22 Film translation 2 subtitling The obvious problem

22. Film translation 2: subtitling The obvious problem is that we need more time to process written text than we do for messages received aurally. We also have exactly the same cultural difficulties that we noted for dubbing.

Gottlieb’s 10 strategies for subtitlers (1992: 166 -168, cited by Taylor p. 221) 1. Expansion. Adding explanatory information. 2. Paraphrase. Rephrasing elements of the SL in the TL. 3. Transfer. Complete and faithful translation. 4. Imitation. Intact transposition of the SL (e. g. the many English words that Italian viewers know). 5. Transcription. Representation of sounds that are unusual to both languages.

6. Dislocation. Different linguistic means to maintain the same effect. 7. Condensation. More concise rendering of the SL text without actually eliminating essential content. 8. Decimation. The actual elimination of part of the original discourse. 9. Deletion. Total elimination. 10. Resignation. Finding a solution that does not fulfil the linguistic or semantic requirements of the SL but is dictated by other factors (e. g. untranslatable cultural references). YOUR TASK: We can’t use Taylor’s example because it requires English subtitles of Nanni Moretti’s film Caro Diario. Instead you have a British TV script to subtitle into Italian.

SCENE 1. EXT. A SCHOOL – DAY 1 [15. 50] VIEW OF A MODERN COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL. SOUND OF A BELL, FOLLOWED BY NOISE OF KIDS PILING OUT OF CLASSROOMS. CUT TO:

SCENE 2. INT. THE SCHOOL – DAY 1 [15. 51] DORIS MOUNTFIELD, A 50 -YEAR-OLD TEACHER IN TWINSET AND PEARLS, IS WALKING ALONG A CORRIDOR. SHE IS GRIM-FACED AND QUITE INDIFFERENT TO THE KIDS RUNNING PAST HER. DORIS (V. O. ): Twenty-eight years. Eighty-four terms. 1120 weeks. 5600 days endeavouring to slake thirst for knowledge of various Sharons and Shanes and Wendys and Waynes. How different it was when I started out: Jim Callaghan was prime minister, a gin and tonic cost 50 p and elf’n’safety hadn’t been invented. In those days, if I made pupils turn out their pockets, I found cigarettes and chewing gum. Nowadays their pockets are more likely to contain a spliff and a banana-flavoured condom.

SHE SPOTS A GIRL WHO HAS TOO MANY SHIRT BUTTONS UNDONE. SHE FIXES HER WITH A SEVERE SCHOOLMISTRESS GLARE. THE GIRL DOES UP HER BUTTONS AND TIGHTENS HER SCHOOL UNIFORM TIE. DORIS WALKS ON.

DORIS (V. O. ): A few years ago I would have taken her aside for a good talking-to. Something along the lines of how goods are worth more if it’s difficult to get hold of them. But I’ve got different priorities now. Three priorities, in fact: retirement, retirement and retirement. CUT TO:

SCENE 3. INT. THE SCHOOL – DAY 1 [15. 52] ANTONIA RAPHAEL, A TALL AFRO-CARIBBEAN IN HER LATE THIRTIES, IS WALKING ALONG ANOTHER CORRIDOR. SHE HAS A TASTE FOR FLAMBOYANT CLOTHES AND HAIRSTYLES. ANTONIA (V. O. ): I could have chosen a different career. Astrophysicist. Neurosurgeon. Hod carrier. Token black in a TV soap. How did I end up like this? Listening to my mother, I suppose: “Don’t be picky-picky. Dem teacher don’ make good money, but one ting dough, dem got a job fo’ life. ” A job for life! Dear Lord, no! SHE CATCHES A BOY DROPPING A CHOCOLATE WRAPPER ON THE FLOOR. WITHOUT A WORD SHE GIVES HIM AN ELOQUENT GLARE, AND HE PICKS UP THE WRAPPER AND STUFFS IT INTO HIS POCKET. SHE WALKS ON.

ANTONIA (V. O. ): Maybe it’s not too late to change direction. I’m young. Well, youngish. My bum’s not too fat yet. And I’m fit: my teeth are plaque-free, my veins are smack-free, my brain’s crack-free. Got to think positive. I don’t have to carry on here till I’m a dried-up old matron in Marks & Spencer’s clothes and imitation pearls. SHE PAUSES BEFORE A DOOR MARKED ‘STAFFROOM’. Dear Lord, let there be someone young and optimistic in there. CUT TO:

SCENE 4. INT. SCHOOL STAFFROM – DAY 1 [15. 53] DORIS IS SITTING AT A LARGE DESK WITH A DAZED EXPRESSION ON HER FACE. ANTONIA SITS OPPOSITE DORIS. NEITHER SPEAKS FOR A FEW SECONDS. ANTONIA: Where is everyone? DORIS: Staff meeting. In the multimedia lab. The Head wants us all to know he’s learnt how to use Powerpoint. ANTONIA: How come I didn’t know about it?

