Abstract: During the last few years, a variety of foreign movies and TV shows have been introduced in China and become more and more popular. Because people’s demands for TV products are rising, translation of subtitling is becoming more and more important. This thesis aims to study the application of functional equivalence theory to subtitle translation of Vampire Diaries. This study discusses two aspects. On one hand, this study tells us some principles of translation of subtitling under Nida’s functional equivalence theory. On the other hand, this study discusses subtitle translation from three different levels, cultural level, linguistic level, and stylistic level. Under the functional equivalence theory, translation can achieve the closest natural equivalence between the source text and target language accurately.

Key words: translation of subtitling; functional equivalence; the vampire diaries

CONTENTS

Abstract

中文摘要

1.Literature review.1  

1.1 Studies of Subtitle Translation

1.1.1 Features of Subtitle Translation 

1.2 Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory

1.2.1 The Major Points of Functional Equivalence

2. The Principles of Subtitle Translation in Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory3

2.1 Principle of “The Superiority of Content over Form”

2.2 Principle of “Adopting Adaptation Translation Strategy”

  2.3 Principle of “Similarity in Effect, Correspondent in Function”

3. The Application of Functional Equivalence Theory to Subtitle Translation of Vampire Diaries. 4  

3.1 Equivalence at the Cultural Level

3.2 Equivalence at the Linguistic Level

3.3 Equivalence at the Stylistic Level

4. Conclusion7

Bibliography.9

Acknowledgements10