6.2  Data Analysis 11

6.3  Summary 14

Conclusion 15

Acknowledgments 17

Bibliography 18

Appendix 20

1 Introduction 

1.1 Background

With the wide spread of Internet, after some popular American TV series such as The Big Bang Theory released in the United States, Chinese fans can watch videos with Chinese subtitles very soon. The popularity of American TV series makes network subtitle translation become a more and more important part and thus the network subtitle group arises spontaneously. In recent years, network subtitle groups have made great progress and even compete with each other. In order to become more popular, in general, their subtitle translation is full of entertainment and fashion and “shen translation” was born. For example, in TV series The Big Bang Theory, “I think he’s just bananas” was translated as “Wo jiu shi fu yun(我就是浮云)” This way of translation received praises from some netizens; however, there are many fans holding reservations. They think the subtitle groups put too many subjective opinions in translation and some are unacceptable. 

1.2 Purpose 

This thesis explores “shen translation” phenomenon in American TV series from the perspective of translator’s subjectivity, and sets forth the study on present situation of translator’s subjectivity in network subtitle group. With analysis on “shen translation” in American TV series, along with a questionnaire carried out among college students on their opinions on the phenomenon, it aims to come to a conclusion and give suggestions on how to give play to translator’s subjectivity in translating subtitles.

1.3 Significance

In today's situation, unofficial subtitle translation groups account for a majority of the subtitle translation field, This thesis can offer some suggestions to subtitle translation groups on how to give play to translator’s subjectivity in translating subtitles and thus provide audience with subtitles of a higher quality.

2 Literature Review

2.1 Current Study on Translator’s Subjectivity

“When it comes to the 1970s, the cultural turn appears, especially influenced by the manipulation school, the translator’s subjectivity has become more prominent (Li Jiayu, 2008: 19).” “The translator, as the manipulator of the source language text, is undoubtedly the subject of translational activities(Xiong Ying, 2007: 12).” Actually, many Chinese scholars have written articles on the subject of translation and haven’t reached an agreement on this topic. “Yang Wuneng (2003) argues that the subjects of literary translation are writer, translator and reader; Xu Jun (2003) classified the subject of translation in two categories: the broad sense and the narrow sense(Li Jiayu, 2008: 19).” “The former refers to the author, translator and reader, while the latter is confined to translator(Li Jiayu, 2008: 19).” “Zha Mingjian(2003) and Chen Daliang(2004) hold that translator is the subject of translation and Chen gives further explanations why the translator is the only subject of translation (Mao Jianyao, 2009: 16-18).” “Translating is an undoubtedly subjective activity and the translating subject cannot be elided or eliminated (Xiao Tao, 2005: 26).” “Firstly, translation begins with the translator's reading of source text, hence his or her interpretation of source text. Interpretation needs a viewpoint and hence a subject-position; secondly, as a process of text-production, translation requires a choice such as of strategies, linguistic expression, and there is no such thing as a neutral utterance, and thus the translator's utterances are necessarily slanted, revealing a discursively positioned subject (Li Jiayu, 2008: 20).”论文网