Application of Culture Loaded Words in Subtitle Translation from the Perspective of Skopos Theory: A Case Study of Lighting Up the Stars

Abstract

In the context of globalization, film and television subtitle translation shoulders the dual mission of breaking cultural cognitive barriers and realizing value resonance. This study takes the phenomenal-level funeral film “Lighting up the Stars” as the research object, and discusses the specific application of cultureloaded words in subtitle translation from the perspective of Skopos theory. Taking the unique funeral culture of China as its theme, “Lighting up the Stars” breaks people’s inherent cognition of death and funeral through the narrative technique of interweaving sorrow and joy. As words that carry specific cultural information and colors, culture-loaded words are the key and difficult points in subtitle translation. Starting from Skopos theory, this paper analyzes how translators choose translation strategies according to the three principles of Skopos Theory by deconstructing the English subtitles of culture-loaded words in films, so as to ensure the coherence of subtitles and be faithful to the cultural connotation and artistic style of the original text.