Il talk show: problemi di sottotitolaggio
Università di Bologna, SSLiMIT Forlì
Questa tesi è stata effettuata nell’ambito del progetto di ricerca Subtitleproject.
This thesis was carried out under the auspices of the Subtitleproject.
Abstract:
This thesis deals with the subtitling of a talk show, namely “The tonight show with Jay Leno”. The decision to adopt this multimedia transaltion method was made after considering several factors. First of all, multimedia translation being uncharted territory, at least for myself, it was a way to put translation skills and sensitivity to language to the test. Secondly, the ultimate goal was to hopefully create a polished piece of ‘translated’ program as if it were ready to be aired. Had the chosen method been dubbing we would not have been able to achieve it. Also, as many point out, in talk shows, more than in any other TV genre, it is important to listen to the original dialogues and the only way to do this is through subtitling wich leaves the soundtrack untouched. Finally, the other reason to chose this method is the ever growing trend to turn to subtitling as the multimedia translation of choice. This is all the more apparent these days thanks to its widespread use in satellite channels and DVDs’ bonus features as a way to translate foreign programs. This is in part motivated by its low cost and the fact that it is quicker to create compared to dubbing. The first chapter describes the TV format of talk show and in particular the category the “Tonight show” falls into: the evening-celebrity format. It then lists the elements featured in the “Tonight show.” Chapter two is devoted to multimedia translation encompassing the two most popular methods: dubbing and subtitling which are analyzed to stress each one’s pros and cons. Having stated the reason to prefer subtitling over dubbing, chapter three takes a closer look at the former. It traces back its history listing the different techniques used to apply subtitles to film first and videotape later: these include among others the optical method, the chemical and the laser one as well as the one with timecode. Then, this chapter illustrates the main features of subtitling namely the shift from the oral to the written mode of communication besides the change of language and the ensuing need for dialogue condensation. The requirements subtitles must meet in order to serve their purpose in an efficient way are described before explaining the actual procedure to create them. Chapter four focuses on the translation strategies formulated by Newmark, Nida and Vermeer. It then deals with humour and the ways in which it may be conveyed (idioms, cultural references, dislocated logic). The last chapter comments on the proposed subtitles and considers the different approach required by the monologue and interview. The thesis is concluded by a final consideration on the various phases and outcome involved in the subtitling process. The final thought emerging from this essay is that subtitling is essentially an applied method. This means that one cannot consider a translation subtitling until it has been suitably applied to some type of TV or movie footage.
