1. Punctuation and Other Conventions
SUBTITLING
Punctuation and Other Conventions
Prof.ssa Laura Liucci

2. PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION
Subtitling follows a set of typographical rules that are not new, but part and parcel of the grammar of a language, so that when we watch a subtitled programme, we do NOT have to learn a whole new body of norms
Subtitles are an instance of written text and they tend to follow the standard rules that govern punctuation
At European level at least, it is evident that different national subtitling practices share some of the same conventions
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )

3. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
FULL STOPS (.)
The full stop at the end of a subtitle is an unequivocal indication that the sentence is finished.
Zaza, your fans are waiting for you and my dinner is going cold.
_______
Please be reasonable.
Some companies do not make use of full stops at the end of subtitles, which creates “the most confusing and even irritating situation of all” (Cerón, 2001: 176)
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )
DO NOT use full stops when subtitling the graphics (cartelli, sottopancia, etc.)

4. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
COMMAS (,) AND SEMI COLONS (;)
The comma is possibly the most flexible of all the punctuation marks […] Both commas and semi-colons separate parts that are related to each other in the same statement, and their usage signals a slight pause in the reading
Be careful when you use a comma, because it can change the meaning of a sentence!
You know he’s bought a car ≠ You know, he’s bought a car
GOLDEN RULE: Using commas at the end of a subtitle that continues in the next one should be kept to a minimum, since they can be confused with a full stop.
The use of semi-colons is very rare in subtitling and should be avoided!
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )

5. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
COLONS (:)
They’re usually used with the same functions it has in standard grammar. A colon signals a small pause and takes the reader’s interest forward by announcing or introducing what is to come
A list, an enumeration or an explanation
He used to say: “Never say never”.
The viewer’s expectation is to find further information after a colon.
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )

6. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
DASHES (–) AND HYPHENS(-)
Although they are different signs and dashes are longer than hyphens, we shall consider both the same sign for subtitling purposes, stick to the smaller (-) and refer to them as dashes.
Used to link compound words or create adjectival groups:
They were in quiet, contemplative, in-between-tour, writing-records modes.
But in subtitling dashes have a much more specific function […] they are used to indicate that the text appearing in one subtitle belongs to two different people
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: 111)

7. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
DASHES (–) AND HYPHENS(-)
But in subtitling dashes have a much more specific function […] they are used to indicate that the text appearing in one subtitle belongs to two different people
The standard approach in subtitling was to use a dash for each line, as is:
- I couldn’t move her. - Be firm, for goodness’ sake!
But a new approach is also emerging, which consists in using the dash for the second line only
I couldn’t move her. - Be firm, for goodness’ sake!
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )
In the project you can freely choose between these two approaches, but you have to be consistent in using it!

8. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
TRIPLE DOTS (…)
We mainly use triple dots:
1. If there’s an hesitation in the utterance
You mean that… you won’t do it?
2. When a sentence is not finished in one subtitle and continue in the next one after an hesitation or a pause
You mean that…
__________________________
you won’t do it?
3. If there is a clear interruption or a sentence is left unfinished
- We have been travelling since…
- We are all tired here.
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )

9. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
TRIPLE DOTS (…)
4. When a list of items is deliberately not completed
She took books, record, DVDs…
5. For an ellipsis at the beginning of a subtitle
…and he never played it again.
6. To link subtitles that can be perceived as being too far from each other
- We have been travelling since… - We are all tired here.
______________________
…the early hours.
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )

10. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
CAPITAL LETTERS
Capital letters should be used in subtitling in exactly the same way as they are used in standard writing (at the beginning of proper names, to start a new sentence after a full stop, a question mark, etc. )
UPPER CASE is used for:
The title of the film/programme
Road signs, graffiti, headlines, banners, writings, inserts, etc.
(In the past, upper case was used for shouting, but nowadays this use is limited!)
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )

11. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
QUOTATION MARKS OR INVERTED COMMAS (“ ”) (‘ ‘)
To signal emphasis on certain words, subtitlers can resort to two devices: quotation marks or italics.
Double quotation marks (“ “) are more frequent in subtitling, and single quotation marks (‘ ‘) are usually used within double quotation marks.
We use quotation marks for:
Direct speech
When a person is reading a text out loud
Quotations
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )

12. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
QUOTATION MARKS OR INVERTED COMMAS (“ ”) (‘ ‘)
If a quotation continues over several subtitles, we can:
Use the inverted commas only at the beginning and at the end of the quote “Sergeant Chirino, terrified, hides behind a well. __________ Moreira escapes over the fence. He fires his pistol at the sergeant _____________ who is badly hurt in the left arm.”
Use the inverted commas at the beginning and at the end of every subtitle
“Sergeant Chirino, terrified, hides behind a well.” __________ “Moreira escapes over the fence. He fires his pistol at the sergeant” _____________ “who is badly hurt in the left arm.”
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: 120)

13. PUNCTUATION CONVENTIONS
QUOTATION MARKS OR INVERTED COMMAS (“ ”) (‘ ‘)
3. Use the inverted commas at the beginning of every subtitle, but closing them only in the final one
“Sergeant Chirino, terrified, hides behind a well. __________ “Moreira escapes over the fence. He fires his pistol at the sergeant _____________ “who is badly hurt in the left arm.”
This is an intermediate solution, which is becoming vey common.
Be careful to where you place the punctuation!
“There’s no harm done. It’s not the end of the world.”  full stop inside
Then she said: “It was her fault”.  full stop outside (because it closes all the sentence)
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: 120)

14. OTHER CONVENTIONS ITALICS
In addition to quotation marks, italics are the other major typographical effect available to call attention to certain elements of the text
Voices and cries heard in the distance (off-screen or far away)
Voices through a machine/electronic devices
Voices from within (thoughts, voices in the character’s mind, etc.)
Lexical borrowings and neologisms in a foreign language
Titles of books, songs, movies, albums, etc.
Off-screen narrator’s voice (UNLESS it’s the only voice)
Lyrics of songs
Written messages appearing on the video (Italics or UPPER CASE)
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )

15. OTHER CONVENTIONS NUMBERS
Try to AVOID beginning a subtitle with a figure written in digits
With cardinal numbers, the general rule is to spell numbers up to ten and write in digits numbers from eleven on (EXCEPTIONS: number of houses, flats, apartments, hotel rooms, as well as the day of the month in dates)
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: 134)
- How many are there? - 7.
- How many are there? - Seven.
There are only two entrances to the house
It’s almost 20 years since you saw the boy

16. OTHER CONVENTIONS NUMBERS
Numbers up to ten are also presented as digits if they are next to abbreviated units of weight and measurement
If possible, avoid writing all the digits of very large figures
(Díaz-Cintas 2007: )
BE CAREFUL when using commas or dots in numbers when translating English into Italian!
They were caught in the cinema with seven kg of drugs.
They were caught in the cinema with 7 kg of drugs.
There are 3,000,000 inhabitants.
There are 3 million inhabitants.
I’ve just won $15,000.
Ho appena vinto $

17. References
DÍAZ-CINTAS, JORGE and ALINE REMAEL Audiovisual Translation: Subtitling. Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing.