SUBTITLING FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING: TRADUCTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF ITALIAN SUBTITLES FOR A SHORT FILM FEATURING THE SPLIT DIALECT
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.38003/zrffs.14.3
Nada Županović Filipin, Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Filozofski fakultet, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0461-5160
Maria Rugo, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8347-7012
Abstract:
Subtitling is a technique of audio-visual translation to which apply particular
translating procedures. In Croatia, it is the method of choice when it comes to
translating almost all imported audio-visual material. Probably due to the ephemeral
nature of this type of translation, since the maximum period of time a subtitle can
stay on screen can not be longer than six seconds, Croatian linguistics has so far
witnessed only a few linguistic and translation analyses, even though subtitling
reaches by far a vaster public than any other translation technique. The paper deals
with the aforementioned subject from the point of view of the Italian studies in
Croatia. It analyses translation methods employed in the Italian subtitling for the
award-winning Croatian short film Ritki zrak (“Thin Air”, 2016). Firstly, the language
variety used in the film, which can be defined as contemporary Split youth speech, is
described from dialectological and sociolinguistic perspectives. Then the translation
strategies used in the subtitles are presented. The analysis is carried out by using
the theoretic models proposed for this text type, primarily those of Gottlieb and of
Lomheim. Both are based on a classification of procedures used for the purposes of
maintaining in the target text the largest possible amount of semantic, stylistic and
cultural information present in the source text. Particular attention will be paid to
the treatment of culture-specific items which are difficult to translate due to their
non-existence in the target culture. Finally, the characteristics of subtitling as an AVT
technique will be discussed based on the conducted traductological analysis. Some
general observations on the orientation of the translation in this text type will be
presented as well.
Key words:
subtitling, Italian, Croatian, sociolinguistic analysis, dialectological
analysis, translation strategies, culture-specific items
