. The thesis consists of five parts as follows:1. Introduction2. Features and Functions of Film Titles3. Mistranslations of the reasons for Film Titles 4. The principles of translating English film titles into Ch
10、inese5. The skills of translating English film titles into Chinese6. Conclusion 2 Features and Functions of Film Titles2.1 Features of Film Titles 2.1.1 Brevity As an important component of a film, movie title should be straightforward in language, using the most simple language to convey the theme
11、of the whole movie. A lot of movies named by the hero in the stories such as Jane Eyre, Evita, Harry Potter, Van Helsing. Some of the film named by the place where the story happens, such as the Grand Hotel, Pearl Harbour. Some named by the theme what the film would to show, such as ghost. No matter
12、 what kind of way to naming, the name is always very simple. Of course, there are a few titles which named by a long phrase or sentence, such as I Know What You Did Last Summer, but this kind of titles are not usual. 2.1.2 Artistic quality The film itself is an art, and in order to well satisfy the
13、audiences aesthetic tastes, film titles generally have the artistic quality. Movie titles can through a reasonable application of rhetoric to achieve its artistic effect. Such as Sense and Sensibility (alliteration), Old Wives for New (contrast), Tiger! Tiger! Tiger! (Repetition), and so on. Whether
14、 the titles have artistic quality influence the evaluation to the whole movie made by the audiences. 2.1.3 culturality Film is also a carrier of culture, which determines the film title should have a certain cultural communication function. If you do not understand a particular cultural background,
15、you may not be able to understand the theme which the movie title express. The film Seven, for example, it is to convey the seven Catholic culture evil: pride, jealousy, rage, laziness, greed, gluttony and lust. If you lack of understanding of Western culture, it is difficult to get the theme of thi
16、s movie only from the title.2.1.4 Commerciality Film is a form of goods, means that it has great commercial nature. Similarly, the movie titles that have artistic, it would also both be commercial. Such as movie It Happens One Night, Sister Act, The Rock, etc., they have the nature of great commerce
17、 to attract the audiences to appreciate it.2.2 functions of film titles Movie titles have two basic functions, first, accurately convey the theme what the whole movie express, it is a summary of the whole movie. Second, the aesthetic features to attract audiences. For a movie, the audience is first
18、exposed to its title, the titles are attractive or not largely determined whether the audience watched the whole film. 3 the reasons for mistranslations 3.1 translator do not understand the cultural connotation of the title In any translation, not only the transformation between the two languages, b
19、ut also the exchange between the two cultures, English film title translation as well.句子不完整 If you do not understand the English or American countries, and some of the cultural background, not only can not properly convey the film culture, and even the audience would be misleaded. Such as the movie
20、first blood, 第一滴血has long been translated, in fact, first blood in English idiom, which means won the first battle, the first drop of blood just be translated literally, easily misleading to the audience, and also did not convey the movie theme accurately. （语法问题）3.2 The impact of commercial interest
21、s Because the film has the nature of goods, the translation of the title is easy to simply pandering to the audience, and lost its original appearance. If Original Sin was once translated as Chinese 激情叛侣. Obviously, this translation is entirely in order to attract the attention of the audience. It i
22、s driven by commercial interests. Another example, The Lives of Others, 窃听风暴 were translated, this translation and the original title is not only irrelevant, but the film itself is not to express this theme. So the former can be translated by 原罪, and the latter can be translated by 他人的生活.4 the princ
23、iples of translating English Film title into Chinese4.1 Faithfulness Faithfulness is the most fundamental guiding principle for any translation. It refers that the expression of a target language and the original language should be kept on the same pace. Faithfulness,generally, includes the followin
24、g two aspects: First, in the form, that is, under the consideration of form, in order to reproduce the original information in the form, you should use similar words and strive to achieve the corresponding word, structure, compared with the original resourse. The second is the faithfulness of the me
25、aning, it requires the translation consistent with the original ideological content, in the sense that no additions or deletions. Literal translation, free translation and transliteration are the three ways to reflect the faithfulness. According to the source language and target language features to
26、 maximize the retention of the original title of the content and form is the literal translation. When the source language and target language to overlap in function, this is the most simple and effective way. Movie titles should not only be faithfull to its original titles in English, but also fait
27、hful to the movie content. Such as the god father 教父 roman holidays 罗马假日, are the classic examples to be faithful to the original title. And as mentioned above, original sin translated by 激情叛侣，the lives of other translated by 窃听风暴，are clearly a serious violation of the principle of faithfullness. Th
28、erefore, the process of translation in title should avoid the impact of commercial interests in order to achieve the greatest degree of faithfullness. 4.2 Accurate transform for cultural conotationsSome movie titles to be placed in a specific cultural background can be well understood, the translato
29、r, can not just do a literal translation, but also digging its cultural connotations deeply, only to do so, it can be understood by the domestic movie-goers. For example, the film, adapted from the novel scarlet letter, if directly translated into 红字, the audience who did not read the book can not u
