What is Subtitle Translation

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In academic terms, subtitle translation is “a specific translation mode that represents one of the three main types of audiovisual translation, two others being dubbing and voice-over” (Gotlieb, 2001), some even say that “subtitling is not translating. It’s a lot harder, but it’s a lot more fun” (Ivarsson, 1998).

But, for an everyday person, subtitle translation is a translation of the text that appears on-screen while someone is speaking. In essence, subtitle translation is daily work with audiovisual materials that requires technical knowledge, as well as linguistic skill.

In subtitle translation, the “speech act is in focus; verbal intentions and visual effects are more important than lexical elements in isolation” (ibid). This gives the linguist a certain amount of linguistic freedom; furthermore “subtitling has to manage without well-known literary and dramatic devices such as stage direction, author’s remarks, footnotes, etc.” that usually make the finished translation read more fluently (Gotlieb, 2008).