6.2.1 Observations and Suggestions Regarding the U...
After collecting all the translated subtitles using traditional expressions from the 15 selected films with the help of ParaConc,I categorized the data in two ways: where using traditional expressions in these data is demonstrably effective,and where using traditional expressions is inappropriate by comparing with their original texts.
For the first category,as released translated products,the majority of these 935 translated subtitles have a satisfactory level of translation by using effective traditional expressions rather than direct translation.The following examples are representative of using effective traditional expressions in the corpus data.
By comparison with the literal translation (direct translation method) (without using any other strategies),all of the released translated subtitles in each of the 15 animated films clearly show the benefits of using traditional expressions in this context:
① 7700:07:00,202 to00:07:05,382
I simply can’t stop thinking about the miserable beasts,every single minute of every single day.(Original subtitle)
我只是老想那些小东西，每时每刻都情不自禁。（Released Translation）
I always think about those little things,every single minute of every single day,I can’t stop thinking.(Back translation)
我忍不住总是想着那些可怜的小东西，每时每刻都在想着。（Direct translation）
I just can’t stop thinking about those poor little things,every single minute of every single day I am thinking.(Back translation)
(The Smurfs 1,2011)
Observations： 1） The length is 19 characters vs.24 characters.2） “情不自禁” is an idiom，meaning it has a stronger resonance and is a more literary expression in the Chinese language than “忍不住总是”，although both of them mean “can’t help doing something”.
② 00:14:27,872 to 00:14:32,616
I won’t be alone.I can’t wait to meet everyone.(Original subtitle)
我再不会孤独，我迫不及待想见到大家。 （Released translation）
I won’t be alone.I can’t wait to meet everyone.(Back translation)
我不再感到孤独，我等不及要见到大家。 （Direct translation）
I won’t feel alone any longer.I can’t wait to see everyone.(Back translation)
(Frozen,2013)
Observations： Although the two translations regarding this pair have the same length，“迫不及待”is an idiom，which is both a written and more formal expression than “等不及”.Moreover，because “迫” means “very much or extremely want to do something”，this idiom more idiomatic than “等不及”.
③ 00:23:21,132 to 00:23:23,629
Three of them pretended I was invisible.(Original subtitle)
其中有三个当我是隐形人。（Released translation）
(Transfer: from an adjective into a noun)
Three of them pretended me as an invisible man.(Back translation)
他们中有三人当我是隐形的。 （Direct translation）
Three of them pretended I was an invisible man.(Back translation)
(Frozen,2013)
Observations: In this pair,the subtitler changed the last word from an adjective to a noun,while keeping the original meaning of the source language.In Chinese,the noun form of this word is more common than its adjective counterpart when used to describe a person.As this change is more like an expression used in reallife situations,this will make the audience feel it is closer to their everyday language.The research would consider this change to be a manifestation of transfer,one of Gottlieb’s suggested translation strategies in subtitling.
④ 00:03:04,711 to 00:03:07,441
No doubt you’ll be a clever Omega.(Original subtitle)
毫无疑问你将是个聪明的Omega。 （Released translation）
No doubt you’ll be a clever Omega.(Back translation)
你一定会成为一个聪明的人，Omega。（Direct translation）
You will definitely be a clever man,Omega.(Back translation)
(Alpha and Omega,2010)
Observations： The function of “no doubt” in the original sentence is to strengthen the voice of the expression，such that it means “surely” or “definitely”.The released translation used to translate this phrase was “毫无疑问”，which is an equal transfer in between the two languages because “毫无疑问” in Chinese means the same as “no doubt” in English.However，the direct translation of “一定” means
“surely” or “definitely”,which is a correct translation,but is less vivid in terms of a literal description.
