Humour translation is an extremely difficult process which causes translators many problems. Rendering humour into a different language becomes even more complicated when the translator translates film dialogues for the purpose of dubbing
or subtitling.
The aim of this thesis is to analyse translation strategies and techniques applied in the process of humour translation in dubbing and subtitling. The analysis is based on two animated films: Shrek 2 and Ice Age. In the thesis the original version of film dialogues is compared with its dubbed and subtitled versions in Polish. The material for the study comes from DVD releases.
The thesis is divided into two chapters. In the first chapter the concept of humour is explained and humour translation is described. In this chapter I also provide definitions of translation strategy and translation technique, explain the difference between these two concepts and describe possible translation strategies and techniques in humour translation. In the second part of the first chapter
the specificity of audiovisual translation is discussed, and subtitling and dubbing are described as two different translation methods.
The second chapter offers a comparison between the Polish dubbed and subtitled dialogue versions. In this chapter I describe translation strategies and techniques used by the translators and compare the humorous effect evoked by them with the humorous effect of the original dialogues.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Theoretical part
1.1. Humour – its definition and classification
1.2. Humour translation
1.2.1. Definition of humour translation
1.2.2. Untranslatability
1.2.3. Shifts of meaning
1.2.4. Humour translation and theory
1.2.5. Translation strategies and techniques in humour translation
1.3. Audiovisual translation
1.3.1. Definition of audiovisual translation
1.3.2. Subtitling
1.3.3. Dubbing
1.3.4. Translation or adaptation
2. Analytical part
2.1. Shrek 2 and Ice Age as humorous films
2.2. Translation techniques and strategies used in Shrek 2 and Ice Age
2.3. Language of film characters creating humorous effect
2.4. Skopos and the choice of translation strategy and technique
Conclusion
Films under discussion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The primary aim of this thesis is to analyze the translation strategies and techniques applied to humor in dubbing and subtitling, comparing original English film dialogues with their Polish versions in the movies "Shrek 2" and "Ice Age".
- Theoretical analysis of humor, its translation challenges, and specific audiovisual translation methods.
- Examination of translation strategies (domestication vs. foreignization) in the context of humor.
- Comparative analysis of dubbing and subtitling techniques regarding meaning shifts and humor retention.
- Investigation into how character language and register contribute to the humorous effect.
- Application of Skopos theory to evaluate the effectiveness of translation choices in humorous films.
Excerpt from the Book
Translation techniques and strategies used in Shrek 2 and Ice Age
As it was stated in the theoretical chapter, rendering humour from the SL into the TL is an extremely difficult task for translators, mainly due to numerous cultural and linguistic dissimilarities. These dissimilarities, as well as other translational problems, often result in applying such translation techniques that change the meaning of the ST. In this chapter shifts of meaning in the TT will be discussed. Please consider Table 1:
This table contains examples of minor shifts of meaning. As it can be observed they do not change fundamentally the sense of particular utterances. These shifts are rather optional since in the majority of cases they are not related to cultural or linguistic differences between the source and target culture and language.
The above examples show that modifications of the ST are more common in dubbing than in subtitling. Minor shifts are present in all fragments of dubbed dialogues presented in the table, except Example 3. In this case literal translation of humour was possible. Interestingly, in subtitles from Example 3 a little change of the ST meaning was introduced: the word ‘vegetarians’ was translated as ‘herbivores’ and consequently the humorous effect was lost. Using a word which is typically related to humans in order to describe an animal was supposed to evoke a humorous effect. In subtitles this effect was not possible to achieve because an inappropriate equivalent was selected. However, this is the only situation when introducing shifts of meaning to the TT does not result in humorous effect or even is detrimental to it.
Summary of Chapters
1. Theoretical part: Provides foundational definitions of humor, discusses the complexities of humor translation and untranslatability, and defines key concepts like translation strategies, audiovisual translation, and Skopos theory.
2. Analytical part: Conducts a detailed comparison of the Polish dubbed and subtitled versions of "Shrek 2" and "Ice Age", focusing on the application of domestication and foreignization to maintain humor.
Keywords
Audiovisual translation, humor translation, dubbing, subtitling, Shrek 2, Ice Age, domestication, foreignization, translation strategies, translation techniques, humor, Skopos theory, meaning shifts, cultural allusion, film dialogue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on the challenges and strategies involved in translating humor within audiovisual products, specifically examining the dubbing and subtitling of the animated films "Shrek 2" and "Ice Age" into Polish.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The key themes include the nature of humor, translation strategies (domestication vs. foreignization), the technical constraints of dubbing and subtitling, and the impact of these factors on maintaining humor in the target language.
What is the main objective or research question?
The primary goal is to analyze which translation strategies and techniques are most effective for preserving humorous effects in Polish dubbing and subtitling when faced with linguistic and cultural barriers.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The work employs a comparative methodology, systematically contrasting source English dialogues with their Polish dubbed and subtitled equivalents, using established translation theories to interpret the results.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body investigates specific dialogue examples, analyzing shifts in meaning, character language, and register, and evaluates the consistency and success of the translators' choices based on Skopos theory.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include audiovisual translation, humor translation, dubbing, subtitling, domestication, foreignization, and translation techniques.
How do dubbing and subtitling differ in their approach to humor?
The research finds that dubbing tends to favor domestication and more colloquial language to achieve naturalness and humor, whereas subtitling often leans toward foreignization, though it also encounters stricter technical constraints.
Why is "Shrek 2" particularly challenging for translators?
It is rich in culture-specific allusions (such as references to American TV, institutions, and pop culture) which are often unrecognizable to the target audience, necessitating significant translation adjustments to retain the humor.
- Citation du texte
- Ewelina Bruździak (Auteur), 2011, Translation Strategies and Techniques in Audiovisual Translation of Humour: Analysis of "Shrek 2" and "Ice Age", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/184630
