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Article published In: Translation Spaces
Vol. 14:1 (2025) ► pp.25–49

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Narratives in film title translation

A study of films by Zhang Yimou and Jia Zhangke

ORCiD logo with link | Dublin City University
ORCiD logo with link | University College Dublin
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with Dublin City University.

Published online: 6 February 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ts.24005.zha
Abstract
This study sets out to investigate whether and to what extent the narratives contained in film titles and their translations can differ from each other. Ten dramas selected from the work of two internationally renowned film directors, Zhang Yimou and Jia Zhangke, were analysed using narrative theory. The findings suggest that films targeted at the international market tend to employ selective appropriation, causal emplotment and relationality, and demonstrate variations in title translation. Apart from linguistic and commercial factors, narratives can vary in Chinese film titles and their translations according to cultural and social considerations, including political censorship.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Film title translation
  • 3.Narrative theory
  • 4.Data selection
    • 4.1Choice of film directors
    • 4.2Choice of films
  • 5.Data analysis
    • 5.1Zhang’s film titles and translations
    • 5.2Jia’s film titles and translations
  • 6.Discussion
  • 7.Limitations
  • 8.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (93)
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