International Journal of Language and Linguistics

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Movie Subtitle Translation: Relevance Theory Perspective with Reference to the Movie The Shawshank Redemption as the Case Study

Received: 12 January 2016    Accepted: 28 January 2016    Published: 06 March 2016
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Abstract

This paper aims at exploring the efficient strategies of movie-subtitle translation by analyzing the problems in the translating process in terms of linguistic and cultural obstructions. By evaluating the English-Chinese translated version of the film The Shawshank Redemption, a 1994 American drama released by the Time Warner Company, the author tries to show how relevance theory works in dealing with the problems in translation, namely cultural differences, word games, style and omission in translation. Relevance theory is powerful and efficient in overcoming linguistic, cultural and stylistic obstacles in translation process. It allows translators more freedom to recreate their own translation versions rather than being trapped in the “meaning and form” dilemma as (translation) is supposed to “render the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended the text” (Newmark, 2001: 5). This is especially true in the movie subtitle translation due to its unique features as a text and the expectation from the audiences.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijll.20160402.13
Published in International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 4, Issue 2, March 2016)
Page(s) 61-69
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Relevance Theory, Subtitle, Contextual Effects, Assumptions

References
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[21] Zheng Baoxuan. Intra-lingual and Inter-lingualtranslation of Movie Subtitles [J]. Chinese Translators Journal. 2011(4): 75-78.
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Author Information
  • Department of Foreign Languages, Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, Tianjin, China

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    Li Xinya. (2016). Movie Subtitle Translation: Relevance Theory Perspective with Reference to the Movie The Shawshank Redemption as the Case Study. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 4(2), 61-69. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20160402.13

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    Li Xinya. Movie Subtitle Translation: Relevance Theory Perspective with Reference to the Movie The Shawshank Redemption as the Case Study. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2016, 4(2), 61-69. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20160402.13

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    Li Xinya. Movie Subtitle Translation: Relevance Theory Perspective with Reference to the Movie The Shawshank Redemption as the Case Study. Int J Lang Linguist. 2016;4(2):61-69. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20160402.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijll.20160402.13,
      author = {Li Xinya},
      title = {Movie Subtitle Translation: Relevance Theory Perspective with Reference to the Movie The Shawshank Redemption as the Case Study},
      journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
      volume = {4},
      number = {2},
      pages = {61-69},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20160402.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20160402.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20160402.13},
      abstract = {This paper aims at exploring the efficient strategies of movie-subtitle translation by analyzing the problems in the translating process in terms of linguistic and cultural obstructions. By evaluating the English-Chinese translated version of the film The Shawshank Redemption, a 1994 American drama released by the Time Warner Company, the author tries to show how relevance theory works in dealing with the problems in translation, namely cultural differences, word games, style and omission in translation. Relevance theory is powerful and efficient in overcoming linguistic, cultural and stylistic obstacles in translation process. It allows translators more freedom to recreate their own translation versions rather than being trapped in the “meaning and form” dilemma as (translation) is supposed to “render the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended the text” (Newmark, 2001: 5). This is especially true in the movie subtitle translation due to its unique features as a text and the expectation from the audiences.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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    AB  - This paper aims at exploring the efficient strategies of movie-subtitle translation by analyzing the problems in the translating process in terms of linguistic and cultural obstructions. By evaluating the English-Chinese translated version of the film The Shawshank Redemption, a 1994 American drama released by the Time Warner Company, the author tries to show how relevance theory works in dealing with the problems in translation, namely cultural differences, word games, style and omission in translation. Relevance theory is powerful and efficient in overcoming linguistic, cultural and stylistic obstacles in translation process. It allows translators more freedom to recreate their own translation versions rather than being trapped in the “meaning and form” dilemma as (translation) is supposed to “render the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended the text” (Newmark, 2001: 5). This is especially true in the movie subtitle translation due to its unique features as a text and the expectation from the audiences.
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