A Study on Subtitle Translation Strategies of the Film Chang An from the Perspective of Catford’s Translation Shift Theory

Abstract

As Chinese film and television productions increasingly gain international exposure, subtitle translation—an essential medium for cross-cultural communication—has attracted growing scholarly attention regarding its strategies and theoretical foundations. Chang An, a domestically produced animated film rich in cultural connotations, demonstrates a wide range of linguistic shifts in its English subtitles as it seeks to convey the original meaning and cultural essence. Grounded in Catford’s translation shift theory, this study explores subtitle translation strategies from two dimensions: level shifts and category shifts. By analyzing representative examples from the film, the paper examines the practical application of structure shifts, class shifts, unit shifts, and intra-system shifts. The findings reveal that the translator’s flexible use of various types of shifts effectively achieves semantic equivalence and facilitates the transmission of cultural information. This reflects a multifaceted consideration of linguistic norms, audience reception, and cultural adaptation in subtitle translation. Through detailed case analysis, the study aims to enrich the application of translation shift theory in subtitle translation practice and provide theoretical and practical references for future subtitle translation of Chinese animated films.