1. Audiovisual Translation I: Subtitling
Translation and Mass Media
Communication
© Cristina Marinetti 2012

2. Translation and Mass-Media
Advertising
Globalization
Information Technology
Mass-media and Society
AVT (Audiovisual Translation)

3. AVT – Terminological Confusion
AVT – attempts to describe multiple and different modes of translation when the source text is audio (radio), audio and visual (screen), or written, audio and visual (multimedia).
Work in this field has been called:
Film translation Screen translation
Media translation Film communication
Constrained Translation (Multi)media translation

4. Types of AVT Interlingual subtitling (or open caption) Dubbing
Consecutive interpreting (+ Sign Language)
Simultaneous interpreting (+ Sign Language)
Voice over and half-dubbing
Free commentary
Sight translation
Surtitles
Multilingual Production

5. AVT - Translation or interpreting?
All these modes of translation have blurred the traditional borders between written and oral codes:
Subtitling = a kind of written interpreting
Constrained by temporal factors
Conditioned by density of information
Caught in the relationship between written and oral
Affected by issues of reception

6. Requirements of AVT texts:
Acceptability
Legibility
Readability
Synchronicity
Relevance
Domestication strategies
(Gambier Screen Translation 179)

7. Subtitling

8. General features
All subtitled programmes are made of three components:
spoken word
the image
the subtitle
Subtitles must be
Synchronous
Semantically adequate
Remain displayed on the screen for long enough for the viewers to read them.
Text must accommodate to the width of the screen (32-41 characters per line)

9. (Ivarsson and Carroll v)
It is a book about subtitling, not translation. Translation is a different art. In my view subtitling, when it is done to high standard, it includes so many of the elements essential to art and above all demands so much skill, imagination and creative talent that it is indeed art.
(Ivarsson and Carroll v)
Do you agree with the concept of subtitling as an art?
DO you think that this perception is positive or negative for subtitling and its learning?
Is translation, in general, an art form?
DO you think there are translation practices that are an ‘art’ and other translation practices that are not?

10. Text Reduction
Viewers can absorb speech more quickly than they can read, so subtitles must give them enough time to absorb what is written.
Viewers must be given the time to read, watch and listen.
Subtitles are limited to a max of 2 lines. How much reduction occurs depends on the speed of the dialogue and the subtitle reading speed.
The subtitler must:
ELIMINATE what is not relevant for the comprehension of the message
REFORMULATE what is relevant in as concise a form as possible

11. Condensation and Reformulation 1
Simplifying periphrasis:
I’m going to have this place fixed up in no time…then I’m gonna sell it.
I’ll fix this place and I’ll sell it
Using a shorter expression:
What! I’ve always treated her right!
What? I was good to her!
Changing word classes:
I don’t want it to be transparent.
I don’t want transparency.

12. Condensation and Reformulation 2
Changing negative sentences into affirmative and questions into affirmation:
Ok, we did not live in a palace
Ok, the place was small
Did I tell you there’s a party Friday?
There’s a party Friday.
Simplifying modality:
I understand that it may be the best result, politically, that can be delivered just at the moment.
It’s the best political solution right now.

13. Condensation and Reformulation 3
Simplify compound sentences
Here, I’ve got an idea. Suppose you agree that he can’t actually have babies, not having a womb, which is nobody’s fault, not even the Romans, but that he can have the right to have babies.
I have an idea. Let’s agree that he can’t have a child. He doesn’t have a womb. It’s not his fault, not even the Romans. But he has the right to have them.
Pronouns, deictics to replace nouns
I’m a hairdresser. The only thing I know is how to do hair
I’m a hairdresser. It’s all I know.

14. The risks of Omission I thought she had a boy.
She’s a slag.
NONE
She loves you. All of us do.
You coming back?
You have to.
You have to face up to it.
A: Well, I always thought she’d ‘ad a boy…
B: She’s a slag.
A: No she’s not
B: She fu**ng is.
A: She loves yer. We all love yer.
B: You comin back
A: No.
B: You got to.
A: Why should I?
B: You gotta face up to it!
A: Face up to what?

15. Reduce in English the bits of conversation. below by 50%
Reduce in English the bits of conversation below by 50%. Omit, condense and reformulate as required. Distribute your rewritten version over 1 or 2 lines as indicated:
Chief inspector, would you mind just telling me why do you think that an autopsy is necessary in this case? (1 line)
She split up the family but I gave her the kids, because she’s their mother and a child needs its mother. (1 line)
Do you really think back, though, to those days when you were really hated by the whites of South Africa, or can you forget? (2 lines)

16. THEORY READING TASK (for week 3)
In pairs, prepare to discuss in class McQuail’s description of the social functions of the media (Mass Communication Theory Ch. 2) and to reflect on the role that translators play. (Come prepared with notes)

17. Follow-up De Linde, Z. & Kay, N. The Semiotics of Subtitling.
Bogucki, L. ‘The Constraint of Relevance in Subtitling’ The Journal of Specialised Translation (Online)
Pettit, Z. ‘The Audio-Visual Text: Subtitling and Dubbing Different Genres’ Meta (Online)
Diaz Cinta, J. Audiovisual Translation: Subtitling. (Ch. 1,2)