从功能翻译理论看_越狱_字幕翻译的得与失_51_55

Policewoman: I don’t want anyone to do anything stupid, okay? Don’t move.

Lincoln: Let’s be civil here. Stop. Relax. You can go.

Subtitle Version:

Policewoman: 退后，把手举起来。

Michael: 放松。

T-bag: 怕什么，她手里又没有王牌。

Policewoman: 退后，把手举起来。

T-bag: 我把手举起来，就会把她的喉管拉出来。

Policewoman: 我不想任何人做傻事，知道吗？不许动。

Lincoln: 我们文明点。别挣扎了，放松，你可以走了。

The above dialogue happens in a tense situation where the house owner’s police daughter came back when the mother was in control of the prisoners. The daughter felt something wrong in the house, so she kicked off the door only to find her mother in control of T-bag. And then she put up her gun and asked T-bag to release her mother.

A glimpse at the subtitle version and the original dialogue might give the reader an impression that the translation is good. However, if we take the tense situation and the roles of different speakers into consideration, we may find some improper expressions and even wrong rendition in the subtitle version. Firstly, when Michael said “Go easy”, the policewoman was targeting at them with her gun. In this situation, the subtitle version “放松” seems too inaccurate. A better subtitle version for “Go easy” might be “不要乱来”. Secondly, as we all know T-bag is a cruel and despicable guy in this program, the subtitle version of “她手

里又没有王牌” for “She ain’t the one carrying the cards here” is obviously improper for his role. Taking his role into consideration, the author of this thesis thinks “怕什么，她不能怎么样” is probably better. Thirdly, when Lincoln attacked the policewoman from her back and controlled her, he said “…You can go”. Judging from the situation, we know the prisoners will by no means let the policewoman go. Otherwise, this group of escaped guys will be in a big trouble. Therefore, the subtitle version of “……你可以走了” is a wrong rendition for the original. It is better to translate “You can go” into “对，就这样”. Besides, it will be better if “okay” and the second “put your hands up” in the original dialogues are translated into “听见没有” and “举起手来”, which is in compliance with the situation and can help avoid repetition.

The following is a complete revised subtitle version which demonstrates how to best serve the functions of subtitles and the purposes of subtitle translation.

Policewoman: 退后，把手举起来。

Michael: 不要乱来。

T-bag: 怕什么，她不能怎么样。

Policewoman: 退后，举起手来。

T-bag: 我要把手举起来，就会把她的喉管拉出来。

Policewoman: 我不想任何人做傻事，听见没有？不许乱动。

Lincoln:老实点。别挣扎了，放松，对，就这样。

3.2.2 Culture-bound Problems

Cultural problems are a result of the difference in the norms and conventions guiding verbal and non-verbal behaviors in the two cultures involved. They refer