school

UM E-Theses Collection (澳門大學電子學位論文庫)

check Full Text
Title

On translation of swearwords from English to Chinese : a case study on subtitling Terminator I-IV

English Abstract

Swearwords, due to their intrinsically disturbing nature, have suffered from longtime academic avoidance in both western and Chinese contexts. However, with the verisimilitude of naturally-occurring swearing in American films imported in large quantity, how to render such taboo terms into Chinese has become an increasingly demanding issue for the translators. Against such background, the present study is mainly a qualitative investigation (with the support of statistical evidence) into E-C translation of swearwords in two Chinese subtitled versions of Terminator I-IV. The two different versions of subtitling are the authorized version with the official approval for public release and the fansubbed version openly available on the Internet. The main line of inquiry is: ―what are the commonly used translation strategies and methods in E-C translation of swearwords in films and why? And what are the differences between the two versions and why?‖ Instances of swearing collected are categorized according to their different semantic references coupled with their corresponding translations in the target texts. And then the investigation follows the framework of Jan Pedersen‘s taxonomy of ECR (extralinguistic culture-bound reference) translation strategies with the aim of identifying the frequently used translation methods and strategies in different semantic categories as well as the commonly applied methods and strategies in each of the two subtitled versions. As a whole, the results of this study show that the two versions are both TL - oriented with substitution and omission being the two most frequently used methods in rendering swearwords in films. The vulgarity and the degree of offensiveness of swearing in ST have been to a large degree euphemized in Chinese translations. vii However the fansubbed version is relatively blunter than the authorized version in using more direct translations and being less restrained in choosing Chinese equivalent expressions. Subsequent discussion focuses on the possible explanations of why these methods and strategies are chosen by the translators and why there are remarkable differences between the two versions.

Issue date

2011.

Author

Shen, Jin

Faculty

Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities

Department

Department of English

Degree

M.Soc.Sc.

Subject

Translating and interpreting

Motion pictures -- Titling

Swearing

English language -- Social aspects

English language -- Obscene words

English language -- Slang

Discourse analysis

Supervisor

Li, Jian

Files In This Item

TOC & Abstract

Full-text (Intranet only)

Location
1/F Zone C
Library URL
991008548229706306