Masaryk University Faculty of Arts Department of English and American Studies
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- Table of Contents
- 2.1Introduction
- 2.2Audiovisual Translation
| Masaryk University
Faculty of Arts Department of English and American Studies English Language and Literature Matěj Bambušek
Bachelor’s Diploma Thesis Supervisor: Mgr. Renata Kamenická, Ph.D.
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2.1 Introduction 1 2.2 Audiovisual Translation 3 2.2.1 Subtitles 4 2.1.1.2.1.1 The History of Subtitling 4 2.1.1.2.1.2 Subtitling in the Czech Republic 5 2.1.1.2.1.3 Subtitling Procedures 7 2.2.2 Dubbing 13 2.1.1.2.2.1 The History of Dubbing 13 2.1.1.2.2.2 Dubbing Procedures 15 2.2.3 To Sub or to Dub? 17 2.2.4 Other Forms of Revoicing 19 2.3 A Clockwork Orange 20 2.3.1 The Film 20 2.3.2 Nadsat 21 2.3.3 Czech DVD Subtitles 23 2.1.1.3.3.1 Layout and punctuation 23 2.1.1.3.3.2 Subtitle Duration 23 2.1.1.3.3.3 Omitting and Shortening 25 2.1.1.3.3.4 Names 27 2.1.1.3.3.5 Songs 28 2.1.1.3.3.6 Nadsat and Compensation 29 2.1.1.3.3.7 Manner of Speaking 32 2.1.1.3.3.8 Inconsistency of Translation 34 2.1.1.3.3.9 Mistranslation 37 2.1.1.3.3.10 Other Mistakes and Typos 40 2.4 Conclusion 42 2.1IntroductionAudiovisual translation (AVT) is a distinctive branch of translation studies which was not long ago considered only a minority specialization, covering the translation of films, TV series, shows and other audiovisual material. Although AVT is as old as the film industry itself, the need for film translation was never as high as in the past two decades. This is caused by several factors. The fall of the Iron Curtain in Europe allowed western films to be imported, which of course required fast translation. Film distribution, and therefore even AVT, was boosted by the invention of storage formats such as VHS and DVD. Finally, the internet and online distribution also greatly contributed to the demand for AVT, as the majority of untranslated audiovisual material is now accessible to all viewers using internet, either legally or illegally. The first part of the thesis characterizes audiovisual translation and shows the differences between AVT and other fields of translation. Film translators are limited in many ways and have to follow certain principles in order to make the translated film feel natural. In case of dubbing, the translated speech should match the lip movements of the actor as much as possible, especially bilabial consonants, which are the most apparent. Subtitlers, on the other hand, have to keep in mind how fast the viewer can read and how to translate as much information as possible while not drawing too much attention of the viewer from the picture to the subtitles. The second part deals with the Czech translation of the film ‘A Clockwork Orange’, based on the novella of the same name written by Anthony Burgess. I have chosen this particular film mainly for the distinctive language that proves to be quite challenging to translate. It is a fictional register or argot called Nadsat (a Russian suffix equivalent of –teen) and used by teenagers. The aim of this part of the thesis, firstly, is to examine whether the Czech DVD subtitles correspond with the subtitling standards described in the first part. Secondly, it aims to examine whether the translation of Nadsat and other problematic parts, such as the names of characters, songs, distinctive manners of speaking, etc., is always performed in compliance with the target audience's best comprehension of the film. 2.2Audiovisual TranslationAt present, AVT is the most consumed type of translation, as films and TV series now reach far more spectators than books or magazines. There are several ways to translate audiovisual material – subtitling, dubbing, voice-over, narration, free commentary and simultaneous interpreting. As Szarkowska points out, each country develops its preferred way of film translation, which is affected by a number of factors, such as historical circumstances, traditions, the technique which the audience is used to, the cost, etc. (Szarkowska 2005). According to The Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies, there are four groups of countries, divided by the general type of screen translation they use: 1) Source-language, Anglophone countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, where hardly any non-English films are imported. The imported films are usually subtitled rather than dubbed, since they are often aimed at film enthusiasts preferring the original soundtrack. 2) Dubbing countries, mainly German-, Italian-, French- and Spanish-speaking. Nearly all audiovisual material imported in these countries is dubbed. 3) Voice-over countries, such as Russia, Poland, etc., where this translation method is preferred over lip-sync dubbing due to its cost. 4) Subtitling countries, such as the Scandinavian countries and other speech communities with a high literacy rate both in and outside Europe, where the audiences generally prefer subtitling over dubbing (Baker 2001). Such division, however, does not differentiate between cinema and the television broadcast. For example, in the Czech Republic, cinemas often use subtitling (with the exception of most 3D and children’s films), while the television broadcasting is almost exclusively dubbed. This, however, may change in the future since more and more people, especially the young, demand films and TV series subtitled, with the original soundtrack. Download 117.92 Kb. Share with your friends:
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