30、nderstand the movie and which coveys the cultural connotations. And translated into红色禁恋can be able to achieve the purpose of cultural transmission. Another example, the movie Seven, if you follow the principle of faithfulness , to translated direectly by 七, it will make the audience in the fog，but t
31、he translators of this film handled just right: According to the content of the film，it translated by 七宗罪, This translation made the audience who understand the Western culture can understand the general content of this movie, and it must be relevant to the Bible and the phrase seven sins . And it c
32、an also rise the audiences interest and curiosity who do not know the background. 4.3 Both commercial value and aesthetic value Movie Titles translation should follow the principles both in commercial and aesthetic value . Film is a commodity, it was decided that it must be able to attract the major
33、ity of moviegoers. At the same time, the film is an art, so in the process of translation, you should not just stress its commercial value but ignore its aesthetic value,or entirely shed its commercial. Home Alone is a comedy about a young boy alone at home and a few adults match wits with evil inte
34、ntions. If title literally translated as 单独在家, it can not prominent the hero of the film, and second, the audience can not predict the type of movie. Translation of小鬼当家 is a clever combination of the video content, and will deepen the title meant to give the audience a glance. Similar to the above t
35、he successful translation of the film entertainment information to its audience, but also clearly points out the films style and class, so that the targeted audience can make a choice. 4.4 Focus on the art of title A great movie must be of great artistic charm, the titles, Art of Translation will ma
36、ke good movies. Many of the classic film has become classical not only the film itself excellent, and their title translation is also of great artistic value. Such as movie ghost did not directly translated into Chinese 鬼, but translated by the name of ghost. Another example is to be translated as T
37、he Bridges of Madison County 魂断蓝桥. Translation of these films are of high artistic value, as the film itself considerably. Another example is the film Erin Brockovich is named after the heroine, but in China has been renamed to 永不妥协，it means never compromise. This film adapted from the true story: t
38、here is no legal background of a single mother Erin Popovich Brock experienced hardships, to never compromise the courage and perseverance won the largest in U.S. history a civil compensation case. Eileen high profile in the U.S., so the film can be directly used in the United States as the title to
39、 her name, and the Chinese people know little about her, if the direct transliteration of her name as the movie name, which is a long hard to pronounce, will lead the Chinese audience lose their interest. Translator changed the title based on the story and named a title full dedication : 永不妥协, which
40、 not only does it violate the original heart of the film to express but also aroused the curiosity of the Chinese audience. The art of translation techniques, just to reach the ultimate goal of translation as Nida said: art. On an English translation of film titles should be in compliance with the a
41、bove four principles. However, in many cases, because of language and cultural differences, can not do everything, perhaps done faithfully, but does not take into account the transmission of cultural content, so pay attention to the art of title, but can only give up its commercial value . So in the
42、 process of translation, the translator should be based on reality, the principle of maximum extent do coordination of four. 5 the skills of translating English movie title into Chinese5.1 Transliteration Transliteration is mainly applied to the Chinese audience more familiar with the names, places,
43、 events, names. Such as the robin hood sound directly into罗宾汉. Robin Hood is a British Grand Theft Auto-style heroes, folk tales, many of the audience familiar with his story. Another example is translated titanic into泰坦尼克号. Jane Eyre 简爱, Hamlet 哈姆雷特. are also a transliteration of the Chinese audien
44、ce more familiar figure. And the Troy translated as 特洛伊 is the name of the movie named after the place. 5.2 Literal translation Literal translation of the film is in English is an important method. When the source language and target language to overlap in function, this is the translation of the si
45、mplest and most effective method. Such as The Grapes of Wrath 愤怒的葡萄, the sound of music音乐之声. The greatest benefit is the literal translation to maximize the retention of the original title of the form and meaning, to the audience created a familiar feeling. 5.3 Combination of titles and content Some
46、times, the original title in English is not very good movie in order to convey the ideas expressed, requiring the translator with the movie, one not only close to the original title translated, but also convey the theme of movie film to express name. For example, the movie seven, straight into the n
47、umber seven,七, apparently will make the audience feel at a loss, do not know what the theme this movie want to express, but with the movie, into the 七宗罪, which is the film want to let audience know. You can easily to understand.5.4 Reformulated Title Some movie titles, no matter what methods you app
48、ly, are not translated to the domestic audience of a generally accepted title, which should throw away the original movie title, combined with the content, re-development of a Chinese title. Such as Forrest Gump 阿甘正传, The Professional 这个杀手不太冷, in this case, you should be on the use of such translati
49、on, etc. 6 Conclusion Film has become an important tool for cultural exchange, especially in the past two decades, Europe has been the introduction of a steady stream of good domestic movies. Needless to say, whether the movie titles are attractive to the audience watch the movie into the theater has a significant impact. As a translator, how a good translation, translation of prospective movie titles become urgent at
