https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/1177 Fri, 30 Oct 2026 17:17:59 GMT 2026-10-30T17:17:59Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149390 Title: Translating identities : cultural and linguistic mediation within the Colombian community in Malta Abstract: The present study analyses the experience of Colombian migrants in Malta in regards communication in a multilingual environment determined by Spanish, English and Maltese. Rather than approaching communication as a purely linguistic process, the present research understands it as a social and cultural practice through which identity is expressed, negotiated and how this study proves it, transformed. The central argument is that what Colombian migrants do in their everyday interactions goes beyond language learning and/or cultural adaptation; it is a form of cultural translation, in which meaning is continuously mediated across languages and social/cultural settings. The study emphasises in a combination of theoretical frameworks, including Hofstede's cultural dimensions, Hall's high- and low-context communication theory, Li Wei's concept of translanguaging, Communication Accommodation Theory and the concept of linguistic and cultural mediation developed by Carreras i Goicoechea and Pérez Vázquez. All theories together enable research that analyses how cultural values also influence communication and the dynamic, social nature of everyday language use in a migration environment. A qualitative approach was also implemented, combining a semi-structured online survey completed by 30 Colombians residing in Malta and a focus group discussion with three participants. The findings of this study demonstrate that language use is based on contextual situations, with Spanish representing language as an identity mediator for Colombians, English as the main tool for professional and intercultural relationships, and Maltese entering participants' vocabulary gradually through social exposure. Also, as demonstrated in the data collection phase, code-switching is a central feature of Colombians' everyday communicative practices, determined by group dynamics as well as social motivations. Moreover, communication challenges can be both cultural and linguistic wise, depending on individual reasons, and participants are actively mediating in their own interactions through a variety of strategies explained through the research. Most significantly in this study, it was found that the influence of Maltese goes beyond English, but also impacts Spanish’s participants, calling for a process that affects the whole communicative repertoire of a person rather than a single language. Furthermore, this study contributes to translation studies by demonstrating that cultural translation is present in everyday life, not only in professional or literary contexts as it was traditionally believed, and that the Colombian community in Malta represents a rich and underexplored case to understand how language, identity, culture and meaning are understood in a multilingual migration setting like Malta. Description: M.Trans.(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149390 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146941 Title: Translating medical language and terminology in dubbing : a case study of Grey’s anatomy in Italian Abstract: This study investigates the field of audiovisual translation by analysing three episodes of the American medical drama Grey’s Anatomy in their Italian dubbed version. The research aims to examine how medical terminology is rendered in the target language, while accounting for the constraints of dubbing. Selected episodes were viewed and transcribed in both their original and dubbed versions to extract instances of medical terminology. These instances formed a dataset that constitutes the basis of the present study, which was subsequently analysed using criteria specifically designed to distinguish medical jargon from general language. The findings indicate that, despite key constraints typically associated with the dubbing modality – such as lip synchronisation and isochrony – which tend to make the adaptation process and the preservation of medical terminology more challenging than in the dubbing of other audiovisual genres, professionals nevertheless opted to prioritise terminological accuracy. As a result, surrounding syntactic structures were often adjusted to maintain both semantic precision and fluency in the target language. However, slight modifications were occasionally introduced to enhance comprehensibility for non-expert audiences. Moreover, the choice of translation strategies varied depending on how medical terminology was integrated into the target-language discourse. The most commonly observed strategies were simplification, explicitation, nominalisation, and dynamic equivalence. Future research could be directed specifically towards investigating how medical terminology in television dramas such as Grey’s Anatomy diverges from the specialised language used in real-life clinical settings. Comparative studies may also explore discrepancies between the terminology employed in fictional portrayals and that used in real emergency contexts, taking into account emotional factors that influence communication, as well as regional variation in medical language. Furthermore, reception studies involving viewers – particularly non-specialists – would be valuable in assessing how medical discourse is perceived and understood by target audiences. Description: M.Trans.(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146941 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146940 Title: Enhancing Maltese translation company practices : an investigation into the integration of subtitling workflows Abstract: With the rapid expansion of over-the-top (OTT) platforms and social media, the field of audiovisual translation (AVT) has encountered an increasing need for subtitled content. This demand resulted in Language Service Providers (LSPs) and media localisation companies adapting their subtitling workflows to meet tighter turnaround times and to cater to language combinations that they have never worked with before. Local LSPs in Malta, however, were not affected by this phenomenon due to the limited perceived need for subtitled content in Maltese. Subtitling is still a primitive AVT mode in the local scenario, and while some local LSPs already do handle subtitling projects, their practices may not yet align with industry standards. To increase the awareness of subtitling in the local scenario and encourage locally based LSPs to expand their business for this service, this research study aims to identify recurrent subtitling practices adopted by foreign media localisation companies and examine how local LSPs align with these norms. Based on the identified gaps, this study also aims to suggest ways in which these workflows can be adapted to fit the current needs of these companies by proposing an alternative step-by-step, cost effective subtitling workflow. To do so, this study adopts a qualitative thematic methodology by conducting semi-structured online interviews with three locally based LSPs and three foreign media localisation companies based in different territories. The data revealed several recurrent processes that are applied across foreign media localisation companies. It also revealed that local LSPs frequently treat subtitling as an extension of the technical translations that they primarily take up, relying on Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools that may not account for the specific technical constraints of subtitles. To be able to expand their businesses, this dissertation proposes a “hybrid” subtitling workflow that suggests the use of both CAT tools and temporary specialised software licenses to ensure high quality deliverables. By filling this research gap in localisation project management in Malta, this study provides a framework for local LSPs to scale their services. However, the suggested workflows may also be feasible for small LSPs abroad, who encounter similar challenges as those that are based locally. Description: M.Trans.(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146940 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146939 Title: Translation and migration : the representation of objects in Lou Drofenik’s Birds of Passage Abstract: This dissertation explores the intersection of translation and migration through an analysis of the role of objects in Lou Drofenik’s novel Birds of Passage. More specifically, the research questions include identifying the role and representation of the objects mentioned in the novel, as well as the effects brought about by the objects. Drawing on the theoretical framework of translationality as developed by Piotr Blumczynski and M. Carmen África Vidal Claramonte, the study examines how material objects function as carriers of cultural memory, identity, and linguistic negotiation in the context of migration. Selected extracts from the novel are translated from English into Maltese to foreground issues related to cultural specificity and the transference of meaning. The study demonstrates the way that objects are represented in the translational journey, by taking into account their symbolic features, cultural references and the way the migrant experience adds on to the experience of translationality. Particular attention is given to culture-specific items and their narrative significance, illuminating the ways in which translation becomes a dynamic process embedded in the migrant experience. This research contributes to the fields of literary translation and migration studies by highlighting the translational function of objects as both symbolic and communicative agents in literary translation. Description: M.Trans.(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146939 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z