Comparison of Translation of Movie Titles in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan—Transcreation in Restricted Film Titles

Abstract

Nowadays, it has become more common to edit film titles through transcreation to better align with local audiences’ aesthetic preferences and cultural values. Therefore, studying the translation of movie titles in different regions, such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, has also become a popular topic. However, most studies have not classified the films but compared them generally. Therefore, the theme of this study is to compare the translation of restricted film titles in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan through transcreation. This research compares the transcreation of action movies, horror movies, and erotic movie titles in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, summarizes the translation differences in the three regions, and explores the reasons behind the differences. The study finds that in Mainland China, literal translation is often used, and if the content is sensitive, a tactful transcreation will be chosen. However, in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the translation preference for restricted film titles is to translate them by recreating a title based on the original title’s meaning, using puns and some exaggerated words. This study suggests that the film censorship system, language differences, and social atmosphere cause the differences.