Adaptation Variation in Translated Titles Across Text Types: A Functional Perspective

[[abstract]]本研究之目的乃是探討不同文本類型中的標題翻譯所呈現的改寫程度。首先，本研究收集了一百三十五個英譯中標題翻譯，並依據卡塔琳娜‧萊思(Katharina Reiss)的文本類型理論為框架劃分為三大類，分別是資訊類、表述類、及召喚類。透過量化分析及喬治‧巴斯廷(Georges L Bastin)的全面及局部改寫為準則，此研究比較三大文類中標題翻譯的改寫程度。結果顯示召喚類文本的改寫程度最高，表述類改寫程度最低。此研究結果顯示，譯者應用的策略符合萊思所提出的翻譯策略，因為召喚類文本以勸誘為目的，故譯者時常改寫標題，以吸引讀者之興趣及注意，而表述類文本以美學欣賞為目的，故譯者偏向直譯，以保留原文學創作之風格及形式。此現象也證實漢斯‧弗米爾(Hans Vermeer)的功能理論(the skopos theory)，亦即每項翻譯均有其功能及目的，而成功的翻譯乃是能順利完成其目的。此外，為瞭解台灣讀者對於此三類文本標題翻譯之偏好，我實施了問卷調查，而參與人士共有五十位。結果顯示，在召喚類文本中，大多數台灣讀者偏好改寫過的標題翻譯，而在資訊類及表述類文本中，讀者則偏好未經改寫的標題翻譯。我的推論乃是召喚類文本，如：廣告及演講，適合譯者運用創意去改寫原標題，故深受譯文讀者喜愛；然而其他兩類文本只需清楚傳達資訊及重製原文形式，而讀者亦能接受以直譯方式處理這兩文類的標題。綜而言之，本研究之量化分析結果及問卷調查結果可作為譯者日後進行不同文類的標題翻譯時之參考，以期達到譯文之最大溝通效果。[[abstract]]The purpose of this study is to investigate adaptation variation in English-to-Chinese title translations across three text types Set within the framework of Reiss’ text typology a total of 135 title translations are collected and are classified into three text types: informative expressive and operative ones Through a quantitative analysis based on Bastin’s global and local adaptation as research criteria the statistical result indicates that the percentage of adaptation in the operative text type is the highest (84%) and the percentage of adaptation in the expressive text type is the lowest (31%) This result concurs with Reiss’ viewpoint that the function of operative text type is to evoke the audience’s attention and interest so the translator often adapts the title to make the translation create the emotional appeal In contrast the function of the expressive text type is to create the aesthetic effect through the reproduction of the original literary style so the translator rarely adapts the title and tries to retain the original form Additionally the finding of adaptation variation across text types accords with Vermeer’s skopos theory that each translation has a specific purpose and the success of a translation is determined by the fulfillment of the purpose Furthermore to understand Taiwan audience’s favorite title translation I administered a questionnaire on 50 respondents The result reveals that in reading the title translations of operative texts most of Taiwan’s audiences (about 67%) like the translation through adaptation whereas the audiences prefer the translation without adaptation when reading the titles of informative and expressive texts My inference is that the title of the operative texts such as advertisement and speech are suitable for the translator to create the eye-catching effect through adaptation and the target audience has been attracted by it Opposite to this is that in translating titles of informative and expressive texts the translator tends to adopt the literal translation to clearly transmit the original message and the target audience can still accept the literal rendering of these titles In conclusion the results of the quantitative analysis and the questionnaire could serve as some guidelines for future translators’ reference in translating titles of different text types so the effective communication can be achieved between the translation and the target audienc