Abstract：With the increasing cultural communications between China and America, more and more American TV series have flooded into domestic market and enjoy great popularity among Chinese people. However, due to the cultural differences between China and America and no mature translation theories, the primary task for translators is to accomplish high-qualified subtitle translation.

Taking the subtitle translation of Prison Break as the research object, this thesis studies subtitle translation from the perspective of functional equivalence theory. Based on the analysis of the features and constraints of subtitles, this thesis summarizes three main translation strategies: literal translation, liberal translation and domestication in order to achieve functional equivalence in the process of subtitle translation.  

Keywords:  Functional Equivalence Theory  subtitle translation  Prison Break

Contents

Acknowledgements

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Background-1

1.2 Significance of the Study-1

1.3 Thesis Structure-2

Chapter Two Functional Equivalence Theory-3

2.1 A Brief Introduction to Functional Equivalence Theory-3

2.2 Previous Studies of Functional Equivalence Theory-3

Chapter Three The Application of Functional Equivalence Theory to Prison Break-5

3.1 Subtitle Translation-5

3.1.1 General Introduction to Subtitle-5

3.1.2 Previous Studies of Subtitle Translation-6

3.2 A Brief Introduction to Prison Break-7

3.3 Translation Strategies Adopted in the Subtitle Translation of Prison Break-8

3.3.1 Literal Translation-8

3.3.2 Liberal Translation-9

3.3.3 Domestication-10

Chapter Four Conclusion-12

References-13