Abstract

The dissemination of audiovisual products has played an indispensable role in shaping ideological propaganda and national influence in China. The “Main Melody” are the films that serve to propagandize the mainstream ideology of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). As a typical example of this genre, Wolf Warrior II (《战狼2》) (2017) has been the top-grossing film in the Chinese mainland since its release in July 2017. The science fiction film The Wandering Earth ( 《流浪地球》) (2019), with its subtle implication of “Main Melody”, quickly ranks as the third. Meanwhile, the action movie Operation Red Sea (《红海行动》) (2018), which advocates the element of “Main Melody”, has been ranked fifth in the Chinese mainland box office. In this paper, I will move beyond the conventional linguistic research in audiovisual translation to focus on the ideology revealed through the subtitles of this specific film genre. By considering the movies as multilingual texts targeted for both Chinese audiences and English-speaking audiences, I seek to explore the ideology reflected in the subtitles of the films by probing into several questions through the paper including: What stereotyped image does China still hold towards the West? What kind of image does the CCP and the Chinese government attempt to portray China as in the mind of Chinese audiences and English-speaking audiences?

Highlights

  • The dissemination of audiovisual products has played an indispensable role in shaping ideological propaganda and national influence in China

  • By considering the movies as multilingual texts targeted for both Chinese audiences and Englishspeaking audiences, I seek to explore the ideology reflected in the subtitles of the films by probing into several questions through the paper including: What stereotyped image does China still hold towards the West? What kind of image does the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chinese government attempt to portray China as in the mind of Chinese audiences and English-speaking audiences?

  • With the case study, I seek to explore the ideology reflected in the subtitles of the films by probing into several questions: What stereotyped image does China still hold towards the West? What kind of image does the CCP and the Chinese government attempt to portray China as in the mind of Chinese audiences and English-speaking audiences?

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Summary

PATRONAGE IN AUDIOVISUAL TRANSLATION

According to the definition by Lefevere, patronage can be exerted by “groups of persons, a religious body, a political party, a social class, a royal court, publisher, and, last but not least, the media” (Lefevere, 2016: 15). “Once a wolf warrior, always a wolf warrior” — this slogan-like English subtitle presents the ‘positivity’ that the patron of the CCP intends to emphasize This scene depicts the rebel forces as violent dispute-provoking ‘invaders’ while presents Chinese people’s patriotism and heroism through subtitles. The protagonist Leng Feng recalled his reason for joining the army These subtitles are intended to convey to both Chinese audiences and English-speaking audiences the “military professional attraction and military sense of honor” (Zhang and Zhu, 2016), which has been intensely revealed through the subtitle of “不当兵后悔一辈 子” (Don’t join the army, regret it for life) with its incendiary implication. What’s more, from the protection of an ordinary Chinese for his foreign wife at a time of crisis, the subtitler aims to reinforce the “responsible international image” (Cpcnews.cn, 2020) of China under the leadership of the CCP, and China’s global influence of being able to make quick as well as virtuous judgment in dilemma

The Wandering Earth
CONCLUSION
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