Search
Cifuentes Translations
European Office: +34 722 733 019

Audio-visual translation: keeping up with the language change

Subtitling Translation

By Andrea Musumeci

Today’s world is not only selfish, but also selfie. Cyber-space, e-commerce, nooks, digital

media, digital lobbies. In other words, the Matrix is here; the digitalization of information has

changed not only the way ideas are put into practice, but also the way truth is perceived by

both individuals and communities. In this virtual conundrum, however, where is our

Morpheus, the person asking whether we would rather remain asleep or instead prefer to

see the world for what it really is? Blue pill or red pill?

The profession, and indeed the figure of the translator may be deeply influenced by these

dynamics, to the extent that a whole branch of the métier may be redefining itself under our

own eyes. In recent years, the role of the audiovisual-translator has witnessed – perhaps

more than other roles within the translation profession – an evolution that was substantially

shaped by the very nucleus of the infolution described above. The question is: what may be

the practical consequences of such change?

Is the Remedy in… Re-mediation?

Audiovisual translators, also known by the more demystifying name of subtitlers, have been

subjects of a massive change in the scope of their role during the last ten years. If only ten

years ago professional subtitling was seen as a peripheral activity, both in film studies and in

translation studies, ATV finds itself today at the forefront of scholarly and professional

contexts. In today’s globalised world, where distances are shortened, and world views

homogenised, previously distinct linguistic communities bear less distinct boundaries now, in

what may be perceived as a movement towards a superdiverse, macro-community. The

global solidarity that nowadays arises whenever a particular part of the world undergoes a

calamity or a conflict is symptomatic of this situation. For as much as it cannot be denied that

access to technology is not evenly spread around the world, especially not so in areas with

ongoing conflicts, the tendency towards a call for global empathy is there; a call for

geopolitical awareness of an unprecedented scale. It may be seen also from the relatively

new trend of using technological and multilingual solutions such as subtitling not only by

organizations such as the EU or UN, but also by NGOs and independent organisations for

the furthering of their humanitarian or political causes. This is driven not so much by the will

of reaching the other, intended as member of another community, but rather by that of

raising the other’s awareness, intended as other members of the world community, in terms

of what happens around the globe. The independent platform Mosirreen epitomises the use

of subtitles as main communicative tool to call for empathy and political awareness globally.

What’s in it for me?

I think that the speed of change in the spread of information may be a new source of

‘nutriment’ not only for subtitlers, but for translators in general. The use of subtitles has

grown also in corporate environments, in training and presentations for example. Going back

to our initial question, the role of subtitles in the spread of information may be undergoing a

process of re-tailoring, which may lead towards a Morpheus-direction on an individual level,

but also towards the reshaping of the figure of the translator as an advisor/intimidator at a

collective level. In other words, the translator, usually thought of a disposable linguistically

ambidextrous persons by companies and organisations, may become more of a cultural

consultant, a figure with knowledge of linguistic and cultural crevices. Especially in the case

of the audiovisual translator, a figure who is also able to man the technological tools required

in tackling any piece of media-information, translate, publish on demand on a digital

platform, and communicate effectively in the particular target language/culture of a given

project. This action-ground may be defined in terms of activism, as well as cultural and

technological mediation. Indeed, mass media, corporations, and even political formations

may find in the audiovisual translator a figure to both fear and desire. It is the cognitive

sensitivity over language change that makes the translator is someone whom, in

professional settings, you would prefer having as a friend rather than as an enemy, so to

say.

A practical scenario: borrowings.

Languages borrow words from one another at such a disgustingly high and uncontrolled rate

that I sometimes refer to borrowing as language pollution. Not that I am an advocate of

purism or nationalistic views, it is just my take on facts. Usually, borrowing happens with

words from other languages on the basis of the status height. The lower one borrows, the

higher one lends. Yet, it may happen for many other reasons, the borrowed word sounds

better, conveys better the meaning, etc. The terminology used by linguists, to use may make

us think that one day English will return croissant to French and pizza to Italian, which might

end up in a lot of confusion when ordering pastries. Well, in reality borrowed words usually

are not returned. It is more of a long-term loan; in fact, this phenomenon has economic

implications. Monitoring which words are borrowed in which domains may well have an

economic impact on the income of companies. And who other than translators, in virtue of

their linguistic sensitivity, should be monitoring that phenomenon, and notify its existence to

those companies? Could translation agencies, and the localization market, benefit from

professionals trained in this sense?

No Comments
Leave a Reply