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Subtitling

Unique constraints in subtitles translation

in Israeli TVZehavit Ehre - March 2010

Linguistic consultant for The Israel Educational TV

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DefinitionsSubtitles A written representation of the audio channel in a tv programme, a film or a video which is time-coded in sync with the audio.

Subtitles are timed-transcription (closed captioning) or translation.

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DefinitionsSubtitles translationIs an inter-lingual and inter-semiotic transposition: From one set of signs to another From one medium to anotherFrom spoken to written text.

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Subtitling production process (in TV)

Broadcasting body

Post production studios

translator

TCTime-coder

QCQuality Control

Video editor

proofreader

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Translation process The process of subtitling involves controlling

three key elements: Content, Time & Space

The Source text is called Script or Dialog

Samples:

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MGM - ONE MORE CHANCE 1983

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Extra-textual elements shown in redCHANNEL E! BEHIND THE SCENES #1068WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

FILM AND TV CLIPS ARE IN ITALICSOPENINGJAMES GANDOLFINI:(CAROL) YOU ARE NOW THE KING. AND YOU WILL BE A TRULY GREAT KING. FOREST WHITAKER:(IRA) “WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE” WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS AS A KID.JAMES GANDOLFINI:(CAROL) WHAT'S YOUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS?MAX RECORDS:(MAX) LET THE WILD RUMPUS START![ CHEERING ]

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BIOGRAPHY CHANNEL – DURAN DURANScript

Title: Duran Duran Interview Code:

Producer: Liisa Lunden Prebuild #:

Length: 00:29:20 Master #:

Video: Audio:

Lynn Hoffman and Duran Duran on screen

A Block18:13:39Lynn Hoffman: My guests today are pop super group Duran Duran who have sold over 70 million albums and have had at least 18 American hit singles to date. Welcome, you guys, to the show it is so great to have you here.John Taylor: Where do you get these numbers from? Roger Taylor: I want to know why we are stuck on 70 million. It must be 71 by now.JT: It has been on 70 million for the last years it feels like.LH: I say we just say 100 million! Ok?ALL: OK!! I like that!LH: 100 million albums sold. The song you just played was off of the new album Red Carpet Massacre it’s called Falling Down. I heard that that song almost didn’t even come to be. It was kind of an after thought after the album was made?Simon Le Bon: Yea, you often have that. You often get pressure off tracks, which uh, you think you finished the album and something happens and you go back and you do another one. This time what happened was I went up to see Justin Timberlake who co-produced Nite Runner, and um, we were having a drink after his show up in Birmingham, and he said I think we ought to do another song together somehow. I said you do? That’s great! We’ll do it. And we did. We all got into a truck and went up to Manchester and had the thing written and recorded within a day and a half.

END OF SEGMENT

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MegaDisasters: Mega Tsunami

Final ScriptSupervising Producer: Kevin Fitzpatrick

Producer: Rebecca RatliffWriter: Rebecca Ratliff

TEASEVIDEO & TC NARRATION / DIALOGUE / SOT

01:00:00 A WALL OF WATER, MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED FEET HIGH.

01:00:05OZKAN-HALLER OC

TUBA OZKAN-HALLER SOT: These are huge numbers. These are just unbelievably large waves that we’re talking about.

01:00:10 EIGHT THOUSAND YEARS AGO, A MASSIVE TSUNAMI DECIMATED THE MEDITERRANEAN.

01:00:15BEHNCKE OC

BORIS BEHNCKE SOT: That is the big problem with the tsunami – they just don’t stop.

01:00:19 PREHISTORIC VILLAGES OBLITERATED IN AN INSTANT.

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Who are the subtitlers?

Required qualifications:•Linguistic know-how•Audio-visual sensitivity•Access to various information resources (texts and/or experts)

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Code of good subtitling practice

Endorsed by several subtitling companies in Europe

http://www.esist.org/Code.pdf

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constraints

technicallinguistic

Cultural-linguistic

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Linguistic constraints•Register and genre in spoken language

•Shortening the text while keeping it coherent– Initials and acronyms– Shortened version of words– Pragmatic omissions - exclamations, vocative

words, emotive words, and any sounds that are evident from the audio-visual channel

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באתר "רייני דיי"צוות רייגארד מכתתים את רגליהם.

צוותבאתר "רייני דיי" מכתתים את רגליהם.רייגארד

At the Rainy Day site, Rygaard trudges on.

מ"מ של גשם בשעה25ו-מעכבים את העבודה

של גשם כל שעהואינץ'העבודה. מעכבים את

And an inch of rain an hour is slowing production.

חוסר הניסיון של בראדמתחיל לעלות הרבה כסף.

מתחילחוסר הניסיון של בראד לעלות הרבה כסף.

Brad’s inexperience is starting to cost real money.

קרייג מבין שהגיע הזמןלהפסיק את ההכשרה.

קרייג מבין שהגיע הזמן.לאימון

Craig realizes it’s time for the training wheels to come off.

במילים שלו הוא אמר.שהוא רוצה ללמוד לחטוב

שהואבמילים שלו הוא אמר רוצה ללמוד לחטוב.

By his own words, said that he wanted to learn logging.

הוא רצה ללמוד הכול. הוא רצה ללמוד הכול. He wanted to learn everything.

נתנו לו לקשור, לטפס על עצים,לחתוך את הכבלים,

עלנתנו לו לקשור, לטפס , לחתוך את הכבלים,עצים

He’s had the choker, climbing trees, splicing line,

מה שלא יהיה. אתה מבין?מה שלא יהיה, whatever it took, you know.

Syntactic sensitivity –knowing exactly when to start a new line or subtitle

History Channel - AX MEN אנשי היערות

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Technical constraints•Time-coding (“spotting”)•Length and number of lines• Subtitle duration •Unspoken text (written or shown on screen)•Simultaneous speech of two or more speakers•Translating from hearing when script isn’t available

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Cultural-linguistic constraints

• Cultural nuances, metaphors and word games

• Conversions (weight, length etc.)

• Subtitles as a means for literacy•Ability to use the right register/genre for the specific speaker and/or context

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You are the best, man!

Translated “you are the best-man!” (at a wedding)

Model Naomi Campbell threw a Blackberry on her housekeeperTranslated: blackberry (the fruit, NOT the mobile phone)

Errors as a result of a missing cultural knowledge:

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Cultural-linguistic constraints Cultural nuances

Is it Dr Spock or Mr. Spock?!

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The reasons for common translation errors are mostly:

•Misunderstanding the source text•Inadequate acquaintance with the source language culture•Bad wording in target language•Lack of professional tools and knowledge• in subtitling No audio-visual sensitivity•in subtitling bad spoken language orientation

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What should be done in order to

improve the quality of translation in TV?1. Setting clear and defined rules for hiring and

training subtitlers

2. Always perform Quality Control: proofreading, editing and professional feedbacks

4. Improving working conditions and motivators

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Thanks for watching!

Zehavit Ehre

March 2010

www.Gtranslations.co.il