Multimodal Discourse Analysis on Chinese-English Subtitle Translation

The development of modern multimedia technology has facilitated the widespread dissemination of fine traditional Chinese culture in the world. The traditional Chinese medical culture is becoming more and more well-known as a gem of Chinese civilization. One of the common multimodal text kinds is the documentary, which uses text, audio, and images among other symbols to convey meaning. It possesses authenticity and artistic qualities, acting as a key conduit for the spread of culture. This study uses the documentary The Tale of Chinese Medicine S2 as the object of analysis and a multimodal discourse analysis framework as its theoretical foundation. This translation technique examines the relationship between subtitles as a textual modality and other modalities, as well as the results attained, by studying the subtitle translation strategies via three levels: culture, context, and content. Ultimately, this study aims to provide insights for subtitle translation practices in traditional Chinese medicine documentaries and thus contribute to enhancing the international influence of Chinese traditional culture.