⑤ 00:07:43,356 to 00:07:45,017
You can’t just snake it out from under us.(Original subtitle)
你不能像那样冲出来打草惊蛇。（Released translation）（transcription，condensation）
You can’t just rush out like that and sneak it from under us.(Back translation)
你不能从我们眼皮底下抢走她。（Direct translation）You can’t pull her out from under us.（Back translation）
(Alpha and Omega,2010)
Observations： The researcher assumed that the subtitler of this film was inspired to use “打草惊蛇” for the original word “snake”.The direct translation is actually more faithful to the original meaning of “sneak it from under us”； however，“打草惊蛇” is also suitable in terms of this language situation，given that the subtitler found an idiom that not only has the same meaning as the word “snake”，but also matches the meaning in the original phrase.This translation strategy is artfully combined transcription and condensation.I think it should be encouraged in today’s subtitling work because it can better reflect the subtitler’s strong knowledge of the Chinese language and their competence in transferring meanings between two languages.
⑥ 00:17:12,524 to 00:17:15,459
Wow.This is a new feeling.(Original subtitle)
哇，一笑倾城啊。 （Released translation）（Substitute）
Wow.A single smile could overthrow a city.(The underlined translation is the direct back translation of the above idiom)
(Back translation)
哇，这次感觉不一样啊。（Direct translation）
Wow.This is a different feeling.(Back translation)
(Alpha and Omega,2010)
Observations： In this original subtitle，“a new feeling” means “a different feeling from the last time”.The subtitler uses the substitution strategy to translate it into “一笑倾城”.This idiom originally described an ancient beauty’s smile，which captivated an entire city.The background story is similar to that about Helen of Troy.Meanwhile，in current Chinese language，people can describe any beautiful girl’s sweet and charming smile by using this idiom，except when such a smile has some negative consequence.So，in this translation，“一笑倾城” can be regarded as flattering because，despite the lack of context，we can still understand the “new feeling” to be positive in terms of its objective.
⑦ 00:17:22,001 to 00:17:25,801
When you yelled,“Hey”,I thought you cinched it right there.(Original subtitle)
你说“你好”的时候我觉得你把握十足呢。（Released translation）
When you said “Hello”,I thought you were very confident of success.(Back translation)
你喊着“嘿”的时候，我以为你对此是很有把握的。
(Direct translation)
When you yelled “Hey”,I supposed you were very sure about that.(Back translation)
(Alpha and Omega,2010)
Observations： Except for the length preponderance，the characters “十足” represent a more vivid description than “很有” in Chinese； although，in English，both mean “very” or “fairly”.Moreover，when this expression is read or spoken out loud，the expression “把握十足” is more evocative.Sometimes，in order to give the subtitle a more impressive literary effect，or to make the expression more indicative of the social position of the character，the translation should be more focused on eliciting this sort of awareness from the reader.In this subtitle，the speaker uttered this sentence with a tone of ridicule，meaning that “把握十足” is a better way of indicating this mode of expression.
⑧ 00:04:06,787 to 00:04:08,587
...we do this as a family.(Original subtitle)
……像一家人那样齐心协力。（Released translation）（Addition）
...we do this as a family does shoulder to shoulder.(Back translation)
……像一家人一样做事。 （Direct translation）
...we do this as a family.(Back translation)
(The Croods,2013)
Observations： In the released translation，“齐心协力” represents an addition.The original English subtitle has no equivalence for this word，but the indicative meaning of “to do this as a family” is obvious： we should unite.“齐心协力” means “make a concerted effort” and “shoulder to shoulder”.Moreover，this idiom can be explained as a translation of the word “do”，the purpose of which is to make the translated subtitle more detailed，yet easier to understand.
⑨ 00:11:08,170 to 00:11:09,970
Never not be afraid.(Original subtitle)
(Although this is not correct English,in the film,the speaker is a senior person,who is a conservative father,always afraid that his children might get hurt in the outside world.As such,he keeps warning them about the dangers of the outside world.Here,he changes the saying “Never be afraid” into “Never NOT be afraid” in order to strengthen his emphasis on the danger of the outside world to his children.)
