Swearing in Audiovisual Translation Study

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Questions and Answers

What does Á vila-Cabra’s analysis suggest about the translation of taboo language in Pulp Fiction?

Neutralisation leads to a richer emotional expression.

It results in a loss of communicative meanings. (correct)

Omission of taboo words enhances character development.

Substituting words maintains the original intent.

According to Han and Wang's study on The Family, what is a key aspect of inferring meaning from subtitles?

The familiarity with the source language.

The stylistic choices of the subtitles.

The context provided in the subtitles.

Understanding of non-linguistic cues. (correct)

What role does Greenall attribute to the original soundtrack in the translation of swearwords?

It has no significant impact on the translation process.

It complicates translators' overall decisions.

It allows audiences to replace omitted words easily. (correct)

It encourages the use of more taboo language in subtitles.

What limitation is identified in Á vila-Cabra’s analysis regarding the study of communicative meanings?

It neglects the importance of facial expressions and body language. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does the current study highlight in relation to subtitles in films?

Meaning can be inferred through multiple modes. Signup and view all the answers

What does the proposed multimodal analytical framework aim to address in the study of swearing subtitling?

Investigate intermodal relations and their communicative meanings. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following films was included in the analysis of Chinese subtitling of swearwords?

Bad Boys (1995) Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of original swearwords are either omitted or de-sweared in the Chinese subtitles?

70% Signup and view all the answers

Which translation technique is reported as the least frequently used?

Literal translation Signup and view all the answers

What primary gap does the study identify in existing research on swearing and subtitling?

Absence of an analytical framework for audio-visual elements. Signup and view all the answers

In the provided analysis, which film has the highest frequency of omission as a translation technique?

Bad Boys (1995) Signup and view all the answers

What challenge does subtitle translation pose according to the study?

Difficulties in conveying culturally-distant contexts. Signup and view all the answers

What has been the primary focus of existing studies on swearing in audiovisual texts?

Linguistic transfer of swearwords. Signup and view all the answers

What does the interactive level of communication highlight in Marcus’s character during the kidnapping scene?

His exaggerated figure behavior Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the total number of translation techniques does de-swearing account for?

41% Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Multimodal Analytical Framework for Studying Swearword Subtitling

A systemic functional linguistics (SFL)-based multimodal analytical framework is proposed to analyze swearwords and their subtitling in audiovisual texts.
The framework investigates how swearing's communicative meanings are constructed through the interplay of various modes (e.g., spoken dialogue, mise-en-scène, subtitles), and the impact of retention/modification of intermodal relations in subtitled films.
The framework utilizes three metafunctions (ideational, interpersonal, textual) from Halliday's SFL, and considers spoken, mise-en-scène, and subtitles as core modes.

Swearing in Audiovisual Translation (AVT)

This study, focusing on Chinese subtitles and six English-language films, finds that swearwords are mostly omitted or altered in the subtitles for less offensive translation.
Despite omissions or modifications, the communicative meanings of swearing are often inferable from the interaction between subtitles, spoken dialogue, and mise-en-scène elements.
The study argues that analyzing translations should focus on the roles of the element contribution from various modes and the intermodal relationships rather than just what is lost in the translation, as previously analyzed.

Previous Studies on Swearing Subtitling

Existing literature on swearing translation mainly concentrates on linguistic transfer, often neglecting intermodal relationships.
Some studies examine target audience's proficiency in the source language as a key factor for understanding the translator’s decisions regarding swearword omission or substitution.
Other studies suggest omissions/substitutions of swearwords are frequently used, especially when translating for target audiences accustomed to more restrained language.
Existing frameworks lack a systematic way to analyze the interplay of different modes, especially those involving intermodal relationships and the impact of translation techniques, as previous studies have lacked this analysis.

Multimodal Analytical Framework

The proposed framework utilizes three metafunctions (ideational, interpersonal, textual) from Halliday's SFL theory, which considers spoken, mise-en-scène, and subtitles as core modes.
The framework analyzes how intermodal relations contribute to the construction of swearing's communicative meanings, using examples from previous research and multimodal transcriptions.

Methodology

Sixteen English-language films, featuring varying degrees of swearing use, serve as the study data.
Transcripts of each film's spoken dialogues are collected.
Matching subtitles are identified.
A multimodal transcription method analyzes how various modes intertwine to create communicative meaning, focusing on intermodal relations and the impact of translation techniques, as this element is key to the research. A multimodal framework is applied with a focus on intermodal relations and how diverse translation techniques impact the overall meaning. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative (frequency of techniques) and qualitative (specific examples) approaches to analyze data.

Swearing Translation Techniques

Key techniques observed include omission, de-swearing, semantic shift, and literal translation.
Swear word omissions and de-swearing are frequent translation techniques (approximately 70%).
Other techniques also include semantic shift (rewriting the swearword while maintaining its original meaning) and literal translation (word-for-word translation of the swearword).
The study discusses the quantitative distribution of each technique.

Results & Findings

The study found that de-swearing and omissions were the most frequently used translation techniques (comprising 70% percentage of the swearwords in the subtitles).
Other translation techniques include literal translations and functional shifts. Demonstrating percentage breakdown of each technique.
Analysis demonstrates how various intermodal relations (complementary, parallel, reinforced, and contradictory) contribute to the communication of meaning in subtitled films. Specific examples are detailed in the study to further show how the interrelation works.

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Description

Explore the dynamics of swearword subtitling in films through a multimodal analytical framework. This quiz focuses on the communicative meanings derived from the interplay of dialogue, subtitles, and visual elements in subtitled English-language films. Test your knowledge on translation strategies and their impact on audience perception.