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My own suggested HPTE would be:
“在一个理想的世界,应该不会有一个她,你父亲才貌双全” which can be back
translated as: “In an ideal world, there would be no her, and your father would be both
attractive and talented.” Here, deletion was used as the strategy. As Chinese viewers are
not familiar with Sting, it is reasonable that the translator deletes this reference and uses
its association of “attractive and talented” as an alternative to describe an ideal man.
This is also reliable, because Sting is attractive and well-talented. Another strategy is
that the translator puts some extra explanation to assist the audience to learn about Sting
(for example, putting a note that Sting is a famous singer). However, most Chinese
viewers cannot picture Sting unless they check the Internet and see Sting‟s photograph.
Therefore, deletion can be said to be the best strategy here.
Yet another general cultural reference is found in Season 1, Episode 4, Scene 11,
where Monica and Phoebe have met a handsome man. When Monica whistled to attract
his attention, the man was hit by a car, ending up in a vegetative state. Monica and
Phoebe visit him very often, including shaving his beard, rubbing his body and so forth.
They are starting to speculate on the man‟s name (because the hospital cannot find his
identification). Phoebe suggests his name might be Glen, but Monica says that is not
special enough to which Phoebe replies: “Ooh! How about Agamemnon?” the Chinese
subtitle reads: “你觉得阿格马侬如何?” Here, the translator has again used repetition
as the strategy, by translating the name directly. This is not effective. This strategy was
acceptable when the translator translated the name “Glen” directly, because it is
ordinary. However, the translation of “Agamemnon” should not be treated in the same
manner, because the translator should account for why Agamemnon is special.
Otherwise, Chinese viewers cannot figure it out themselves.
Mysuggested HPTE would be:
“你觉得阿格马侬如何?(阿格马侬是古希腊人,以用情不一出名。)” which
translates back as: “How about Agamemnon? (Agamemnon was an ancient Greek, who
was famous for his affairs with many women.)” To achieve this HPTE, creation was
used as the strategy. In my view, the translator can put a reference in the bracket to give
some background information about who Agamemnon was. Chinese viewers will
understand why the audience laughed when Phoebe came up with this name. Since both
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