千万不要什么都无所畏惧。（Released translation）
Never be too fearless.(Back translation)
永远不要不害怕。（Direct translation）
Never be too fearless.(Back translation)
(The Croods,2013)
Observations： The original subtitle is a sentence starting with the word “never”，which suggests that the speaker is offering a warning or making an attempt at persuasion.Therefore，when translating this sentence，an assertive word is needed.“千万不要” and “无所畏惧” are both assertive words in Chinese.Although the released translation is hardly any longer than the direct translation，the researcher agrees with the released version in this case.That is to say，in translation work，we should sometimes follow this rule： “choose the lesser of two evils”.However，we still need to make sure that the length is within an acceptable limit.
⑩ 00:02:19,280 to 00:02:21,860
...Stay focused,try to run my race.(Original subtitle)
……全神贯注跑我的比赛。（Released translation）
...Stay focused,try to run my race.(Back translation)
……保持注意力集中，好好参加我的比赛。（Direct translation）
...Stay focused,try to run my race.(Back translation)
(Turbo,2013)
Observations： The idiom “全神贯注” is concise and comprehensive in terms of explaining “stay focused” in this context.The preference for using an idiom，instead of a simple expression，is a recent tendency，which has evolved in the last three years in the world of film translation work.Based on the findings in her corpus，the researcher observed that，as mentioned in Section 6.1.1，the use of idioms，rather than straightforward explanations of the original subtitles，have increased sharply in translated films since 2010.This suggests that subtitlers are paying more attention to the way their work can facilitate the reception of language and culture by film viewers.
01:01:35,300 to 01:01:39,900
I don’t like this book.This is going on forever.(Original subtitle)
我讨厌这本书。没完没了的。（Released translation）
I hate this book.This is endless.(Back translation)
我不喜欢这本书。这书一直往下继续，看不到结尾。
(Direct translation)
I hate this book.This is going on forever,can’t see the ending.(Back translation)
(Despicable Me 1,2010)
Observations： In the released translation，the subtitler uses the idiom “没完没了” to explain the speaker’s second sentence in the original subtitle.This is a wise decision，given that，in Chinese，this idiom indicates an impatient attitude towards something or somebody.This reflects the attitude of the speaker in the film as well： when he began living with his adopted daughters，Gru lacked patience as a parent because he was unable to settle down in his new role as a father.But his inner heart is enduringly still kind，such that in the second instalment of the film series，he is seen to be a better dad and even a real one than in the first： he protects the oldest daughter when she wants to accept the dance invitation from a boy； he sends his daughters back home as soon as he realized the party is dangerous.Compared with the released translation，the direct translation of this subtitle is more like a narration； it cannot convey the indicated impatient attitude of the speaker.
⑩00:38:05,617 to 00:38:09,077
Who would do this to such a sweet little chicken? (Original subtitle)
谁会对可爱的小鸡下此狠手？（Released Translation）
Who would do such a ruthless thing to a cute little chicken like this? (Back translation)
谁会对这样可爱的小鸡做这种事呢？（Direct translation）
Who would do this to such a sweet little chicken? (Back translation)
(Despicable Me 2,2014)
Observations： Similar to the previous example，the traditional expression“下此狠手” is a Chinese archaism，which refers to doing ruthless things to somebody or something （in this case，a chicken），such as bullying or inflicting punishment or revenge.However，the direct translation cannot express the nature of “such a thing”.Although the audience can understand it in relation to the context of the film，the use of this archaism further emphasizes the cruel nature of “such a thing”.
00:01:13,820 to 00:01:16,050
I’m faster than fast.Quicker than quick.(Original subtitle)(https://www.daowen.com)
疾上加疾，快上加快。（Released Translation）
I’m faster than fast.Quicker than quick.(Back translation)
我会越来越快，越来越快的。 （Direct translation）
I’m faster than fast.Faster than fast.(Back translation)
(Cars 1,2006)
Observations： The released translation is considered better than the direct translation because of the use of “疾” and “快” in the given archaism.These two characters are synonyms，both of them meaning “fast and quick”.Given that the original dialogue refers to synonyms for “fast” and “quick”，the use of “疾” and “快” is fully appropriate in the translated subtitle.This is what the direct translation cannot embody.
