by Mara Campbell “Glossary”, “consistency sheet”, “term base,” or “key names and phrases” (KNP). It has been called many names by different companies over the years, but its usefulness is uncontested. Put simply, it is a list of terms that are repeated throughout a show, film, or saga, and their approved translations into different […]
Testing AppTek’s Machine Translation Engine for Subtitling
by Stavroula Sokoli Most professional translators, including subtitlers, always look for new ways and tools to enhance their productivity. In my case, checking the most recent advances in technology is also necessary for teaching and research. For these reasons, I decided to test AppTek’s machine translation (MT) engine specifically developed for subtitling and recently deployed […]
Localize the Planet
by Mara Campbell and Sebastián Arias Audiovisual translation is full of challenges. Conveying meaning, nuance, intention, and things unsaid is not just “replacing words in the source language with their equivalent in the target”. But some projects stand out. Case in point: The History of Swear Words, a series that premiered on Netflix in January […]
Introducing “Subtitling: Concepts and Practices” – Book Review
by Jorge Díaz Cintas & Aline Remael Subtitling has been around since the first half of the 20th century and has taken on many shapes and forms since then. With online activity increasing in virtually all domains of our preeminently audiovisual globalized cultures, its importance is growing exponentially. Subtitling: Concepts and Practices provides students, researchers, […]
Boosting Inclusion through Easy-to-Read Texts in AVT
by Mariella Di Bua It is often said that translation bridges gaps between different cultures. And that it helps to spread information with the peoples of the world. We also refer to translation as a tool that allows access to information through the power of words in written and oral channels. Today, acknowledgment of this […]
Arabic Audio Description: Challenges and Possibilities
by Heba Safwat Alattar A Brief History of Arabic Audiovisual Translation Arabic audiovisual translation (AVT) appeared with the emergence of cinema in Egypt back in 1896. Early movies were accompanied by the voice of elmefahematy who would simultaneously interpret the intertitles of silent foreign movies and, later, foreign dialogues. The practice evolved to presenting the […]
Revisiting Translation Environment Tools (TEnTs) for Subtitling: Can We Use TMs and TBs to Translate TV Series?
by Damián Santilli I’ve always loved technology, and during my years at university studying translation back in the early 2000s, I quickly realized that I would always be able to link my passion for computers with translation. Additionally, I have always also been a movie buff, so that’s why I knew I had to become […]
ATA 61 Recap: Translating Into Hollywood: A Case Study of the Oscar- Winning Film Parasite
by Elena Chang Several months after my 2019 ATA conference presentation, “Translating Hollywood: The Limits of Localization,” Parasite won the Best Picture Academy Award. This work by Korean writer/director Bong Joon-ho secured a place in history as the first non-English-language film to win the award. As a movie buff as well as a professional translator/interpreter, […]
Enhanced Productivity with Text Expansion
by Nora Díaz I haven’t typed my full name or email address in years. Instead, I type abbreviations that get expanded after I type a punctuation mark or press a trigger key, such as the spacebar or Enter key. I also use text expansion for standard email replies, such as my reply when I receive […]
Three Elements that Affect Subtitling Productivity
by Catalina Espinoza Almost every audiovisual translator has been asked their daily productivity. In an effort to win clients, sometimes we rush to respond: “x” minutes a day. But it’s difficult to predict the complexity of a project knowing only how long the file is. The purpose of this article is to make it clear […]
Translating Accessibility and Sensitive Content
by Daniela Costa A few months ago, I was assigned the subtitle translation of a documentary. So far, nothing new to me. Before starting a project, I usually do some research about the director, characters, and theme. In this case, it was a documentary about a camp for teenagers, and how it changed their lives. […]
On the Audiovisual Radar
Audiovisual Translation-Related International Events COURSE Curso de Subtitulado y Doblaje dirigido a traductores, profesores, intérpretes y estudiantes (Subtitling and Dubbing Course for Translators, Teachers, Interpreters, and Students) When: Oct 2 – 16, 2020 Where: 100% Online Description: Subtitling script composition, dubbing script composition, Neutral Spanish practice, translation with and without script, software, job opportunities, final […]
Software Series 4: Amara Review
by Ana Lis Salotti This is the fourth instalment of the AVD technology column. This time I’ll review the cloud-based subtitle editor Amara (https://amara.org/en/). Developed by the non-profit Participatory Culture Foundation (PCF) in 2011, Amara offers two subtitling products: a free platform, and an enterprise platform with three pricing tiers. The free platform is actually […]
3 Tools for Increased Efficiency and Productivity in Audiovisual Translation
by Nora Díaz With ever-increasing pressures to produce high-quality work under tighter deadlines, tools that help translators work faster and more efficiently are a welcome addition to our toolbox. This article will provide an overview of three such tools: one for speech recognition, one for CATtool integration and one for custom shortcuts and macros. Dragon […]
Audiovisual Translation Practice: A Movie Trailer Genre Analysis
by Ana G. González Meade Why movie trailers? A growing number of people all over the world are making use of an assortment of audiovisual products, particularly subtitled media, which raises doubts about the limited research in the field. Therefore, it seems imperative to subject a medium with such wide-ranging ramifications to much more detailed […]
