II. Features and Constraints of the Subtitles Translation

2.1 The Definition of Subtitles
Subtitles can be describe transcriptions of films or TV dialogues, they appeared simultaneously on the screen, and disappear in time with the relevant parts of the original dialogue.(Liu 31) It is a unique type of language transfer: the condensed written form of the original spoken language. We can also see Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese Dictionary (Hornby and Cowle 156) defines it as: “subtitles are words that translate what is said in a film or movie into a different language and appear on the screen at the bottom.” Gottileb, who has done profound studies on subtitling proposed that it was a unique form of translation. His definition to subtitling includes five elements: subtitling in a written, additive, immediate, synchronous and polymedia translation.(162) 从功能对等角度看《老友记》字幕翻译(2):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_24887.html