00:13:54,070 to 00:13:57,096
Big oil.It costs a fortune.Pollution is getting worse.(Original subtitle)
石油巨头，很有钱。污染日趋严重了。（Released Translation）
Big oil.It costs a fortune.Pollution is getting worse.(Back translation)
石油巨头。很大一笔钱。污染越来越严重。（Direct translation）
Big oil.It costs a fortune.Pollution is getting worse.(Back translation)
(Cars 2,2011)
Observations： The idiom in the released translation has the same meaning as the pattern “越来越严重” in the direct translation.However，with regard to the aesthetics of translation，“日趋严重” is more idiomatic and somewhat shorter than “越来越严重”.Generally speaking，in consideration of the mechanical limits，if a traditional expression can shorten the length of the translated subtitle，its use is recommended.
00:11:16,980 to 00:11:21,780
...you don’t know anything about life outside of the zoo?
(Original subtitle)
……对动物园外的世界一无所知？（Released translation）
...you don’t know anything about life outside of the zoo?
(Back translation)
……你对动物园以外的生活什么都不知道？（Direct translation）
...you don’t know anything about life outside of the zoo?
(Back translation)
(Madagascar 1,2005)
Observations： Again，using the idiom “一无所知” not only makes the translation shorter than the direct translation，but also emphasizes the speaker’s assertive tone of voice.The background setting for this subtitle concerns the protagonist，Alex the lion，who is growing up in a zoo； he has no idea about the world beyond the zoo，although he is curious about it.He asks his friends whether they share his curiosity and，if not，why do they not feel any regret.As such，the use of “一无所知” can better emphasize the fact that Alex has a strong desire to go outside，while this idiom also indicates he is going to be in danger on the basis that he knows nothing about the world beyond the zoo.From this point of view，the use of this idiom also has the function of “sowing the seeds” of his future life and the challenges it will entail.
00:17:38,770 to 00:17:41,720
You don’t bite the hand that feeds you.—I know that’s right.(Original subtitle)
你不能恩将仇报。—那是对的。（Released translation）
You don’t bite the hand that feeds you / requite kindness with enmity.—I know that’s right.(Back translation)
你不能咬曾经喂养你的双手/用敌意回报善意。—我知道那是对的。（Direct translation）
You don’t bite the hand that feeds you/ requite kindness with enmity.— I know that’s right.(Back translation)
(Madagascar 1,2005)
Observations： In the Youdao English-Chinese dictionary （http：//dict.youdao.com），the sayings “don’t bite the hands that feed you” and “requite enmity with kindness” are said to share the same meaning as “恩将仇报”.However，the direct translation is a word-for-word translation of the English expressions.Although the meanings of the direct translation are also easy to comprehend by the readers or audiences，both “咬曾经喂养你的双手” and “用敌意回报善意” are equal in length.
00:01:25,561 to 00:01:27,792
You just amuse yourself,don’t you? (Original subtitle)
你就是自娱自乐，是吧？（Released translation）
You just amuse yourself,don’t you? (Back translation)
你就是娱乐自己，是不是？（Direct translation）
You just amuse yourself,don’t you? (Back translation)
(Madagascar 2,2009)
Observations： Although both the released translation and the direct translation involve four characters to explain the original pattern of “amuse yourself” （“自娱自乐” and “娱乐自己”），the idiom “自娱自乐” is orderly in terms of structure.Moreover，according to Song （2012），the use of idioms is a language custom found in Chinese people’s everyday life； therefore，when there is an equivalent Chinese idiom to explain a particular piece of original dialogue，this Chinese idiom should be used as a priority.This is considered，in translation terms，as a way of “killing two birds with one stone”： the shorter the length of the idiom，the more easily understood it will be from the perspective of cultural awareness.
