Standardization of English-Arabic Audiovisual Translation Practices Proposal

Introduction

As the amount of digital content continues to increase drastically every day, scholars are examining the effects of language barriers in this type of media. Audiovisual translation is a recently emerged field of translation that focuses on digital content (Pérez-González, 2017). The most popular types of audiovisual translation include subtitling and revoicing (dubbing) (Pérez-González, 2017). There is a significant body of research on norms and guidelines for audiovisual translations, although there are “unwritten” rules that apply to local translations for specific countries, nations, or regions (Pedersen, 2020). While people use machine-based methods for English-Arabic translations in casual discussions, there is a definite need for high-quality content when creating an adaptation of visual media (Halimi, 2018). This paper presents a proposal for research and a definition of the specifics of the usage of audiovisual translation between English and the Arabic languages in Western media translation via the creation of official standards.

Methodology

The proposal requires a collection of qualitative data on an under-researched topic. The sources selected for this proposal were collected via Google Scholar by searching for “audiovisual translation in English-Arabic languages.” Related peer-reviewed articles were studied to determine their potential contribution to the topic. Thematic analysis has revealed that themes of audiovisual translation, English-Arabic communication, and cultural differences played a crucial role in the discussion of the topic. This research can be conducted via analysis of the existing materials on specifics of audiovisual translation in the chosen setting. This method is deemed adequate for the subject, as credible articles considered all vital aspects of the proposed research. Results can be tested on a sample of translated subtitles, which will be created with the help of proposed translation norms.

Proposal Analysis

Such a proposal requires a thorough examination of underlying causes that highlight its necessity. Many cultural and political events in the past decades made content adaptation more likely, although it remains distant and underused in Arabic countries (Gamal, 2014). Audiovisual translation requires a specific set of competencies necessary for creating trustworthy material that will follow worldwide translation standards (Halimi, 2018). With the growing availability of original sources, people are either forced to learn new languages or remain ignorant of a significant portion of media. Moreover, the lack of translated content opens up a possibility for amateur translators to create suboptimal content.

Intentions for translation and adaptation vary and need to be analyzed. Translation can create structural anomalies, leave segments that are impossible to utilize in another language out of the scope, or merely create a text with meaning that is hard to follow (Hussain and Khuddro, 2016a). Adaptation is meant to restructure text to be more cohesive and suitable for socio-cultural norms (Hussain and Khuddro, 2016a). It is more feasible to accommodate differences, yet it opens up possibilities for a multitude of mistakes.

The current state of English-Arabic digital media adaptations reveals crucial topics for consideration. A significant portion of an initial message will be lost upon translation if any factors are left unaccounted for. Standardization of the audiovisual translation will enable more open discussion between Eurocentric and Arabic cultures (Salama-Carr, 2020). The cohesiveness of original and translated material will leave less room for inadequate interpretation (Hussain and Khuddro, 2016a). While some translators remain focused on near-identical structural forms between English and Arabic sentences, focusing on word-to-word translation might not be feasible (Hussain and Khuddro, 2016a). Moreover, literary devices make such an approach close to impossible. With the rules currently lacking necessary norms, adaptations between two cultures make it less likely for content to be accepted successfully.

Benefits and Disadvantages of the Proposal

The creation of these norms can facilitate greater cooperation between countries. Global trends are inevitably being introduced to Internet users and can play a role of a cultural medium. It is up to professional linguists to determine the ways to connect cultures with significantly different values via shared media (Hussain and Khuddro, 2016b). However, this project cannot succeed without a series of modifications to an original piece of media. Translators’ task requires a great deal of creativity in order to recreate ideas by the authors in a different medium, and algorithms can be highly beneficial in this activity (Hussain and Khuddro, 2016b). Therefore, this benefit can become fully accessible only through adaptation.

Another benefit of a proposed implementation is an increase in the willingness of foreign companies to participate in the local market. Market opportunities grow significantly with the acceptance of the possibility of retranslation (Wang, 2020). This fact is evident from the success of Al Jazeera and Disney, who made a deal that allowed revisions of the original content to make versions with messages that were deemed appropriate for children (Wang, 2020). Such collaboration will promote language studies due to an influx of financial opportunities.

