Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-2026
Abstract
Movie title translations play a significant role in cross-cultural marketing and interpersonal communication among audiences. Due to cultural differences and naming conventions, English titles are often adapted creatively in Asian contexts for informative, aesthetic and commercial purposes. Diverse translation strategies share organic relations with Glocalization trends, indicating the degree of cultural openness in international discourse. This study combines media analysis that investigates translation strategy trends in top rated films in Thailand and Hong Kong with survey data on bilingual audiences’ interaction with title backtranslations. Both quantitative and qualitative data reflect that Thai and Cantonese film titles shape audience expectations and post-film memorability to a notable extent, with descriptive or abstract translation strategies producing different effects on prediction, preference, and daily discourse.
Dartmouth Digital Commons Citation
Hirunchupong, Krittin and Gao, Yi, "Same Film, Different Story: Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Movie Titles in Thai and Cantonese Markets" (2026). Research Papers and Posters from ASCL 60.20: Languages and Scripts of Gender, Class, and Nation. 4.
https://digitalcommons.dartmouth.edu/ascl_60-20/4