00:02:16,050 to 00:02:17,760
Another day bites the dust.(Original subtitle)
（算了）又是（希望破灭），大失所望的一天。（The two underlined words share the same meaning）（Released translation）
Yet another day leaves me greatly disappointed.(Back translation)
又是一败涂地的一天。（Direct translation）
Another day bites the dust.(Back translation)
(Madagascar 3,2012)
Observations： According to the context，Alex is hoping to be taken home by the penguins.However，when he hears that the penguins are not coming yet，he feels disappointed，saying，“Another day bites the dust”.In the released translation，the subtitler chooses to use “大失所望” to explain Alex’s great disappointment.However，in the direct translation，although “一败涂地” is a dictionary definition for “bites the dust”，it cannot fully convey Alex’s sad and hopeless mood.That said，“一败涂地” is more often used to describe “someone having fully failed to do something”，as it emphasizes one’s actions rather than desires.Thus，“大失所望” is much closer to the original expression.In addition，the subtitler’s choice of using “大失所望”，rather than “一败涂地”，indicates that they did think over their options and finally chose the one that better reveals the speaker’s internal thoughts.
00:08:15,120 to 00:08:19,200
Whoa! Look at that! That is one ugly,mug-ugly lady! (Original subtitle)
瞧！那女人真是丑得惊天地泣鬼神！（Released translation）Look！ That woman is so ugly，it shocks the universe and scares all the ghosts and makes the gods cry！（Back translation）
哇！看哪！那是一个好丑、超级丑的女人！（Direct translation）
Whoa! Look at that! That is one ugly,super ugly lady! (Back translation)
00:08:19,790 to 00:08:21,500
That is roach-killing ugly! (Original translation)
就像中了最最恶毒的面目全非掌！（Released translation）
It is like being hit by the very,very malicious palm (a kind of Chinese Wushu gesture),which can change people’s looks out of all recognition.(Back translation)
真是能丑死蟑螂了！（Direct translation）
That is roach-killing ugly! (Back translation)
(Madagascar 3,2012)
Observations: In the previous section,according to the data results,the researcher concluded that the subtitler for Madagascar 3 uses traditional expressions in 133 out of 1,293 translated subtitles.This is the highest frequency in terms of using traditional expressions among the 15 selected film translations.When investigating this specific film,I found that these 133 translated subtitles generally use appropriate traditional expressions to make the overall translation of the film more funny and interesting.These two examples are representatives of this translation method.
These two subtitles appear successively in the film when Marty （Alex’s friend，the zebra） looks at the King of Versailles and is greatly shocked by the king’s flamboyant attire.The two released translations here use not only a Chinese archaism and an idiom （in bold），but the tone of voice and the sentence patterns，which are underlined，reflect the way in which popular expressions are used in Chinese.On the one hand，“惊天地泣鬼神” is an archaism，whose original meaning is “someone’s behaviour moved the whole universe”，which is often used to describe a great dedication or devotion to something meaningful，while “面目全非” means “looks being ruined out of all recognition”.However，in today’s Chinese language，when people describe something or somebody good or bad to an unbelievable degree，they may choose these two expressions to explain their point of views with exaggeration.This is a humorous way to say someone is ugly to the extent of “惊天地泣鬼神” or “面目全非”.In addition，in the second example，“最最” and “……掌” are two other popular expressions used in the released translation.In Chinese colloquial language，the times of repeatedly used “最” show the varied degrees of the described thing or person.The more the “最”，the greater the extent is.In modern Chinese，there are commonly three ways in which to use “最”，meaning “very”： “最最” and “最最最” respectively meaning “very，very” and “very，very，very”.Similarly，in informal English，these three ways of using “very” also exist； therefore，“最最” is also appropriate for this specific translation in which the king’s extravagant appearance is being described.Another expression，“面目全非掌”，is one created by the subtitler.In Chinese，“……掌” originally referred to a kind of Chinese martial arts，which the Wushu masters learned in order to defeat opponents.The subtitler combines the idiom “面目全非” with “……掌” in order to emphasize the fact that the king’s dress sense is unappealing.In popular expression，the antonym of “面目全非掌” is “还我漂漂拳”，which appears in a very famous comedy，Flirting Scholar （1993），made by Stephen Chow，a well-known Hong Kong film director.“还我漂漂拳” means “a box that can make the receiver get back her beautiful face”.Coincidently，“拳” is another kind of Chinese martial arts gesture； therefore，I suppose that the subtitler of this film might have taken their inspiration from Stephen Chow.Using this familiar expression，then，may make the Chinese audience for Madagascar 3 feel more engaged with this foreign film.
