A Report On The C-E Translation Of A Brief History Of Chinese Cinema(Chapter Two)

Studying the history of Chinese films is of great significance to the development of Chinese local film industry and the creation of the filmmakers.This project was introduced by the tutor and commissioned by the Foreign Languages Press to translate the second chapter of A Brief History of Chinese Cinema Written by Ding Yaping for the first time.According to CNKI,although there are many books and papers on development of films domestically and overseas,few translation works related to this category can be found at present.With the marked improvement of China’s international strength,translating this book can help the international filmdom to have a deep insight into Chinese cinema.The report combs and summarizes the whole process of translation.By citing examples and analyzing the process of modification,it focuses on the translator’s skills and methods in words,sentences,and style of passage under the guidance of "Tytler’s Three Principles".In addition to some language expressions with Chinese characteristics,the original text also contains the thoughts and actions of early Chinese filmmakers during the period of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.Since Chinese and English are different from cultural background,emotional cognition,and habits of expression,how to achieve the goal that "a translation should give a complete transcript of the ideas of the original work" is the biggest challenge in the translation.In the course of translation,the translator comes to the conclusion that the work of translation is "complex".The "complexity" lies in the need for translators to consult and accumulate professional knowledge,backgrounds of characters,and cultural differences;At the same time,in the application of translation skills,in view of the uniqueness of the history from 1932 to 1937,there are expressions with a mixture of classical Chinese and vernacular Chinese.This variability requires the translator to use skills flexibly according to the context of the original text including the development of plots and personal feelings.The final translated work can be used for reference in the study of cultural conflicts,social processes and even the history of international films under relevant historical conditions,and also has certain value for translating works of the same theme.Exploring Chinese films can open up a new chapter for the future development of Chinese cinema,and the translation of film history will have a broader space for dissemination.