DORIS: Perhaps you had your mind on things other than the latest circular from the Df. ES for NQTs and ASTs, plus the initiative from the LSC in conjunction with the LEAs regarding e. LCs, or the proposed KS 2 and KS 3 reforms in accordance with guidelines from the QCA and the HMIs. I don’t mind telling you: it’s all getting on my TITs. ANTONIA: Mrs Mountfield, I never thought… DORIS: Doris. People tell me I look like a Doris. You imagine a Doris making a sponge for the WI fete, or taking charge of the flower arranging roster in the local chuch. Both things that I have done by the way. But you can’t really picture a Doris luxuriating in a scented bubble bath and being served Champagne by a lusty young toyboy. That’s something I haven’t done, but I do think about it. My! How I think about it! You’ve probably gathered that I have no intention of going to the staff meeting. First time I’ve shirked my duty in 28 years.

ANTONIA: Then I think I’ll bunk off too. I’ve been in this school nearly three years and I don’t suppose we’ve exchanged more than a dozen words in all that time. You are not… as I imagined you to be. DORIS: Oh, yes I am. You looked at me and thought, “There’s a Doris if ever I saw one, ” and you were right. If I’m behaving out of character at the moment, it’s probably a nervous breakdown. ANTONIA: Or a fresh start. The moment to re-invent yourself. DORIS: It’s easy for you to say that: your name’s Antonia, and Antonias get far more out of life. Antonias have fresh starts; Dorises stay in their rut. Antonias sparkle; Dorises darkle. Antonias wear a thong; Dorises wear thermal drawers.

ANTONIA: I wasn’t baptised Antonia. DORIS: Well I admire people who change their names. It’s a way of rebelling against your destiny. If they tried to condemn you to a life as an Ethel, and you refused to accept that dreadful fate, it shows you had the courage to take charge of your life.

FALSE FRIENDS 22 Revision: expect extravagant stravagante Facile /fæsaɪl/: in senso spregiativo per dire semplistico o superficiale, e. g. politicians who offer facile solutions to complex problems. Facile: easy Facility: occasionally used in the sense of facilità in literary contexts, but is more commonly used as a plural noun in contexts that require various translations in Italian – facilitazioni, agevolazioni, attrezzature, servizi – photocopying facilities, medical facilities, sports facilities, residential facilities, credit facilities, parking facilities. Familiar: this adjective has little to do with the noun family. It is used to refer to a thing, situation or person (not a relative) that you know well. There’s no need to explain the procedure to me because I am already familiar with it. Fastidious: difficile da accontentare, pignolo ma anche in senso più positivo come raffinato. Fastidioso: irritating, annoying

THE DIARY OF A BRAVE TRANSLATOR VERILY IN LEG – PART 22 The other day I read in the newspaper about two policemen who arrested a thief as he was taking the wheels off a parked car. They took him to the police station to identify him properly and discovered that he had more than thirty convictions for similar offences. But even though he was a serial offender and they had caught him with his hands in the sack, they had to release him. That’s how it is in Italy; when it comes to microcriminality, the police can’t detain the offender. We talk about guaranteeism but really it’s just politicians who want to save themselves and their friends from possible arrest, and so they pass laws that prevent the police and the magistrates from protecting the public. What incentive is there to be honest when crooks receive ridiculous punishments or often none at all? The politicians take lawabiding citizens at fish in face and allow criminals to do it frank.

The other day I read in the newspaper about two policemen who arrested a thief as he was taking the wheels off a parked car. They took him to the police station to identify him properly and discovered that he had more than thirty convictions for similar offences. But even though he was a serial offender and they had 1. caught him with his hands in the sack, they had to release him. That’s how it is in Italy; when it comes to 2. microcriminality, the police can’t detain the offender. We talk about 3. guaranteeism but really it’s just politicians who want to save themselves and their friends from possible arrest, and so they pass laws that prevent the police and the magistrates from protecting the public. What incentive is there to be honest when crooks receive ridiculous punishments or often none at all? The politicians 4. take law-abiding citizens at fish in face and allow criminals 5. to do it frank. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. caught red-handed petty crime respect/commitment to civil rights treat (people) like dirt/walk all over people get away with (things)/get off scot-free