Secrets of the linguists: Subtitling Art

Hey, Fazter,

First, I wish you a great weekend.

Meanwhile, I want to share some tricks subtitlers have to use while subtitling.

After this, you will never look at subtitles the same way.

I’ll tell you: textual reduction is always necessary when subtitling.

Why?

- The assimilation of oral speech is faster than written speech, and it takes more time to read

- Seeing and hearing simultaneously – we need enough time to combine vision and hearing

- Text depends on time, reading speed, and output speed.

Very important – before starting:?

When you receive the video, it is essential to preview it before starting to subtitle to understand what must stay and what can be removed – see it 1, 2, 3 times.?

Thus, we realize that some phrases can be removed and others not, even if they seem secondary.

Full or partial reduction?

Eliminate what is irrelevant to understanding the message and/or rephrase concisely.

Condensation and Reformulation

? Simplify sentence structures

? Use equivalent expressions

? Use simple tenses, active voice instead of passive voice

? Change negative or interrogative sentences to affirmative ones

Omission

? Omit the 'subject' from the sentence (if unnecessary)

? Phatic expressions

? Omit unnecessary repetitions, hesitations, oral markers

? When characters are speaking at the same time, omit the lines that are less relevant in the dialogue in question

See you in a month, with more secrets of the linguists.