00:23:15,600 to 00:23:18,160
And that whole ‘‘save the species’’ thing.(Original subtitle)
还有拯救蓝鹦鹉的长篇大论。（Released translation）
And that lecture about “saving the blue parrots.” (Back translation)
还有整套的“拯救物种”的说辞。（Direct translation）
And those remarks about “saving the species”.(Back translation)
(Rio 1,2011)
Observations： The background information to this subtitle concerns the fact that the ornithologist Tulio convinced Linda，the owner of a blue parrot，to bring her bird Blu to meet another blue parrot，Jewel，in order to continue and save this rare species of parrot.However，these two parrots were stolen by a gang of smugglers.Therefore，Linda complains that Tulio’s concern about “saving the species” has now put her bird in danger.In the released translation，“长篇大论” may indicate that Tulio has gone to great lengths to convince Linda to make the decision he wants her to.However，although the direct translation explains the original subtitle，it does not properly convey Linda’s complaining response as vividly as the released translation with the idiom “长篇大论”.
00:22:16,920 to 00:22:19,506
Without your performance,it’s nothing.(Original subtitle)
没有你的表演，它一文不值。（Released translation）
Without your performance,it’s not worth a cent.(Back translation)
没有你的表演，它什么都不是。（Direct translation）
Without your performance,it’s nothing.
(Rio 2,2014)
Observations： In the released translation，the use of traditional expression involves the idiom “一文不值”，which originally comes from the archaism “最可悲年少科名，弄得一文不值”，meaning “the most regrettable thing is that having passed the imperial examination in your youth is worthless now”.In modern Chinese，“一文不值” is still used to describe something that has become worthless because of some contrived reason.In this subtitle，the use of this idiom is to emphasize “your performance” as being more important than the play or the producer of this play （Shakespeare）.In the film context，this represents a kind of acceptance and compliment between friends.Compared with the released translation，the direct translation is acceptable； however，regarding the tone of voice，the use of the idiom “一文不值” is stronger，as it expresses a higher level of compliment from the speaker to the receiver.
00:02:46,330 to 00:02:49,450
With love and kindness,a complete makeover.(Original subtitle)
用爱和善良，一次洗心革面。（Released translation）
With love and kindness,she has thoroughly transformed herself.(Back translation)
用爱和善良，一次全面的大转变。（Direct translation）
With love and kindness,a complete makeover.(Back translation)
(The Smurfs 2,2013)
Observations： According to the context，this subtitle is describing a significant change of a particular smurfette.She was originally created by the bad wizard and sent to the smurfs in order to ruin their life and capture them all for the wizard.However，the smurfs’ father discovered her kind side and helped her to change into a real smurf，who has love and kindness for others.The subtitler’s use of “洗心革面” is better than the direct translation of “makeover” because “洗心革面” refers to “someone who changes from being evil to an angel”.The literal meaning of this idiom is “to cleanse the heart and reform the image”.However，“大转变” is only able to explain someone or something that is greatly changed，without being specific about the nature of the change （e.g.，good to bad，bad to good，colour，size and form）.
