An Analysis Of The Subtitle Translation Of Desperate Housewives In Light Of Skopostheorie

Since the time when movies were invented, they have played a leading role in the cross-culture communication and have won the advantages over other media as the most important carrier. With the rapid development of China’s opening-up and Chinese economy, the communication between China and other countries is becoming more and more frequent, among which, movie exchanges occupy a large proportion. Every year, an abundant of foreign movies flood into China and attract more attentions. Because of the special language structure in Europe, the theoretical research has developed much more widely and deeply than that in China, and formed some particular common views and standards in strategies, norms and quality control. While in China, the study of subtitle translation seems relatively delayed, and lacks of regulations as well. Besides, it should also be admitted that people do not pay enough attention to the field of subtitle translation. What’s worse, the subtitle translators in current market do things in their own ways, which makes the quality of subtitling uneven and develop in an unhealthy way.This thesis tries to study film subtitle translation from the perspective of Skopostheorie. In terms of Skopostheorie. translation is regarded as a purposeful activity-the end always justifies the means. Different from other translation theories. Skopostheorie holds that the prime principle determining any translation process is the purpose of the overall translational action, and the translators can choose strategies freely to achieve its purpose, which embodies the basic rule of Skopostheorie-the intention determining the means. According to Skopostheorie, coherence rule demands intratextual coherence within the target text as well as its target situation, it is required that the translation have to conform to culture and the situation accepted by the target audience:another rule-fidelity (intertextual coherence) illustrates the relationship between the target text and the source text with the source dialogues and the translated subtitles. Intertextual coherence is considered subordinate to intratextual coherence, and both are subordinated to the Skopos rule, which indicates that in subtitle translation, acceptability is prior to fidelity. While in subtitle translation, the Skopos is determined by both the intention of the director (as the initiator) and the expectation of audience (as the receiver).To begin with, based on the Skopostheorie, the descriptive analysis of the Skopos of film subtitle translation,constraints. the factors influencing the techniques of film subtitle translation. Then a case study of Chinese and English subtitles in Desperate Housewives is conducted to further illustrate the applicability of Skopostheorie to film subtitle translation. Through the analysis of abundant examples, some useful strategies which can be used as guidance to the translators’ translational practice are put forward within the framework of Skopostheorie.This paper includes five chapters. Chapter One introduces the research background of the present study, laying the emphasis on the indispensible demand for the subtitling studies. Chapter Two makes the analysis of the definition, features and functions of subtitle translation, and the specific constraints and looks back on the previous studies in subtitle translation both at home and abroad. Chapter Three introduces Skopostheorie as the theoretical foundation from the aspects of details, such as the basic concepts, three rules and their relationship. The content of Skopostheorie and its feasibility of the usage in subtitle translation are also included. Chapter Four takes the American film Desperate Housewives as an example for case study to observe the particular problems to explain the feasibility of the Skopos theory. The author analyzes the translation strategies in the film not only from the view of the intentions of the director but also from the expectation of audience. Chapter Five is the conclusion of the whole paper.Based on the Skopostheorie, applying it to the purposeful translation of film subtitle by discussing principle, strategy, and cultural phenomenon, this tentative study on E-C film subtitle translation is both theoretically and practically helpful.