Slang and Swearing: Implications for Subtitling

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Issues behind Slang and Swearing
Features of Jargon and Expletive Language
The Role of Swearwords in Politeness and Cohesion
Personal Practical Project
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Translating various products into different languages is an essential part of the modern entertainment industry. A significant part of the transcription process is a proper understanding of slang words’ specifics and their correct implementation (Bannon, 2010). Even though applying emotional language can be difficult, it is still a vital part of any movie or TV production. In this essay, the main issues and features of translating slang and swear words will be discussed, and relevant examples from films and modern entertainment products will be presented.

Issues behind Slang and Swearing

Correctly translating emotionally and culturally charged words may be difficult due to various reasons. Firstly, every entertainment unit transcribed should be adapted to the period that it will be viewed in, regardless of the historical era pictured (Bannon, 2010). However, this statement does not apply to slang words, as their usage is more complicated. Transcribing the terminology of an older period to a contemporary one would be entirely incorrect (Bannon, 2010). When managing slang, it is essential to keep the idioms pertaining to the time period in the film, as well as apply the wordings that will be understood by the audience (Gambier, 2003). Altogether, utilizing proper colloquial terms can be a demanding task, especially when a time difference is present.

As a locally-based terminology, slang can often be a particularly challenging task for translators. In most cases, such idioms develop due to various cultural features, thus being understandable only by this community’s representatives (Cintas and Remael, 2014). Capturing the precise meaning of the phrases and transferring that meaning within the confined space available is a pertinent issue. Cintas and Remael (2014) stated that in this situation, it is essential not to resort to slang words and other possible jargon that exist in the transcriber’s language. Such a solution might shift the dynamics of the whole narrative to a strikingly different perspective, distorting the movie’s meaning (Cintas and Remael, 2014). Overall, considering the distinctions between the languages’ common idioms is imperative.

Features of Jargon and Expletive Language

Including swearwords into subtitles might sometimes require careful decision-making. As emotionally charged and mostly inappropriate expressions, they might often be excluded from the translation, changing the general flow (Cintas and Remael, 2014). Even though cursing is often seen as a profane declaration, these idioms still bear significant meaning, fulfilling various dialogic functions (De Linde and Kay, 1999). In some instances, the use of expletive language is defined by the situations and cultural environment depicted (De Linde and Kay, 1999). Deleting the expressions from the dialogues might result in presenting a different perspective, altering the film’s value.

Slang and swearwords, often called taboo words, can play a significant role in the picture’s emotional output. As discussed before, using curse language is sometimes required by the events depicted in work, thus making them an inseparable part of the video. Cintas and Remael (2014) argue that it is imperative to distinguish such cases when a vulgar expression might be omitted or when it must be included in the translation. The key to understanding the difference lies in the proper investigation of the exclamation’s context, which allows for an assessment of connotative meaning (Gambier and Gottlieb, 2001). Altogether, detailed insight into the surrounding context is needed for the correct application of swearwords or their alternatives.

The Role of Swearwords in Politeness and Cohesion

Expletive language is closely related to various social and psychological phenomena. One theory connected to this topic is the politeness theory, coined by Brown and Levinson (Hatim and Mason, 1996). This concept advocates an approach to self-esteem, based on the individual’s desire to present themselves in the best way possible, thus avoiding the actions that could cause negative consequences from the public (Hatim and Mason, 1996). Hatim and Mason (1996) suggest that this theory can serve as an explanation for the subtitlers’ decisions to omit particular expletive language, even in such cases where the use of these words is allowed by the rules. Overall, the issues of implementing curse idioms in the translations can be connected to the politeness theory and the need to support positive self-esteem.

Another difficulty related to the process of translating taboo words can be seen in the topic of cohesion. Several authors state that a specific transcription’s unity should be evident to the viewer (Halliday and Hasan, 2014). However, in cases connected to the use of expletive language, such excerpts might sometimes distract the viewer, creating a problem for the general flow of the movie (Anderman and Rogers, 2003). The balance between the correct translation and supporting the narrative becomes quite difficult to achieve, in which case the subtitler is bound to search for creative solutions (Hatim and Mason, 1990). This situation is especially evident in examples with translations, as various swearwords are perceived differently in separate cultures and communities (Halliday, 1985). In order to achieve proper cohesion, one must consider the cultural context and the features of the audience.

Personal Practical Project

For my practical project, I have chosen an excerpt from the movie “In Bruges”, which includes several examples of vulgar language use (Ishunlimted, 2011). The subtitles are presented as follows:

Ken: the capacity to do something decent with his life.
Harry: Excuse me, Ken. I have the capacity to change.
Ken: Yeah, you do. You’ve got the capacity to get fucking worse.
Harry: Yeah, now I’m getting down to it.
Ken: Harry, let’s face it. And I’m not being funny, I mean no disrespect, but you’re a cunt. You’re a cunt now, you’ve always been a cunt. And the only thing that’s gonna change is you’re gonna become an even bigger cunt. Maybe have some more cunt kids.
Harry: Leave my kids fucking out of it. What have they done? You fucking retracted that bit about my cunt fucking kids!
Kevin: I retract that bit about your cunt fucking kids.
Harry: Insult my fucking kids! That’s going overboard, mate!
Kevin: I retracted it, didn’t I? Still leaves you being a cunt.
Harry: Yeah, I fucking got that. Where’s Ray now?
Kevin: Oh, right about now, Ray is in one or other of the one million towns in mainland Europe it’s possible to be in, other than here.

Conclusion

To conclude, there are several issues connected to the implementation of slang and swear words into the translations. Correct use of jargon can be critical in creating an overall impression of the film, thus imposing difficulties for the translator. The subtitles should support a perfect balance between the topic described and the general knowledge of the audience. Furthermore, while in some cases profane language might be omitted or changed to non-expletive variants, in other examples, it is essential to keep such words, as they provide the context necessary for understanding the movie.

References

Anderman, G. and Rogers, M. (eds.) (2003). Translation today: trends and perspectives. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Bannon, D. (2010). The elements of subtitles revised and expanded edition: a practical guide to the art of dialogue, character, context, tone, and style in subtitling. San Francisco: Lulu Press

Hatim B. and Mason, I. (1990). Discourse and the translator. London: Routledge.

Hatim B. and Mason, I. (1996). The translator as communicator. London: Routledge.

Cintas, J. D. and Remael, A. (2014). Audiovisual translation: subtitling. London: Routledge.

De Linde, Z. and Kay, N. (1999). The semiotics of subtitling. London: Routledge.

Gambier, Y. and Gottlieb, H. (eds.) (2001). (Multi)Media translation: concepts, practices, and research. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing.

Gambier, Y. (ed.) (2003). Screen translation. Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing.

Halliday, M. A. K. (1985). Spoken and written language. 2nd edn. Melbourne: Deakin University Press.

Halliday, M. A. K. & Hasan, R. (2014). Cohesion in English. London: Routledge.

Ishunlimted (2011)In Bruges – best scene – cunt. Web.

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