A Comparison of English-Chinese Subtitle Translation in the Film MULAN (2020)

With the increasing openness of international cultural exchange, film has gained significant attention as a key medium for cross-cultural communication. High-quality subtitle translation is essential to help target audiences better understand foreign films. This thesis first introduces the fundamental aspects of subtitle translation, including its definition, classification, features, and constraints. It then presents Skopos theory, outlining its main principles and criteria, and discusses its applicability to subtitle translation. Using the film Mulan(2020) as a case study, the study analyzes the translation of stylistically marked language elements—such as culture-specific terms, allusions, idioms, and humor—from the perspective of Skopos theory. The findings reveal that, due to spatiotemporal limitations, subtitles do not always fully convey the original meaning, though such losses may be compensated by other filmic elements like visuals, sound, and actors' expressions. The study also finds that while the Skopos-oriented approach prioritizes the translation purpose, the strategies employed do not always optimally transfer the original content.