A Study on Translation of Online Video Game from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence Theory -- An Example of League of Legends_英语论文

摘要

电子游戏，又称为视频游戏，是指所有基于电子设备平台而运行的交互游戏，同时也是一种新兴的文化活动。近年来，电子游戏正朝着电子竞技的方向发展，在不断提升自身影响力的同时，受到了来自社会各界广泛的关注，得到了人们的认知和了解。由于中外游戏产业发展的差异，国内目前流行的电子游戏当中，有相当一大部分是由中国公司从国外引进并代理的。在引进的过程中，将游戏的内容进行本地化翻译是其中关键的一环。由于受语言和文化差异的制约，目前市面上的游戏译本水平参差不齐，如何恰当地理解和翻译游戏中出现的各种游戏要素，是一件非常值得探讨的事情。因此，本论文将以网络电子游戏《英雄联盟》中各种游戏要素的翻译为例，并从奈达的功能对等理论视角，探讨译者如何做出译文语言选择，从而以一种令用户更容易接受的方式将游戏中的内容表达出来，将游戏的内容更真实地呈现在游戏玩家面前。

关键词：电子游戏  游戏翻译  功能对等 

Abstract

Electronic game, also known as video game, refers to all interactive games based on electronic equipment platform, but also a new rising cultural activity. In the past decade, electronic game is developing itself in the field of e-sports. While constantly improving its influence, electronic game has attracted wide attention  and gained recognition and understanding from people of all walks of life. Due to the differences in the development of game industry between China and foreign countries, most of the popular video games in China now are introduced and represented by Chinese companies from abroad. In the process of introduction, localized translation of game content is a key link. Restricted by linguistic and cultural factors, the quality of game translations is uneven at present. How to properly understand and translate the various elements in the game is a very important thing to explore. Therefore, this paper will take the translation of game elements in the online video game "League of Legends" as an example from the perspective of Nida's functional equivalence theory to discuss how the translators decide what words to be used in translation so that the content of the game could be expressed in a more acceptable way for users, and present the content of the game more authentically to the game players.

Key words: Electronic game  Game translation  Functional equivalence theory

Contents

Chapter One  Introduction 1

1.1  Purpose of This Thesis 1

1.2  Significance of This Thesis 1

1.3  Structure of This Thesis 2

1.4  Research Method of This Thesis 2

Chapter Two  Literature Review 4

2.1  Introduction 4

2.2  The Various Studies of Video Game Translation 4

2.2.1 Studies from the Perspective of Cultural Preservation and Conversion 5

2.2.2 Studies from the Perspective of Domestication and Foreignization 5

2.2.3 Studies from the Perspective of Transcreation 6

2.3  Comment 6

Chapter Three  Theoretical Framework 7

3.1  Introduction 7

3.2  The Development of Functional Equivalence Theory 7

3.3  Principles for Producing Functional Equivalence 8

3.4  Three Elements of Functional Equivalence Theory 9

Chapter Four  Case Study of the Translation of Online Video Game ”League of Legends” 10

4.1  Introduction 10

4.2  Characteristic of the Translation of Video Games 10

4.3  Translation Methods of Video Games 11

4.3.1 Literal Translation and Free Translation 11

4.3.2 Addition and Omission 12

4.3.3 Transliteration 12

4.3.4 Transcreation 12

4.4  Analysis of Translation Examples 13

4.4.1 The Translation of Characters’ Titles 13

4.4.2 The Translation of Characters’ Names 14

4.4.3 The Translation of Characters’ Lines 16

Chapter Five  Conclusion 19

Bibliography

Acknowledgements