Research in ScreenResearch in ScreenTranslation: Translation:

Challenges and ProspectsChallenges and Prospects

Delia ChiaroDelia Chiaro

University of Bologna at University of Bologna at ForlìForlì

ALMA MATER STUDIORUMUNIVERSITÀ DI BOLOGNA

ObjectivesObjectives•Map of Screen Translation [ST] modalities in Europe;

•State of the art in research;•Proposal for practical research that is of use to industry and end users;

•ST research at Forlì.

DEFINITIONSDEFINITIONS

• Multimedia translationMultimedia translation• Audiovisual translationAudiovisual translation• Screen translationScreen translation• Film translationFilm translation• Dialogue translationDialogue translation

What’s the difference?What’s the difference?

““UMBRELLA TERMS”UMBRELLA TERMS”

“…“…the interlingual transfer of the interlingual transfer of verbal language when it is verbal language when it is transmitted and accessed both transmitted and accessed both visually and acoustically, visually and acoustically, usually, but not necessarily, usually, but not necessarily, through some kind of through some kind of electronic device.”electronic device.”

Multimedia translation

• Multimedia products are both produced Multimedia products are both produced and consumed by means of several and consumed by means of several media. In other words, typical media. In other words, typical multimedia products such as a films multimedia products such as a films and hypertexts, will be created through and hypertexts, will be created through the implementation of diverse the implementation of diverse technological equipment (i.e. cameras, technological equipment (i.e. cameras, computers, software programs etc.) and computers, software programs etc.) and subsequently consumed by end-users subsequently consumed by end-users via some sort of electronic device such via some sort of electronic device such as a television; a computer screen or a as a television; a computer screen or a console. console.

Audiovisual translationAudiovisual translation

• ““[a] semiotic construct comprising [a] semiotic construct comprising several signifying codes that several signifying codes that operate simultaneously in the operate simultaneously in the production of meaning.” (Chaume production of meaning.” (Chaume 2004:16)2004:16)

• Films, plays, opera, video-games Films, plays, opera, video-games and hypertexts are examples of and hypertexts are examples of audiovisual products that are audiovisual products that are intended to be both seen and heard intended to be both seen and heard at the same time by end users. at the same time by end users.

Screen TranslationScreen Translation

• Strictu sensu - Strictu sensu - translations for translations for any electronic appliance with a any electronic appliance with a screenscreen (i.e.TV; cinema; (i.e.TV; cinema; videogame console; GPS videogame console; GPS navigator; mobile phone etcnavigator; mobile phone etc.)

• Film translationFilm translation• Dialogue translationDialogue translation

NON-VERBAL

VERBAL

VISUAL ACOUSTIC

SCENERY, LIGHTING,COSTUMES, PROPS,

etc.ALSO:

GESTURE, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS; BODY

MOVEMENT etc.

MUSIC, BACKGROUND NOISE, SOUND EFFECTS, etc.

ALSO:LAUGHTER; CRYING;

HUMMING; BODY SOUNDS (breathing;

coughing etc.)

STREET SIGNS, SHOP SIGNS; WRITTEN REALIA (newspapers; letters; headlines; notes etc.)

DIALOGUES; SONG-LYRICS; POEMS etc.

The polysemiotic nature of audiovisual products

Most ST common modalities

• Dubbing - uses the acoustic Dubbing - uses the acoustic channel for translational channel for translational purposes, purposes,

• Subtitling - visual and involves Subtitling - visual and involves a written translation that is a written translation that is superimposed onto the screen. superimposed onto the screen.

• Voice-over - a less common Voice-over - a less common acoustic form of screen acoustic form of screen translation.translation.

PRODUCTS FOR THE SCREEN

• Big screen (cinema); Big screen (cinema); • TV; TV; • Video;Video;• DVD; DVD; • the entire spectrum of tv the entire spectrum of tv

products, (i.e. series, serials, products, (i.e. series, serials, sitcoms, documentaries, news sitcoms, documentaries, news programmes, advertisements etc.) programmes, advertisements etc.) many of which are also available many of which are also available in home video and DVD formatsin home video and DVD formats

Dubbing versus Dubbing versus subtitlingsubtitling

•The so-called European ST ‘blocks’ – myth or reality?

•Quality? Does anyone care?•Total Quality Management

[TMQ] – an impossible dream?

A dirty word?A dirty word?

• Dubbing has a bad reputation;Dubbing has a bad reputation;• Condemned for spoiling soundtrack;Condemned for spoiling soundtrack;• Denies audiences the opportunity of Denies audiences the opportunity of

hearing the voices of the original hearing the voices of the original actors;actors;

• Less textual reductionLess textual reduction

• Time consuming and expensiveTime consuming and expensive

Dubbing versus subtitling

• DUBBING

• Spoils the original voices;

• Spoils the original film;

• Un-artistic;• Expensive;• Complicated;• Long process;• Connected with

right-wing regimes;• Connected with

protectionist lingustic policy.