00:05:40,420 to 00:05:44,170
This mysterious master has gone from unknown to unstoppable...
自从在纽约意外被发现后，这位神秘的大师一炮而红……
This mysterious master has gone from unknown to unstoppable...
自从在纽约意外被发现后，这位神秘的大师一夜蹿红……
This mysterious master has gone from unknown to unstoppable
00:05:44,260 to 00:05:46,590
after a surprise discovery in New York.(Original subtitle)
当年名不见经传的他如今已名声大振。（Released translation）
after being unintentionally discovered in New York.(Back translation)
当年没人认识，现在来得势不可挡。（Direct translation） after being unintentionally discovered in New York.（Back translation）
(The Smurfs 2,2013)
Observations： This is a longer subtitle than the average length of subtitles in general.Therefore，the original subtitle is divided into two lines.Given the inverse sentence orders in English and Chinese，the original subtitle pairs appear staggered and dissymmetric.This is clearer when observing the original dialogue in one line： “This mysterious master has gone from unknown to unstoppable after a surprise discovery in New York”.Its released translation is “自从在纽约意外被发现后，这位神秘的大师一炮而红，当年名不见经传的他如今已名声大振。”，in which the subtitler uses three traditional expressions in order to make the translation more vivid and make the tone of voice more assertive.“一炮而红” is an idiom that refers to somebody or something that has become well-known or popular in a very short time.This idiom comes from an ancient custom，when people referred to the success following the debut of an actor at the Chinese opera as “一炮而红”.Additionally，“炮” refers to “firecrackers”，which，again in ancient times，were regarded as a symbol of good luck and prosperity； therefore，“一炮而红” means becoming famous after one performance”.“名不见经传” is an archaism meaning an “unknown but mysterious person or thing”，while “名声大振” is another idiom meaning “rise to fame”.Besides，the direct translation is： “自从在纽约意外被发现后，这位神秘的大师一夜蹿红，当年没人认识，现在来得势不可挡。” In this translation，one traditional expression and one popular expression are used.“一夜蹿红” and “一炮而红” share a similar meaning.However，unlike “一炮而红”，“一夜蹿红” is not an idiom，but a popular expression found in modern Chinese，which mean “someone who becomes a star overnight”.Although this expression may also explain the original subtitle，it places more emphasis on the speed （“very short time”），unlike “一炮而红”，which places more emphasis on the process of becoming famous.According to the context of the film，“一炮而红” is more relevant to the speaker’s point of view than “一夜蹿红”.The other expression references — “势不可挡”，which is a traditional idiom meaning “unstoppable”.Therefore，it can be regarded as an acceptable translation of the original expression.
To sum up,from the above given examples,it is clear that the use of traditional expressions in the data has generally three main advantages:
Firstly,the length of the translated subtitles involving traditional expressions is shorter than the ones without such expressions.This is an applicable method in subtitle translation from the perspective of mechanical limits in space and time.According to the data,Chinese idioms are the most frequently used types of traditional expression.Given the feature of word formation,the use of Chinese idioms generally condenses the expected length of the translated subtitles; therefore,using them within E-C subtitle translation can make the length of the translated subtitles more readable.
Secondly,direct translation always delivers the original meaning in a literal sense; however,the function of the use of traditional expressions can make the translated subtitles look more literary and evocative.The use of traditional expressions in subtitle translations is considered as an “audience-centred” method because it involves translations that are closer to the real-life language that is familiar to the target audience.
Thirdly,from the perspective of cultural awareness,the use of traditional expressions in E-C subtitle translation is unquestionably a way to “shorten the distance” between the film and the target audience.This is also a way to make the translation localized in order to ensure that the intercultural communication between the film and the audience is successful.
However,how difficult is it to use traditional expressions in the process of translating? This requires the subtitlers’ practical experience and high-level language and cultural knowledge to lay the foundation.Any excessive or inadequate use of traditional expressions will make the overall quality of subtitle translation imperfect.