Basic knoledge in the use of computers, Windows operating system. In particular, the students should already know how to use email systems and how to attach files in an email message and have good skills in the use of MS Word. Furthermore, the students should ideally have already acquired some basic theoretical and practical knowledge of translation. Students who have never studied translation before are invited to read the following text before the beginning of the course: Baker, M. (1992). In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation. London/New York: Routledge.  

After introducing students to audiovisual translation in general, this module focuses on subtitling for deaf and non deaf audiences.

This module provides specialised theoretical and practical knowledge in subtitling for deaf and non-deaf audiences, including how to use subtitling software and other tools for clipping, burning and saving video files. More specifically, at the end of the module the students will have become familiar with the semiotic levels of multimedia products and how they interact with each other generally as well as in a given product. They will be able to list the main types of AVT and describe their basic differences. Furthermore, they will have acquired full theoretical knowledge of subtitling, including the needs of different target audiences, professional strategies and habits. Finally, they will have learnt to use specific software for the creation of subtitles. They will also have learnt how to use the Internet for lexical research.  They will have acquired skills in reformulation and adaptation of an aural text into written subtitles, considering the needs of the target audience as well as technical constraints. They will be able to describe and explain the strategies at play in subtitles created by themselves or others. Finally, they will be able to create professional-level subtitles using semi-professional freeware software.

At the end of the module, the students will have also acquired the following transversal skills:

– problem solving (ability to apply what they have learned, in a real situation)

– analysis and synthesis (ability to acquire, organize and reformulate data and information from a different sources)

– autonomous judgment (ability to critically assess information and act accordingly)

– communication (ability to clearly and correctly convey ideas in written form, considering the given audience)

– lifelong learning (ability to understand one’s limits and to identify suitable strategies to acquire new knowledge and skills)

Knowledge and Comprehension

• Ability to analyze and comprehend a complex text.

• Thematic and domain-specific knowledge related to the listed areas.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding

• The ability to select and retain information.

• The ability to acquire, develop, and apply thematic and domain-specific knowledge.

Making independent judgments

• Ability to search for terminology and content online and assess its relevance.

Communication skills

• Ability to reformulate and summarize in a language other than that of the source text.

Learning skills

• Ability to continuously self-assess and update and develop one's linguistic and thematic skills through independent work and collaborative learning.

Lectures and hands-on workshops. The students will also be required to do homework and hand it in for class correction.

At the end of the module, the student will have to submit a project work: each student will work on a short video clip (5-6 minute; about 70 subtitles) of their choice. The clip will have to belong to one of the video genres discussed in class (feature film, cartoon or documentary) and should have never been subtitled before (not even by means of automatic subtitling). Once the clip has been approved by the lecturer, the student will create English subtitles for a non-deaf international audience by using the software tools illustrated in class. The video file and the srt file will have to be submitted to the lecturer before the exam, as for the lecturer’s instructions.

On the day of the exam, the student will defend their project work, explaining their choices, when necessary, by reference to client instructions, subtitling technical constraints and professional strategies as described in the literature.

 

Exam Booking Procedure

Exam bookings must be made exclusively through the methods provided by the VOL system. Students are required to book at least 5 days before the exam date and must cancel their booking (on the system or by emailing the lecturer) if they cancel.

All exam dates will be available on the lecturer's noticeboard, on the individual course pages, and will appear on the VOL system approximately one month before each exam session.

The Examination Committee is composed of: Francesca Bianchi (Chair), Julia Boyd (subject expert; member), Elena Manca (member), and Ottavia Carlino (subject expert; member).

Suitable for Erasmus students

This module provides specialised theoretical and practical knowledge in subtitling for deaf and non-deaf audiences, including how to use subtitling software and other tools for clipping, burning and saving video files. Special attention will be dedicated to analysis of translation issues connected to diamesic transfer, the correct use of professional subtitling strategies and technical constraints. The students will also learn how to chunk and synchronise subtitles (timing and spotting) by means of semi-professional freeware software. The module aims to make the students autonomous in the creation of professional-level subtitles The module will focus on the following video genres: feature films, cartoons, documentaries.

- Diaz-Cintas J., Remael A. (2007). Audiovisual Translation: Subtitling. Manchester: St. Jerome’s Publishing.

Further material will be provided by the teacher on the e-learning.unisalento platform and/or the LearnWeb platform. Both platforms will be introduced to the students at the beginning of the module. Any student who is not able to attend classes is invited to contact the teacher for instructions on how to access and use these two platforms, the reference materials provided and the contents of the course.