Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description



CODE ATS5205

 
TITLE Screen Translation: Dubbing, Subtitling and other Audiovisual Translation Techniques

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Faculty of Arts

 
DESCRIPTION The term Screen Translation refers to the multilingual transposition of audiovisual productions, enabling viewers to access them in their own language. It also encompasses methods of media accessibility in the case of visual or aural impairment, and is very often referred to as audiovisual translation (generally shortened to AVT).

The study-unit will tackle various screen translation and screen transfer techniques: dubbing, subtitling, voiceover, “fansubbing”, audio description for the blind and partially sighted, subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing and respeaking.

The first part of the unit will focus on the technical process - starting from the script translation and adaptation to the final sound mix and post-synchronisation - and will also highlight the professional roles involved and technologies used.

The second part will explore audiovisual translation from a socio-cultural and linguistic perspective, whilst taking into account the semiotic dimension. In particular, it shall investigate a) the way AVT filters the values and cultural identity of a society, and the cultural impact it has on the target audience; b) the way local institutions sometimes influence and censor linguistic, cultural, socio-political or religious contents in AVT; c) the way the ‘artificial’ hybrid language produced in AVT influences and moulds the everyday language of the target audience.

Students will be shown several film extracts as well as production and adaptation scripts. Examples will be drawn from different countries (Italy, Spain, Poland, France, Denmark, Finland, Canada, Middle East, Japan) in order to compare and contrast the techniques adopted worldwide. Various genres will be covered: film, TV series, documentaries, reality shows, docudrama, TV commercials.

Study-unit Aims:

- Offer a detailed insight into the audiovisual translation industry;
- Give an inside perspective of the professional field in general;
- Provide the basic theoretical and technical background necessary in the application of AVT techniques;
- Enable students to enhance their analytical, creative writing and language transfer skills;
- Entice students to further their studies, focusing on one or more specific aspects of audiovisual translation.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- gain knowledge of the various AVT techniques adopted in the film and media industry;
- be able to critically observe and analyse an audiovisual production;
- acquire knowledge on the audiovisual translation trends across the globe, whilst investigating the Maltese scenario;
- gain insight into the linguistic and socio-cultural implications in AVT and in the film and television industry in general.

2. Skills:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- familiarise with the basic principles necessary in the application of AVT techniques, subtitling in particular;
- enhance their creative subtitling techniques (i.e. avoiding redundancy and repetition, correct choice of words and use of rhythm);
- develop attention to detail, noise, sound, lip movements, image and lexical choice;
- enhance their language transfer skills.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Dìaz-Cintas, Jorge, New trends in audiovisual translation (Multilingual matters, 2009) ISBN: 9781847691545
Dìaz-Cintas Jorge, Remael Aline, Audiovisual translation: subtitling (Routledge, 2007) ISBN-13: 978-1900650953
Chaume, Frederic, Audiovisual translation: dubbing (St. Jerome/Routledge, 2012) New trends in audiovisual translation ISBN 13: 9781905763917
Dror Abend-David, Media and translation (Bloomsbury 2014) ISBN: 9781623561017
Diaz-cintas Jorge, Gunilla M. Anderman, Audiovisual translation, Language transfer on screen. (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009) ISBN-13: 978-0230019966

Online resources (journals):
Chaume, Frederic, The turn of audiovisual translation (John Benjamins, 2013) https://benjamins.com/#catalog/journals/ts.2.06cha/details

Other texts, journal articles and online resources of a more specific interest may be suggested during the lectures according to the topics discussed. A course pack enclosing reading material will be available to the students on commencement of the study unit.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment Yes 30%
Practical Yes 70%

 
LECTURER/S Giselle Spiteri Miggiani

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.


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