In Translation & Interpreting (English/Arabic/English)

171 Pages·2012·0.9 MB·English

THE SUBTITLING AND DUBBING OF TROY:
A COMPARATIVE STUDY

By

Najla Al Owais

A thesis presented to the faculty of the
American University of Sharjah
College of Arts and Sciences
in partial fulfillment
of the requirements
for the degree

Master of Arts
In Translation & Interpreting (English/Arabic/English)

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
June 2011
© 2012 Najla Al Owais. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT

The processes for dubbing and subtitling are acknowledged to be
different approaches in audiovisual translation. They are different in
nature, and given their strengths and limitations, the end results are not
expected to be completely similar. This study examines the subtitling and
dubbing of the movie Troy in Arabic, and compares between the two
approaches used and that of the end results with the original in terms of
accuracy, the translation of idiomatic expressions, names, honorifics, and
cultural references. Some differences are expected in the end results of
both approaches, and based on the literature; the hypothesis is that the
dubbed approach mirrors the original more than the subtitled version.
However, this study finds that the subtitling process is more successful in
mirroring the original English script in the comparison of Troy.

Search terms: subtitling, dubbing, audiovisual translation,
comparison, troy, English, Arabic.
Table of Contents

ABSTRACT ............................................................................... 3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................... 7
CHAPTER I: Introduction ........................................................ 9
CHAPTER II: Equivalence ...................................................... 13
Chapter III: Audiovisual Translation ...................................... 16
3.1 Definition of Audiovisual Translation .............................. 16
3.2 Subtitling ...................................................................... 17
3.3 Dubbing ........................................................................ 22
3.4 Subtitling and Dubbing Models ........................................ 25
3.5 Constraints of Subtitling & Dubbing ................................ 27
3.6 Subtitling, Dubbing and Culture ...................................... 30
CHAPTER IV: Analysis and Findings ..................................... 32
4.1 Troy .............................................................................. 32
4.2 Why Troy ...................................................................... 32
4.3 Methodology ................................................................. 33
4.4 Analysis ........................................................................ 33
4.3.1 Idiomatic Expressions ............................................... 34
4.3.2 Accuracy ................................................................. 42
4.3.3 Word Choice ............................................................ 50
4.3.4 Cultural References .................................................. 56
4.3.5 Honorifics ............................................................... 65
4.3.6 Names ..................................................................... 69
CHAPTER V: Conclusion ........................................................ 75
4
REFERENCES ........................................................................ 78
VITA....................................................................................... 84
APPENDIX ............................................................................. 85

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List of Tables

Table 1: The subtitling & dubbing of the term 'cousin' .......................... 52
Table 2: The subtitling & dubbing of sensitive words ............................. 54
Table 3: The subtitling & dubbing of cultural references ..................... 56
Table 4: The subtitling & dubbing of religious words ............................. 62
Table 5: Titles compiled by Master Wilhelm von Schlüssel et al.... 66
Table 6: The subtitling and dubbing of honorifics ..................................... 66
Table 7: The subtitling & dubbing of names .................................................. 71

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In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The completion of this thesis would not have been possible without
the help and assistance of various individuals who have supported and
encouraged me throughout my writing process. I would like to thank my
advisor, Dr. Ahmed Ali, for his utmost patience with me as I strove to
find a suitable topic and for his immense help in the field of audiovisual
translation.
My sincere thanks also go to the various professors who have taught
me at AUS: Dr. Said Faiq, Dr. Basil Hatim, and Dr. Sattar Izwaini. Thank
you for all that you taught us and for the memorable classes that will
always come to mind when we are translating.
My deepest gratitude goes to the Mohamed Bin Rashid Foundation
for funding my tuition and helping me realize a dream.
My gratitude, appreciation, and love go to my family and friends
for being with me every step of the way. For my parents, who have always
believed I could do anything I set for myself. For my brothers, for their
undying encouragement and their de-stressing antics. For my husband, for
his unconditional support. And for my friends and colleagues, who have
made this experience, dare I say it, fun.

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DEDICATION
To Mohamed & Shaikha
The best parents one could wish for

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CHAPTER I: Introduction

This study aims to compare the dubbing and subtitling of the movie
Troy and addresses the similarities and differences found in conveying the
intended message through both processes. Many countries have debated
the advantages and disadvantages of dubbing and subtitling, with some
opting for one or the other. In the Arab world, most of the dubbed works
in the audiovisual field have either been aimed at children (Disney
movies) or at a certain audience (documentaries, for instance). Recently,
the TV channel MBC MAX started dubbing English movies into Arabic,
and with this step Arab audiences are being exposed to more options when
viewing movies, i.e., in their subtitled or dubbed formats.
Not much research has been done in the Arab world to compare the
subtitled and dubbed versions of the same movie, and the significance of
this research lies in that it tackles the way each process handles the same
movie and compares the end result, and how the two versions compare to
the movie in its original English format.
The movie Troy was chosen as a case study in this research for
various reasons. The movie was a huge success in the English-speaking
world, and was greeted with enthusiasm in the Arabic-speaking world as
well. The availability of the movie in both its dubbed and subtitled format
was another reason for this choice. Thirdly, the movie has been dubbed in
Standard Arabic, rather than colloquial Arabic; MBC MAX dubbed movies
are either in Standard Arabic or colloquial Arabic, with the most recent
movies being dubbed in colloquial Arabic of different dialects.
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The analysis of this study is undertaken by obtaining a copy of the
subtitled version of the movie Troy and a copy of the dubbed version of
the movie. The dubbed version is one shown by the MBC channel, but as
they were unable to provide a copy of the movie, an online vendor with
access to the dubbed movies was contacted. The English script of the
movie Troy is available online, as is the case with most scripts of English
movies. The Arabic scripts, however, are not. Accordingly, they have
been recorded as the movie was being watched by the researcher. The
analysis will then be carried out by looking at the strategies used in
translating the dubbed and subtitled scripts, the way equivalence is
achieved, and the way certain cultural references are portrayed.
Chapter I, the introduction, includes a general outline of the thesis,
a description of the different chapters included in the thesis, and covers
the reasons for choosing this particular topic and the processes involved,
while shedding light on the importance of the comparison between
subtitling and dubbing regarding a work translated into Arabic.
Chapter II, the literature review, covers the translation theories
relevant to the field of audiovisual translation. These include the
definition of equivalence, Nida’s work on formal and dynamic
equivalence, Skopos theory, Venuti’s domestication and foreignization,
etc.
Chapter III, provides an introduction to audiovisual translation and
deals with the definitions of subtitling and dubbing. This chapter also
covers the strengths and limitations of subtitling and dubbing, and their
technical and linguistic parameters, and provides examples when possible.
Chapter IV discusses issues found in the scripts of Troy, and
analyzes several examples for each issue, and the issues in question are:
idiomatic expressions, accuracy, word choice, cultural references,
honorifics and names.
Chapter IV, the conclusion, addresses the findings, along with
further recommendations for the study of audiovisual translation in
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