Modulo AVT, Lingua e Traduzione Inglese 2

Audio Visual Translation: Definitions and Terminology

Dubbing and subtitling

The term "film translation" is considered outdated or obsolete. Today, we refer to this field as screen translation or multimedia translation.

Types of AVT

For most people, screen translation is limited to dubbing and subtitling. Nevertheless, various types of screen translation exist today. They can be categorised into two main groups: dominant and challenging. The dominant types of AVT are interlingual subtitling, dubbing, consecutive interpreting, simultaneous interpreting, voice-over, free commentary, and simultaneous (or sight) translations.

Interlingual subtitling

Interlingual subtitling (or open caption – already subtitled) involves moving from the oral dialogue to one or two written lines and from one language to another. The task can be carried out by the same person (translating and spotting/cueing/synchronising) or by a translator and a technician spotting and timing the subtitles.

Container = limited time you can have the subtitle on. Interlingual subtitling can also be done with or without a dialogue list (post-production script). It can be offered to any audience, including the deaf and hard of hearing (HH).

Dubbing

Involves adapting a text for on-camera characters and therefore lip-synchronisation plays an important role.

Voice-over

Voice-over or half-dubbing occurs when a documentary or an interview is translated/adapted and broadcast approximately in synchrony by a journalist or an actor.

Free commentary

It is clearly an adaptation for a new audience, with additions, omissions, clarifications, and comments. Synchronisation is done with on-screen images rather than with the soundtrack. This mode is used for children's programmes, documentaries, and corporate videos.

Training in subtitling

An excuse for improving language awareness: "Who transmits to whom, what for, which medium, where, when, and why, a text with what function? On what subject matter does he/she say what, (what not), in what order, using what-nonverbal elements, in which words, in what kind of sentences, in which tone, and to what effect?" (C. Nord, 1991)

"4 marriages and a funeral: problem of pragmatics (1994-2011)"

Important steps and special training

1) Media text analysis

To be fully proficient in the field, the audiovisual translator needs to have basic knowledge in the making of media texts and, in order to understand the audiovisual text, he/she needs to acquire the tools for semiotic analysis.

Audiovisual translators must be fully aware that all media texts are constructed using media language and that the codes which are chosen convey certain cultural information. Signs are manipulated to produce meanings. These codes are consciously taken in by the viewers as a perceptive whole. Different interpretations will rise at every new reading and different audiences will relate to these codes in conformity with their particular cultural background.

2) Script analysis

In an ideal world, audiovisual translators would always be supplied with a post-production dialogue list or a script or montage list. Scripts or montage lists are preferable since they will incorporate additional directorial information. Most useful of all would be an accurate post-production script with glossary (Luyken et al. 1991). However annoying the situation may be to the professional subtitler, inadequate scripts are excellent tools for translator training or even language learning in general. On the one hand, incomplete or incorrect scripts make wonderful gap-filling exercises. The transcription of film dialogue, on the other hand, is a wholesome listening comprehension task. This exercise is particularly difficult when the soundtrack lacks clarity…

3) Translation/editing [transadaptation]

Whenever oral text is transferred into a written form, the process involves...