Domestication Strategy In Subtitling Translation In Light Of Contextual Adaptation Theory

Taking the British TV drama Downton Abbey as a case study,this paper attempts to explore the specific application effect of the domestication strategy in E-C subtitling.The study is carried out from the perspective of contextual adaptation taken from the linguistic adaptation theory proposed by Jef Verschueren.The contextual perspective is then further divided into the linguistic level and communicative level.Based on that,this paper makes a comparative analysis of subtitles of Downton Abbey respectively presented by YYeTS fansub group and Ragbear fansub group,expounding the actual effect of the domestication strategy applied in the two major contextual levels and making some revising suggestions where necessary.In the end,this paper comes to the conclusion that the domestication strategy is indeed an indispensable translating method in E-C subtitling,helping expose the target audience to the authentic flavor of foreign films and TV dramas.However,the strategy cannot be overused,without considering the specific context concerned.Therefore,proper adaptation is most desirable so as to avoid causing obscurity,misunderstandings to target audiences,and even obstacles to cross-cultural communication.Through the case study based on the contextual adaptation theory,this paper aims to be conducive to practical subtitling concerning the proper application of the domestication strategy.