1.3 Research Hypotheses,Data and Objectives
Hypotheses
From the perspectives of language peculiarities and cultural differences,I will carry out the study in relation to the following: 1) the visual difference between translated Chinese subtitles and their corresponding original texts; 2) the features of the translated Chinese subtitles in terms of both linguistics and cultural difference.Therefore,in order to identify the feature differences between the target language and the original language,the research hypotheses are: 1) that the length of film subtitles translated into Chinese is generally greater than the corresponding original English texts; 2) that effective translation is contingent on the use of traditional expressions (e.g.,Chinese idioms and archaisms) within the translated subtitles; and 3) that effective translation is contingent on the use of popular expressions (e.g.,popular language in networks,new words,loaning words,dialects) within the translated subtitles.
Data
The primary data for this research are 15 animation films with the total number of 19,081 subtitle pairs,which I have selected on the basis that they were the most popular film releases in the Chinese translated animation film market in the last decade.They all enjoyed higher ticket sales than others released at the same time.The data in the study contain both English and Chinese subtitles for these animations within a self-built parallel corpus.In so doing,I have compartmentalized the key cultural elements that might influence the quality of AVT (E-C),linguistically and culturally,while aiming to discuss the most effective strategies in the practice of AVT.The main cultural elements are the names of characters,names of places,food,historical figures,Chinese idioms and archaisms,customs,and contemporary vernacular,such as language popularized networks.In the analysis,each cultural element is collected from the original data and classified into different categories.Each category is discussed in detail.The descriptive method of analysis for these cultural elements is critical for my identification of effective typologies from the perspective of cultural awareness.
As stated in the previous section,the 15 animation films were selected as a result of being the top five highest grossing English animation films over the same year of release in the Chinese market,as well as pulling in the largest audiences.Moreover,in narrative terms,they all provide an uplifting theme with regard to all cultural elements in the story centring on the main characters’ personalities,places,storylines,plots etc.The bilingual subtitles in these films highlight the main obstacles,which,according to this study,face practitioners of E-C subtitling.A list of the 15 films and their bilingual titles are provided in the following table below:
Table 1
Building on the findings of pioneering scholars,I have chosen to concentrate on subtitling,an audiovisual mode,found in 15 popular animation films.The criteria for inclusion in my selection of these 15 films are:
A) These are all imported original English animations films released in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) (Version type: translated Chinese subtitles and original English dubbing).(https://www.daowen.com)
B) The years of release of these films are all after 2005.
C) Each of these 15 films was in the top five for the highest ticket sales in the year it was released according to the data of the official website (http://58921.com/).
D) I watched these films as a mainstream spectator and parent at the cinema and an observer of Fengxing (http://www.fun.tv/),one of the most popular video websites in China,which has more than 700 million users.
E) That animation films are increasingly popular because of the uplifting themes they explore.For example,the film Despicable Me 1 tells the story of a notorious supervillain,Gru,who initially adopts three orphaned girls to facilitate his criminal objectives.Eventually,however,the girls’ innocence arouses true love in Gru towards them,such that,by the end of the film,he assumes a sincerer paternal role.The film’s theme of the redemption of a character whose better qualities finally emerged resonated with audiences and moved them.
The objective behind this study is to make the following contributions to knowledge:
1) To construct a corpus of 15 popular English language animated films,which were subtitled into Chinese,by calculating the collected data in order to find out the exact proportions of the use of typical expressions,as well as those of popular expressions.I feel that this number of films would be sufficient in order to identify the main strategies and current practices of Chinese subtitlers.This analysis of 15 key films ought to serve as a useful basis for more extensive studies in the future.
2) To deepen current AVT theory and develop,through testing,an appropriate theoretical framework,which will enhance the effectiveness of the subtitling of E-C animation films; for example,the development of effective translation strategies and the effectiveness of using culturally loaded expressions (traditional expressions,such as Chinese idioms,archaisms,popular expressions used in social networks; neologisms evolving out of everyday life situations).
3) To discuss and analyse the use of culturally loaded expressions in the form of traditional expressions as well as popular expressions; in short,the use of modes of language,which are underpinned by an awareness of cultural elements and forms.This will include identifying pertinent phenomena in the released translations for the selected 15 animation films and how they could be improved.