• SUBTITLING

• You can hear original voices;

• Cheap;• Quick;

• Helps children with reading;

• Helps learn foreign languages;

• Linguistic interference.

Matrix of Source Verbal Visibility

-visibili

ty

+ visibili

ty

Dubbing

News reports

Interpreting

Voice over

Subtitles

Deg

ree o

f sem

io-

tran

slatio

n

+

-

Global advertising

TV formats

ST Research in ForlìST Research in Forlì

Investigating ST as a public Investigating ST as a public service service

Analyses of:• The supplier of the service;• The client/customer or user of

the service• The service itself

Perspectives for empirical research

• Analyses of product i.e. case studies;

• Field work regarding dubbing professionals’ perception of dubbed produce;

• Field work regarding end users’ perception of dubbed produce

SupervisionDUBBING DIRECTOR

 

Polyvalent figures

DialogueAdaptor

ScriptTranslator

DialogueAdaptor

Dubbing actor

Dubbing actorDialogueAdapt

orScriptTranslator

Translator Dubbing

actorDialogueAdapt

or

Translation Dialogue

AdaptionDubbing

Figure

Process

‘THE DUBBING CYCLE’

Forlì Corpus of Screen Forlì Corpus of Screen TranslationTranslation

• 350 hours of dubbed TV products collected across all genres, viewing times, target audience and Source Languages across a 4 month period (Spring 2002).

Volume fiction and film of US origin Volume fiction and film of US origin broadcast in 5 major EU countriesbroadcast in 5 major EU countries

• Illustrare lo scopo dei controlli• Indicare la frequenza e le date dei

controlli• Descrivere sommariamente la

procedura di controllo• Distribuire e commentare i moduli

utilizzati

European Audiovisual Observatory; Press Release 28 January 2003

WHO DUBS MOST IN ITALY

RAIUNO1%

RAIDUE17%

RAITRE6%

ITALIA135%

RETE418%

LA716%

CANALE57%

RAIUNO RAIDUE RAITRE CANALE5 ITALIA1 RETE4 LA7

Minutes of dubbed products broadcast weekly

60

1395

2715

520570

14551290

RAIUNORAIDUERAITRECANALE5ITALIA1RETE4LA7

1. Genres: TV series, sitcoms, soap operas, telenovelas, cartoons

Minutes of dubbed programmes per genre

broadcast each week on Italian TV

0 60 0 0 0

655 620

1200 0

400

0 0 00 0150

0

1075 1030

610

0 00

360

0

650

445

210

420

0 0120

420

660

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Min

ute

s

RAIUNO

RAIDUE

RAITRE

CANALE5

ITALIA1

RETE4

LA7

Time spans and target audiences

• Morning: soaps/telenovelas →housewives

• Afternoon: soaps/cartoons/series/sitcoms→housewives/teenagers/young adults

• Evening/prime time: telenovelas/series/serials/sitcoms→general audience

Source languages

• English → US, UK, CANADIAN, AUSTRALIAN

• German• Portuguese → BRAZILIAN• Spanish → CHILEAN,

ARGENTINIAN

Lingua-cultural drops in Lingua-cultural drops in (translational) voltage(translational) voltage

Translation as electricity

• Lingua-cultural energy conducted adequately;

• Lingua-cultural drops in voltage;

• Lingua-cultural short circuits;• Lingua-cultural power cuts

Operational strategiesOperational strategies

1. Culture-specific references (e.g. place names, references to sports and festivities, famous people, monetary systems, institutions etc.);

2. Lingua-specific turbulence (translating terms of address, taboo language, written language etc.);

3. Areas of overlap between language and culture (songs, rhymes, jokes etc.);

4. Visuals (culture specific examples void of language).

Our Questionnaire

http://137.204.90.125/dubbingquality/

The sample - 254 respondentsThe sample - 254 respondents

Results (1)

• Mississippi Mud Pie

• Già /Yeah

• Jokes

• Pet funeral

The perception of humour based The perception of humour based on Non-specific VEHon Non-specific VEH

Buffy: Like the boy who put his finger in the duck.Angel: Dyke. It’s like a dam.Buffy: Oh well, that story makes a lot more sense.

Buffy: Ricordi il ragazzo che mette il dito nel buco della diga e…Angel: BarrieraBuffy: Eh?Angel: Barriera. E un sinonimo di diga.Buffy: Non è esattamente un sinonimo ma si può dire.

Zero recognition

Results (2)

• Raw data elaborated via factor analyses

Might Italian end-users be “linguistically bi-polar”?

“Every film is a foreign film, foreign to some audience somewhere – and not simply in terms of language”

(Egoyan and Balfour 2004:21

Thank you

delia.chiaro@unibo.it