A Multi-Modal Discourse Analysis of the C-E Translation of Creation of the Gods I

Abstract

— Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms is a fantasy film adapted from The Investiture of the Gods, recounting ancient Chinese historical and mythological stories. As an intuitive and effective means of cross-cultural communication, subtitle translation in films assumes paramount importance. With the development of multimedia technology, this paper analyzes the subtitle translation of the film from the four dimensions of culture, context, content, and expression proposed by Zhang Delu in his multi-modal discourse analysis framework. The study reveals that the English subtitle translation predominantly employs free translation strategies, interacting with the film’s visual and auditory modalities to help audiences from diverse cultural backgrounds better understand and appreciate the film, thus fulfilling the cultural transmission function of film and television works.