Exploration Of Norms Governing Subtitling

The present thesis aims to investigate and compare norms governing subtitling of two film versions adapted at two different times from same novel Pride and Prejudice with norm theory and diachronic methodology. Being a new branch of translation studies, subtitling study can not be neglected any more due to influence of globalization and film being an important approach to foreign culture. However, studies on this branch are insufficient in academic circle and lacking in theoretical frameworks, which is especially true in China. Therefore, both range and depth of subtitling studies are under development and exploration.Norm theory conforms to the new tendency of translation studies, exploring from perspective of culture communication and making translation an independent discipline. This theory is not limited to study on linguistic equivalence guided by traditional linguistics. It takes translation as a social activity and emphasizes influence of target socio-cultural context to translation. As film is a culture carrier, studies on its subtitling norms should be placed and studied in socio-cultural context.After comparing formal regularities, linguistic regularities and non-linguistic regularities of subtitling of two versions of Pride and Prejudice, the present study analyzes comparative outcomes within two kinds of target socio-cultural contexts, brings forth norms governing subtitling of these two times, and compares communicative functions of norms at these two times. Version 1940 of this film was subtitled in 1980 when China was just open to the outside and Cultural Revolution was over. Activities of translation were limited, so were studies on it. Besides, literary works mostly aims at people with higher education. Therefore, norms governing subtitling at that time were faithfulness to the original, acceptability, and exquisite wording. As for Version 2005, it was subtitled in the same year. In this information age, literary works were not confined to elitist circle but facing both well-educated and ordinary people, which determines norms governing subtitling at this time to be readability, information first, and naturalness.Through comparative analyses of two subtitling versions of different times, it can be concluded that: firstly, applying norm theory to subtitling is feasible and significant. Norm theory is suitable to explain phenomena in film subtitling. The present study infers that subtitling is a norm-governed activity. Next, similar to other norms, subtitling norms are instable. Norms at different times differ from each other. Moreover, subtitling norms are established under corresponding socio-cultural circumstances, so studies on subtitling norms will be positioned in macro contexts, considering influences of socio-cultural, economic, political, and historical factors besides linguistic ones. Finally, as a means of social communication, subtitling norms forming at different contexts have different communication functions.Applying norm theory to film subtitling, on one hand, improves norm theory's applicability; on the other, finds new stand and theoretical framework for subtitling—a promising branch of translation studies. Meanwhile, subtitling norms studies enlighten and guide practice in subtitling field as well as second language education with this new approach.