Contents

Acknowledgements

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.2 The Significance of the Thesis-1

1.3 The Structure of the Thesis-1

Chapter Two Literature Review-3

2.1 Introduction to News Headlines-3

2.2 Previous Studies on the Translation of News Headlines-3

2.3 Introduction to Adaptation Theory-4

Chapter Three Application of Adaptation Theory in the Translation of News Headline-6

3.1 Adaptation to Physical world-6

3.2 Adaptation to Social world-6

3.3 Adaptation to Mental world-8

3.3.1 Adaptation to the Need for Attraction-8

3.3.2 Adaptation to the Need for Truth-9

Chapter Four Conclusion-11

References-12

Abstract

With the development of economic globalization and increasingly strengthened China-West cultural exchange, Chinese readers have more and more opportunities to gain original news content from the TV, Internet, and newspapers. The news headline is the highly condensation of news content and the field of news translation has played a key role in translating world. However, the focus is almost on the aspects of stylistics, psychics and rhetoric. It is essential to master the adaptability of news headlines translation if we want to translate the news headlines well. 

This thesis attempts to explore news headline translation by adopting Verschueren’s Adaptation Theory. It provides a new viewpoint for news headline translation. In this theory, the usage of language is the process of continuous making choices in different situation according to communicative context and linguistic context, the latter of which includes physical world, social world and mental world. News headlines translation needs to adapt to the physical world, social world and mental world. The purpose of this thesis is to understand English and Chinese headlines deeper from the perspective of Adaptation Theory, and to provide rational hints for editor’s news headlines creating.

Keywords: News Headline Translation   Adaptation to Physical world   Adaptation to Social world   Adaptation to the Mental world