Translation of Film Titles and Their Aesthetic
Appreciation
Abstract: The movie title is playing an indispensable role
in marketing and audience appeal. This paper centers on
the movie title translation from English to Chinese,
moreover, the paper probes three kinds of errors in film
title translation and causes and put forward effective
ways to translate film title of aesthetic value.
Key words: film- title translation, translation techniques,
aesthetic appreciation.
With the development of global integration, more
foreign commodities flood into China market. Of course
the foreign films are. As one of WTO members, China
has to import at least 30 films from American annually
and increasing year by year. At the same time, China
exports films to other countries. It is not only one of
important way for culture communication, but also
brings a huge challenge to the domain of translation. The
challenge is how to translate the film title. Short as the
title is, it is nonetheless one of the film’s essential
components and is crucial to its marketing and audience
appeal. However, the situation we facing now is
dissatisfaction and chaos.
We always confused by different translation of the film
title. Moreover, some inappropriate translation of film
title misleads us into thinking the film would be a movie
that we enjoy or not. This circumstance influences film
industry normal development and culture communication.
Thus, I appeal to the translation professional to endeavor
to improve the current situation combine with the
filmmaker.
As a film fan, I do understand the harm made by
inappropriate translation. I am always confused the
information conveyed by Chinese caption or dubbing in
Chinese. However, this circumstance just affect you
enjoying the film after you decide to see it. Moreover, we
always chose our enjoyed film in light of its film title. A
good film title not only can inspire our motive to see it,
but also the film is supposed to have an excellent market.
What factors can explain the current chaos in the film
title translation?
Generally, the main reason is that translator does
not have a strong sense of responsibility in translating. In
addition, these three reasons further explain the current
chaos in the film title translation.
First, the mechanical translation misleads audience.
The mechanical translation means translate the English
word to the Chinese character. Take the film American
Beauty for example. If I were a mechanical translator, I
will translate the title to Chinese, which means a
beautiful woman from American. Actually, it is
inappropriate. This film describes a tragedy that a family
suffers many hits from life which causes all kinds of
tempts, especially the love. Thus, the dramatist applies
metaphor to the film title. American Beauty is an
American variety of rose, periodically bearing large
crimson blooms. According to our knowledge about this
flower, we can infer what the film wanted to tell us.
Besides, there are many examples can prove the
harm of mechanical translation. Take a another film for
example, XXX is a good act film which ascribe a agent
how to save the President of Unit States and foil the
usurpers’plot. In case that we translate film’ title XXX
into Chinese mechanically, nobody wants to see this film.
In China, people have possibilities to consider XXX as a
pornographic film.
Once we translate these films’title word by word,
we can imagine the result is that films must lost marking
in China. In that, the translator separates the film content
and the film title.
Secondly, hyperbolic translation cheat audience to
believe the film is something. This translation technique
only can attract audience via hostile exaggerating.
Take the film The Hacker for example. It is a
splendid science fiction, attracts numerous film fans
when it was on in China. However, there is a different
translate version makes the audience believed this film is
a horror film. What do you think about the film 21st
Century Mortal Internet? Actually, the film Hacker and it
are the same film. However, the second film name is that
Chinese translator use the exaggerated method to
translate; I just change it back to English. It is supposed
to be a film, which is able to make you scream. Maybe in
this way, we can switch the science fiction fans to the
horror film fans. But to many, exaggerate the film
content via translating the film title is not an advisable
technique for attracting audiences.
Third, mistranslation imposes a malign influence
on the audience. A translator have reasons to believe he
or she does not have any responsibility for incorrect film
title translation if he or she can’t understand the film
currently. However, the facts are not as I said. Just like
the film Gone with wind. As a translator, you can’t
translate this film title inappropriately by thinking about
these sentences in the film:
There was land of Cavaliers and cotton field called
the Old South.
Here in this pretty world Gallantry took its last
bow.
Here was the last ever to be seen of knights and
their badies Fair of Master and of slave.
Look for it only in books for it is no more than a
dream remembered.
A Civilization gone with the wind...
Obviously, our translators have the ability to translate the
film title appropriately, just need more thinking and
understanding.
inappropriate
In
addition,
translation
the
they
consequences
should
take
of
into
consideration. They are supposed to aware the harm and
negative effect.
Who can imagine the consequences of inappropriate
film title translation? The audience, I think, not the
translator. Let’s listen to the voice from audiences. One
film fan said I confused by the film title always. I can’t
define the film classification, even sometime I regard the
war film as the pornographic film. Maybe you have same
experience, and the further influence on the film is that
have a failure in our nation film market.
However, more voice from the film critics. They
believe that film title inappropriate translation influenced
not only on the film commercial value, but also on its
culture value and are value. It means inappropriate
translation
put
back
different
culture
and
art
communication badly. I consider this consequence is the
worst one. In that, there is possibility to spark a dispute
or even a war.
Now, a war maybe sparked by inappropriate
translation. I think we should do something to change the
cruel reality.
Translation methods, I believe, can improve current
situation. All the methods based on a scientific theory.
No except translation method is.
Fist of all, there are four basic principles to ensure
appropriate translation. They are corresponding to the
film
content,
responding
the
culture,
aesthetic
appreciation expression, and catering to the market need.
A good film is a combination of culture, art, and
commerce. Thus, the film title translation must push
them forward. Besides, the translation theory of Newark
and Nida help us to build a translation system. Newark
considers language has six functions, and four of them
are
more
useful,
they
are
expressive
function,
informative function, vocative function, and aesthetic
function.
Five translation methods we can get from the theory,
one is transliteration. This method adapt to the simple
film title, which only contain a name or some special
terms. In addition, we can get all the information from
the title in this way.
The second method is literal translation. It uses to
translate the meaning into Chinese word by word, and
can keep the same meaning. This method is the main
translation and basic one. The point that worth to notice
is that obey Chinese language characteristics.
The third method is liberal translation. If we translate
the title of film Men in black 2 in the second way, the
effect must be fantastic. However, no one knows the film
content. Thus, we could use flexible method, just like
liberal translation. One more thing, this method need
more understand on film and culture background.
Combination of literal and liberal translation is the
fourth method. I felt it is a difficult method to apply into
practice. However, it is a practical way to translate the
film title. We can use two methods to translate, while
make the title more corresponded.
The last one is adaptation. Not as it said, it is a
complex method to translate film title. In that, you must
change a lot in this way, but not exaggerate. While, at the
same time, you should spend more time to understand all
the knowledge that the film mentioned. In other hand, we
can attribute this method to an art creation. Before using
this method, I would like to say that you are supposed to
have a good aesthetic appreciation.
As a translator, you always think you do not need the
knowledge about art and aesthetic. I acknowledge art and
aesthetic is other circle business. Moreover, you have to
study at this field like a professional. A film is not only a
product from dream factory, but also an organism, which
consist of many factors, especially the art. So we can
draw a conclusion is that film title is one film centralized
express. In addition, the key point is aesthetic
appreciation.
What can make a film attracted the audiences at fist
sight? I think it should be the film title. In that, the film
title not only contains its main content and spirit, but also
conveys information about art and aesthetic. Recent
years, more and more English film import to China.
Those films entertain our people and enrich our film
market, but same time, a challenge to translator cannot
be avoid. That is how to make the film title version
compatible with the film title real meaning.
This article wants to explain how to translate and use
what theory to translate.
Good film titles can bring aesthetic values to the
audience, so the translator should set faithfulness and
beauties both in sound and in form as their maximum
aesthetic criteria to produce good titles.
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