3.2 Polysystem Theory and Application
I have previously stated that AVT is not only concerned with effective translation between the source and the target languages.It is also important to pay significant attention to the myriad layers of meaning beyond the words.In common with other types of literature-based product,films and television series can be seen to be a kind of system within a certain ideology and cultural context.AVT not only involves the language elements of the target language,but is also affected by the political,economic,social,and cultural factors of the target country.In response,Western scholars devised the theoretical framework for the study of AVT by using Even-Zohar’s polysystem.
The term polysystem was coined by Even-Zohar in a series of papers written in the 1970s,with their English language versions published around 1978.(1978a,1978b) “It refers to a group of semiotic systems that co-exist dynamically within a particular cultural sphere.It is characterised by continuous changes and internal oppositions,whose main aim is to occupy the centre position in the system,and it is regulated by socio-historic norms” (Diaz-Cintas 2004: 22-23).
Karamitroglou (2000) applied Even-Zohar’s theory to his study of foreign programmes broadcast to a Greek child audience and the ways in which these programmes were subtitled.He discussed the norms of AVT,such as the producer (programme distributor,agent,translator,subtitler,and dubber),the product,the receptor (the potential audience),and the audio-visual format and so on.According to his research,he was able to conclude that there were myriad mutually dependent factors that affected and influenced the translation format of these foreign programmes for children.These include: the type of programme,the artistic input,the distinctive features of the source language,scheduling constraints,marketing strategies,the age of the audience,the audience’s literacy (reading capability).These elements are the components of a film polysystem.For subtitlers,all these elements ought to be the aspects that they have to bear in mind in the process of translating and,moreover,the most effective translation strategies may achieve optimal results from the most efficient outputs.
Within this study,I focus on 15 English language animation films that have been translated into Chinese.On distribution into the Chinese market,these films achieved the highest box office receipts within their schedule.All of these animation films possess discernible moral values within their narratives,lovely and bright colourful images,and excellence in translated subtitles and dubbing,as well as having attracted the most significant audience from young people who are well-educated.Although I intend to develop these observations in the next section,one can already see that the components of a film polysystem that broadly applies to all these 15 animations.Therefore,the current study focuses on potential strategies used by a subtitler to achieve a better quality of subtitling when they are aware of the inner logical framework of the film polysystem.
Research has already been published in the context of a related theme of investigation.In his paper,“In search of a theoretical framework for the study of audiovisual translation”,Diaz-Cintas pointed out that:
Polysystem is sufficiently flexible to allow us to talk of a film poly in Spain or in any other country.The film polysystem is made up of the national products and the translated ones — dubbed or subtitled — and deals with the relationships that are established among all of them.This new approach to translation allows for the translated work to be studied as a product in itself that is integrated in the target polysystem.(2004: 23)
In Diaz-Cintas’ opinion,the reason why AVT experienced some deficiencies during the early period of studying the topic was because most of the study was undertaken from a linguistic perspective,and therefore scholars neglected or did not pay sufficient attention to other essential factors,such as social,cultural and industrial questions.He therefore surmised that applying the polysystem to the field of AVT should be manifold: “Firstly,it blurs the boundaries between high and low culture,allowing the reclamation of social activities that have been traditionally marginalised in the academic exchange e.g.thrillers or in our case,AVT as opposed to literary or poetry translation.Secondly,it helps to broaden the research horizon since it underlines the need to incorporate the translated works in the study of cinematography of any country” (ibid: 23).(https://www.daowen.com)
However,Diaz-Cintas also discussed the two main limits of polysystem in the use of AVT.Firstly,Even-Zohar mentioned the primary position and secondary position of the elements in polysystem.According to his division,the ones in the primary position are innovative; the ones in the secondary position show a more conservative character (1978a: 117-127).Taking the example of his own country,Diaz-Cintas explained that Even-Zohar’s two conceptions are not always appropriate to the practical film products market in Spain (2004: 23).
In China,foreign films are not always inventive,while domestic films show no evidence of a more conservative character.Moreover,Diaz-Cintas prefers “multimedia”,“audiovisual”,or “screen” translation polysystem rather than “film polysystem” or “cinematographic polysystem”,because he tries to encompass all products from the audiovisual world.In this book,although I only focus on the subtitling of film products,Cintas’ point of view is still relevant.
To sum up,in the study of AVT,polysystem offers a fundamental framework for the translation of film products beyond the words alone.In particular,when one regards this theory as a universal theory of culture,it can instruct the study of cultural awareness in film subtitling by explaining the economic,social,religious,moral and political factors of a society.Because film subtitles encompass various social semiotics,and given that people’s communicative activities are driven by these semiotics,target audiences are able to understand the lives and values of people featured in the original film with the aid of subtitling.
In this research,I regard subtitle translation as a system that is composed of language features in the E-C translation,the transfer of two cultures,receptors (literacy levels,daily language preference),the features of bilingual subtitles (lengths,expressions),and the type of film.The following diagram shows the connection between each factor and its counterparts in the present research:
Diagram 1