Drama language translation

Abstract

Limited scholarly attention has been paid to drama translation mainly because of the duality of the dramatic text: both a literary art and a theatrical art. Dramatic text is the foundation of the stage performance, through which its value can be completely achieved. Its particularity lies in its purposes primarily for stage, and then for page. On the basis of functional equivalence proposed by Eugene A. Nida, Jin Di proposes his equivalent effect in translation. Guided by his principle and with an analysis of the two English versions of Teahouse, this thesis attempts to discover better ways to realize the equivalent effect of drama language and achieve the theatrical effectiveness of the text in the target theatrical convention so as to be accepted by the target-language audience.

Keywords:

• applied translation
• cultural markers
• equivalence

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their deepest thanks to Professor Wally Pretzer of Bowling Green State University for his invaluable comments on the draft of this article.