关键词: 字幕翻译; 译者行为批评; 求真; 务实

Abstract:

“Translator behavior criticism” is a theoretical system of translation criticism proposed by Professor Zhou Lingshun. It is a critical study of translators’ behaviors in a broad sense from the perspective of sociology. The theory has undergone constant development ever since its introduction, and it focuses on the socialization of translators (i.e., the role shifting of translators) in translation activities and the general patterns of translators’ behaviors during their work on a text. Based on the theory of translator behavior criticism, this paper assesses the truthfulness and effectiveness of the subtitle translation of Lost in Russia, a comic film first released in 2020 in the Chinese mainland that quickly aroused great discussion on the topic of film translation. This study includes an interview with Yao Dianna, the subtitle translator of the film, and an analysis of her translation behavior on the basis of the “truth-seeking-utility-attaining” continuum mode of evaluation. The findings demonstrate that the translator’s translation decisions in this specific film are inclined to be utility-attaining rather than truth-seeking, and such behavior is related to the translator’s identity as well as her knowledge system. The conclusion of this paper proposes recommendations for the selection of subtitle translators and their specific behavior during the process of translation. In particular, scholarly translators should be invited to participate in subtitle translation and cooperate with industry-based translators, constructing a model that will maximize the truthfulness and effectiveness of subtitle translation and contribute to the “going out” of Chinese films.

Keywords: subtitle translation; translator behavior criticism; truth-seeking; utility-attaining