Abstract：With the development of globalization and movie industry, film plays a more and more essential role in our modern life in China and serves as an important channel to further understanding and communication between different cultures. Therefore, the importance of film subtitle translation grows increasingly clear. In the case study of Oscar Best Film Forrest Gump in 1995, the present author attempts to employ the functional translation theory of German School to analyze the factors affecting the strategies taken in film subtitle translation. According to Skopostheorie under the functional translation theory, the top-ranking rule that guides the whole process of film subtitle translation is its purpose (Skopos). Following this, the subtitle translator adopted such strategies as adaptation, explication, omitting swearwords, reduction, literal translation plus explanation, etc. so as to guarantee the fulfillment of the translation Skopos.

Key words: film subtitling; functional translation theory; translation strategies; Forrest Gump

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Literature Review-2

2.1 Previous Studies on Subtitle Translation-2

2.2 Previous Studies on Subtitle Translation of the English Film Forrest Gump-4

2.3 Deficiencies of Previous Studies-4

3. Functional Translation Theory-5

3.1 Main Viewpoints of Functional Translation Theory-5

3.1.1 An Overview of Functional Translation Theory-5

3.1.2 Main Viewpoints of Functional Translation Theory-5

3.2 Significance of Functional Translation Theory in Guiding Subtitle Translation-6

3.2.1 Subtitle Translation as a Purposeful Activity-6

3.2.2 Subtitle Translation as an Intercultural Action-7

4. Analysis of Subtitle Translation in Forrest Gump-8

4.1 Intentions of the Source Text in Forrest Gump-8

4.1.1 Synopsis of Forrest Gump-8

4.1.2 Commercial Motivation-9

4.1.3 A Parable of the Innate Worth of Common Americans-10

4.2 Skopos and Functions of the Target Text in Forrest Gump-10

4.2.1 Expectations of General Audiences-11

4.2.2 Expectations of Specific Audiences-12

4.2.3 Summary-13

4.3 Strategies Used in the Subtitle Translation of Forrest Gump-14

4.3.1 Adaptation-14

4.3.2 Explication-16

4.3.3 Omitting Swearwords-17

4.3.4 Reduction-18

4.3.5 Literal Translation plus Explanation-19

5. Conclusion-20

References-23

Appendix 1-25