A Study on English Subtitle Translation from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence Theory: A Case Study of the Film Hidden Blade

Abstract

This paper explores the application of Eugene Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory in the English subtitle translation of the Chinese film Hidden Blade (2023). By analyzing specific translation strategies and challenges, the study aims to evaluate how functional equivalence theory enhances cross-cultural communication and audience comprehension. Through qualitative analysis of selected dialogue excerpts, the research identifies key practices in achieving lexical, syntactic, textual,and stylistic equivalence. The findings reveal that adaptations in cultural references, sentence restructuring and pragmatic adjustments are critical to preserving the original intent and emotional resonance of the film. This study contributes to the discourse on audiovisual translation by emphasizing the balance between fidelity to source content and adaptability to target-language norms.