The Role Of Translator In Subtitle Translation From The Perspective Of Communication

Since the world is increasingly populated by modern technology, foreign movies not only can be watched in cinemas, but also downloaded from the Internet or watched on DVD, which poses a new challenge to the field of subtitle translation for the sake of cultural communication and information transmission. Thus the bilingual film (source language plus target language subtitling) come to the scene.Many scholars have done much work on subtitle translation, and their theory frameworks usually fall in the realm of functionalist theories. Even though some research has been conducted from other aspects, say, aesthetics or relative theories in linguistics, little attention has been paid to the analysis of subtitling from the perspective of communication studies, letting alone the role of a subtitle translator. The lack of studying is due to the fact that subtitle translation, with various constrains and principles, is much more complicated than literary translation. However, this study ventures to unveil the essence of subtitling, that is, the realization of cultural exchange and mass communication.This thesis applies communication theories to subtitle translation based on their similarities by nature, namely, the processing and exchanging of information. What makes them different from each other lies in the fact that communication occurs when it is intra-lingual and intra-cultural, while translation is conducted under the circumstance of being inter-lingual and inter-cultural.By analyzing the process of subtitling under the guidance of communication theories, like Lasswell’s5W theory and Schramm’s communication model, this research comes up with a new concept:the translator’s triple identity (decoder, encoder, as well as sender). The translator’s triple identity demonstrates not only the translation process itself, but also the whole picture of the translator’s heart, mind, as well as his or her soul. Thus it is of great importance and innovation to make this research by means of the subtitles from a famous American sitcom, called The Big Bang Theory, with its enchanting plots and hilarious dialogues. Under the guidance of communication study, the application of communication studies to subtitle translation will be presented, and information theory will be in further studies. In addition, subtitle translation strategies and the characteristics of communication studies will be illust rated correspondingly.Such combination of communication theories and translation research will equip subtitle translation with more comprehensive, scientific and systematic way of thinking. With its applicability and practicality of viewing subtitle translation from the perspective of communication, this thesis paves the way for the further development of subtitle translation.