Squid game subtitles made UK news yesterday
EN
Squid game #subtitles made UK news yesterday
#subtitlingheadlines
Thanks @AdanTrad for pointing out https://twitter.com/ymmayer/status/1443615642385592324
"Go away" may be a perfect translation for "What are you looking at". But #subtitling is a vulnerable translation mode, so subtitles often get the that's-not-what-he-said treatment. Especially when translation is perceived as word-for-word equivalence
https://twitter.com/seoulocello/status/1443759857237209090
Subtitlers are aware that viewers always compare with audio and they have their strategies. But in this case, the CC subtitles made it possible to compare the original audio with the dubbed version. Thus making #dubbing a vulnerable translation mode as well, when it rarely is.
The #SquidGame #subtitles/#captions/#dubbing saga, made the BBC news as well.
(Thanks, @Belen_Translate!)
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58787264.amp
#Subtitlers are pretty upset about the #SquidGame "let's make a Tiktoker famous" story.
Meanwhile in Spain, they're interviewing #dubbing translators re the #SquidGame
(Check out @jordinaro's excellent strategy for translating obscure cultural references)
https://www.20minutos.es/cinemania/series/juego-calamar-traduccion-4843832/
In Germany, it's the Tiktoker opinion again, but at least the title is formulated as a question
https://www.gq-magazin.de/entertainment/artikel/squid-game-hat-netflix-bei-den-untertiteln-schlampig-gearbeitet?
At last, @ABCaustralia asks an expert, Jinhyun Cho senior lecturer in translation: While there were some "minor omissions" in #SquidGame, #Netflix's translation was "overall, very good".
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-06/squid-game-translation-controversy-netflix-korean-english/100514482
Experts weigh in the debate.
Interestingly, a viewer comments on the importance of dialect and the fact that it's not portrayed in the #subtitles. Proposes own solution, by adding a parenthesis
#L3AVT @trafilmproject
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/translators-experts-weigh-squid-game-subtitle-debate-rcna2568
#SquidGame has given rise to more #subtitlingheadlines. This time it's Spanish translators against vendors using #MT #postediting
https://www.abc.es/play/series/noticias/abci-traductores-espanoles-contra-netflix-subtitular-programa-informatico-juego-calamar-202110140838_noticia.html
Cheap headline, though
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/14/squid-game-netflix-translations-subtitle-problem
@ATRAE_ORG has turned the #SquidGame #subtitles discussion on #postediting. Let's hope to see more #subtitlingheadlines in other countries too
https://elpais.com/television/2021-10-14/los-traductores-espanoles-protestan-por-los-mediocres-subtitulos-de-el-juego-del-calamar-hechos-por-una-maquina.html
Within a week #AVT experts have had to let the world know what's #closedcaptions, how #subtitles and #dubbing work, what is a pivot template and postediting and why translations look as they do. Here's @dorrego with Translation 101 👇
https://theconversation.com/squid-game-why-you-shouldnt-be-too-hard-on-translators-169968
#Translation seems to be commonly thought of as a literal word-for-word written rendering of the sacred single-meaning original. And that there is a Platonic ideal single true translation: "the whole truth and nothing but the truth". All else is fail
https://www-cbc-ca.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6202592
Hence "the impossibilities of translation" and the birth of terms like localization and transcreation, whose definition starts with "this is not translation"
If you are a researcher in #PivotSubtitling (subtitling non-English shows through English), the treatment of honourifics in #SquidGame looks pretty exciting
#PivotTranslation #IndirectTranslation
@indirec_trans @MargheDore25
https://theconversation.com/squid-game-and-the-untranslatable-the-debate-around-subtitles-explained-169931
And here are some cultural references that were "lost" in English. It would be interesting to see what happened in other languages
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/10/22/squid-game-korean-meaning-gganbu-dalgona/
Thanks to #SquidGame, more #subtitlingheadlines, this time about fees, quality and working conditions.
"low pay, often accompanied by short deadlines, can result in a shoddy final product."
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/why-are-netflix-subtitles-so-bad-1235043051/
"In response to the criticism #Netflix hired Sharon Choi (went viral at last year’s Academy Awards) to take a second pass on the #subtitles.
Her name is now displayed alongside the original translator of #SquidGame’s English-language subtitled version."
https://restofworld.org/2021/lost-in-translation-the-global-streaming-boom-is-creating-a-translator-shortage/
@restofworld's article is by far the best one written so far. Information is correct, professional subtitlers (@fxdurandy) are also cited along with CEOs.
@restofworld @fxdurandy And the ugly truth: "Many platforms will have come away from the Squid Game controversy knowing that, despite any flaws, subscribers were still watching."
https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxAr_mFXaUMdfLyUWXuidi25YYZVCKAvVW
Netflix hired Sharon Choi, the interpreter who went viral at last year’s Academy Awards ceremony to take a second pass on the subtitles. Her name is now displayed alongside the original translator of Squid Game’s English-language subtitles
https://restofworld.org/2021/lost-in-translation-the-global-streaming-boom-is-creating-a-translator-shortage/
It would be interesting to look at what changes were made.
Not sure if any changes were made for #dubbing.
"More Netflix viewers watched #dubbed versions of the South Korean drama #SquidGame than #subtitled versions."
https://www.wsj.com/video/series/in-depth-features/netflixs-squid-game-the-dubbing-strategy-to-go-global/A3475AA0-4F5B-4556-B9A4-9F7AC6E17B18?mod=e2tw
A thorough look at honorifics etc "lost" in translation. Would be interesting to study:
-the effect on other languages
-whether any of these (e.g. "babe") has been changed in the corrected version
-whether "lost" elements can be recovered through visuals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jy3Hz39CnU
Seems that for Anglophone non-teenagers subtitling is something new
#subtitlingheadlines
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/subtitles-are-in-vogue-let-us-all-embrace-the-new-lucidity-1.4732194
An example of how one can mix information so poorly that the article could actually lead to misinformation. A pity, because there are Interesting viewpoints about the #AVT sector and translation in general.
#subtitlingheadlines
https://www.20minutos.es/tecnologia/actualidad/netflix-hace-demasiadas-series-y-la-industria-del-doblaje-no-llega-decae-la-calidad-en-los-subtitulos-y-escasean-los-traductores-4903624/
The backlash by Spanish #AVT professionals led to another - more informed - article, voicing @ATRAE_ORG's point of view
https://www.20minutos.es/tecnologia/actualidad/los-traductores-en-armas-no-faltan-profesionales-sino-empresas-dispuestas-a-remunerar-justamente-4913599/?autoref=true
A very weird take. @JorgeDiazCintas, did the journalist jump to conclusions? Where is this place where linguists leave the public sector to find better paid jobs as subtitlers?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10275401/Crisis-courts-shortage-skilled-translators-experts-switch-Netflix.html
Almost 1,5 year later, it's now obvious that #SquidGame marks a before and an after not only in #AVT but in #translation in general
https://theconversation.com/from-squid-game-and-physical-100-to-k-pop-and-bts-translation-is-central-to-tectonic-shifts-in-global-cultural-consumption-200259
Adding to the collection of articles
https://www.thecut.com/2021/10/squid-games-subtitles-arent-perfect-for-a-reason.html