There are downsides to this approach which may appear if the control over its application is lacking. Loose adaptations may lead to abusive subtitling through which the meaning of original content is replaced entirely with a topic that was not intended by the author (Pérez-González, 2017). Such translations may be viewed as acceptable by amateur translators, yet they are not permissible under copyright laws and raise many ethical concerns regarding translators’ intentions (Pérez-González, 2017). Nonetheless, permissible adaptations can be highly beneficial for Arabic countries when streamlined. Acceptable and clearly outlined boundaries of retranslations may facilitate better social relationships between drastically different ideologies (Wang, 2020). This practice not only brings financial benefits for both sides but also opens a possibility to explore otherwise unsuitable content that can be accessed in the original language later.

Other benefits that stem from a well-defined set of rules are also essential to review. People who are accessing translated media regularly encounter original versions of these resources, allowing them to compare linguistic differences and notice any adaptations (AlOkaily, 2019). Moreover, consuming material with subtitles allows viewers to subconsciously connect words from different languages, facilitating language learning (AlOkaily, 2019). By allowing audiences who use fanmade dubbing or subtitles to access high-quality translations, it is possible to enable them to internalize foreign languages with ease.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the current methods of English-Arabic translations require additional analysis and research on the most optimal way of adapting material. The lack of such a guideline may exclude a significant portion of content that is otherwise beneficial for the general public from being accessible. Nowadays, translations may include adverse practices through which the meaning of original content is lost entirely. Therefore, there is a need to develop an acceptable level of content adaptation during audiovisual translation between English and Arabic, as some content may appear unsuitable for release. As has been proposed, a strict set of norms can assist translators with their job and promotes openness in otherwise potentially dubious decisions behind audiovisual translations.

This type of relationship is not entirely unique to the reviewed languages and cultures. The geographical origin of content plays a crucial role in how this media will be accepted worldwide (Pérez-González, 2019). To ensure the success of each release, media companies are urged to utilize whatever tools are available at their disposal to adapt their products to as many markets as possible (Pérez-González, 2019). It is only natural for them to seek such a guideline to ensure that their creation will be acclaimed by critics and audiences alike.

Reference List

AlOkaily, R. (2019) ‘The role of audiovisual translation in mediating foreign language Learning,’ IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, pp. 175–186. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-23513-0_18.

Gamal, M. (2020) ‘Audiovisual translation studies in the Arab world: The road ahead,’ in Hanna, S., El-Farahaty, H., and Khalifa, A. (eds) The Routledge handbook of Arabic translation. London, UK: Routledge, pp. 205-220.

Halimi, S. A. (2018) ‘Rethinking the English–Arabic legal translation course: Restructuring for specific competence acquisition,’ International Journal for the Semiotics of Law – Revue Internationale de Sémiotique Juridique, 32(1), pp. 117–134. DOI: 10.1007/s11196-018-9568-7.

Hussain, A. and Khuddro, A. (2016a) ‘Audiovisual English-Arabic translation: De Beaugrande’s perspective,’ International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 5(3). doi: 10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.5n.3p.212.

Hussain, A. and Khuddro, A. (2016b) ‘Practical approaches to English/Arabic audiovisual translation,’ Global Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(2), pp. 15–32.

Pedersen, J. (2020) ‘Audiovisual translation norms and guidelines,’ in Bogucki, Ł. and Deckert, M. (eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of audiovisual translation and media Accessibility. Palgrave.

Pérez-González, L. (2017) Audiovisual translation: Theories, methods and issues. London, UK: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Pérez-González, L. (2019) The Routledge Handbook of audiovisual translation. London, UK: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Salama-Carr, M. (2020) ‘Mapping an Arabic discourse on translation,’ in Hanna, S., El-Farahaty, H., and Khalifa, A. (eds) The Routledge Handbook of Arabic translation. London, UK: Routledge, pp. 285–296.

Wang, D. (2020) ‘Censorship and manipulation in audiovisual translation,’ in Bogucki, Ł. and Deckert, M. (eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of audiovisual translation and media accessibility. Palgrave.