Cultural Issues in translating movie title pps

Group 13: Phan Thi Huong
Van Thi Minh Huong
Nguyen Thi Thanh Le
Nguyen Thi Uyen Nhi

OUTLINE
I) Introduction
1) Movie industry and the necessity of
translating movie titles
2) Movie title and its functions
II. Characteristics of movie titles
III. Principles of English movie title translation
IV. Suggested translation strategies
V. Conclusion
VI. Reference

I. INTRODUCTION

1) Movie industry and the necessity of
translating movie titles
a) Movie industry
•
Is developing more than ever before with a series
of new films released every year
•
The number of viewers increased
•
Many movie centers appeared

b) Necessity of translating movie titles
•
To make it approaches to majority of viewers
•
Help viewers understand the content of movie
•
To solve the barriers in culture when they were
exported to other country.
•
Avoid misunderstanding of audience from
other cultures all over the world

2) Movie title and its functions:
a) Movie title:
•
Movie title is the first thing that the
audience want to know about new movies.
•
Movie title summarize the main plot of a
film

b) Function of movie titles
•
Gives a means for guiding audience’s guess and
understanding of the content in a direct or indirect way
•

Provide viewers a certain notion of the film
•
Play an integral part of the film
•
Play a role as an attracter
•
Play a remarkable role in movie’s promotion
•
Takes the keys position on advertisement and posters
Title is able to perform various function and covers
many aspects of the movie

II. CHARACTERISTICS OF
MOVIE TITLES

1. Brief and concise

Movie titles are often brief and concise.

Many of them contain one to three words.

The main component is nouns with different
types (concrete noun, abstract noun, uncountable
noun,…)

Living in Fear
(Sống trong sợ hãi)
Prison Break
(Vượt Ngục)

The Social Network
Mạng Xã Hội
Love Story, Star Wars, Sin City, The
Mummy, The Lion King, Mùa len trâu, Đất
khổ, Người Hà Nội, ect.
Just like heaven
(Hồn yêu)

English movie tittles are also in form of compound
noun, abbreviation.
For example: Batman, Goldfinger, The
Godfather, Heartbreaker, JFK,etc.


In form of a sentence, movie titles are also
succinct and simple in structure.
+ Most of them are declarative sentences in
both affirmative and negative forms.
E.g:
I am Sam
Life is beautiful
Tomorrow never dies
Bà nội không ăn pizza
Nhà có nhiều cửa sổ


In form of a sentence, movie titles are also
succinct and simple in structure.
+ Most of them are declarative sentences in both
affirmative and negative forms.

+ Some movie titles are imperative ones
E.g: Kill Bill
Catch me if you can


2. Descriptive - Allusive

Movie titles are divided into two categories:
+ Descriptive titles: capable to provide the
audience with a general idea of a story.
+ Allusive titles: cannot tell the main plot of the
movie, but it really relates to the story.

Example
•
Catch me if you can
•
a run and chase of a
young artist and a
FBI agent
 descriptive title.
(Nếu giỏi hãy bắt tôi):

•
Closer
•
a story involves
two couples
 allusive title.
(Xích lại gần nhau):


More descriptive movie titles than allusive
ones are found in English movie. On the
contrary, Vietnamese movie titles are often
allusive.
E.g: Thung Lũng Hoang Vắng, Ngày Giỗ,
Cánh đồng hoang, ect.


Due to the linguistic and cultural differences,
sometimes translators have to make a choice to
translate the original regardless of its
allusiveness or to create a new but descriptive
one.

Bao Giờ Cho Đến Tháng 10 –
Journey from the Fall –
The Love Doesn’t Come Back
Vượt Sóng