English-Chinese Translation Of Film Song Lyrics

Translation of song lyrics is hand in glove with translation, literature, and music. When translating the song lyrics, the translator should give special emphasis to match the translation with the music, taking account of meter, feet, rhythm, caesura, tone, stress, and so forth. The translation of film song lyrics is a special and practical branch of song lyrics translation, requiring that the translated version of song lyrics (film song lyrics included) be of singability and audibility.The previous research in the translation of song lyrics were mostly sum-up of experiences or analysis in the perspective of Functional theory, Skopostheorie or Equivalent theory, focusing on average literary translation while seldom touching upon this practical and commercial branch of translation—(film) song lyrics translation from the angle of translator's subjectivity.This research aims at an empirical research into the restrictive factors and the influence of translator's subjectivity in the translation of song lyrics. With analysis of Mulan and its Chinese version, together with the features of (film) song lyrics, the author demonstrates some skills in processing paralleling sentences, rhyming, caption and dubbing, arguing that the translator should translate in a "song-into-song" form and would achieve a more appropriate and singable version if knowing these restrictive factors well and applying his/her subjectivity appropriately. The research would also help to enhance the performance of the translator when translating a song as well as other kinds of literary works, providing a new approach to relative study and expanding the research scope.