The Rules of Subtitling

The Rules of Subtitling

Apr 2, 2019 | Blog

Subtitles – helpful or distracting? In the worlds of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, audiovisual aids are indispensable and so is subtitling. Even though the North American film industry is the third largest film industry worldwide, Canadians and other English-speaking populations would be missing out on some great movies and TV series if subtitles were not available. However, the quality and the use of multilingual subtitles are often subject to polarizing discussions. Statements such as: “Subtitles only serve to distract the viewer!” and “Subtitles don’t even reflect what the actor is actually saying!” are not unusual. On the other hand, multilingual subtitles open up a whole new world for people who speak different languages. But what requirements are to be considered when subtitling, and what makes ‘good’ subtitles? Let’s dive into how subtitles are created! Types of Subtitles First, what are subtitles exactly? A subtitle is text displayed on screen. It is usually positioned at the top or bottom of the screen and serves to make a movie more accessible and more understandable. The purpose of the subtitle can vary, i.e. depending on the audience it is for. Thus, there are different types of subtitles. One purpose for subtitles is to provide an understandable version for the deaf or hard of hearing. In that case, the subtitling process does not include a translation. It is mostly the rendering of a spoken dialogue into written form in the same language or the rendering of non-verbal sounds into text form, as in Closed Captioning or Descriptive Text. Another reason for subtitles is to make written text in a picture understandable to...
The Challenge of Interpreting

The Challenge of Interpreting

Mar 26, 2019 | Blog

A demanding profession Interpreters face many challenges every day and their profession is full of subtleties. The situations in which they are enrolled are unpredictable and they must be very reactive to improvisation and last-minute assignments. But they also must deal with internal and external elements which affect their work. Even if interpreting is a fabulous job, all of this makes it quite stressful. Like everyone, there are things interpreters hate and dread. We all know how hard it must be for them to stay focused for long periods of time, process information very quickly, convey translated speech whilst the speaker is still speaking, think on their feet, be quick in making decisions, and show intense memory skills. But do we know all their fears and challenges? Keep reading to discover what interpreters must face. Interpreting in public By choosing interpreting rather than translation, interpreters know they might have to practice public speaking. So, if you only think of interpreters working in secluded interpreting booths or on the phone, then think again. Sometimes, interpreters must appear in plain sight in front of large crowds. Conference interpreters, for example, can work in many different environments. Some of these include press briefings, depositions, and seminars. Another field of interpretation and probably one of the most important is politics: an interpreter is necessary in high-level meetings between the governments of two countries. However they also take part in entertainment events such as beauty pageants or the Oscars. Whatever the situation, when having to speak in public, interpreters might feel very unsafe. Rendering speeches as faithfully and idiomatically as possible in front of...
Over-the-phone interpreting

Over-the-phone interpreting

Mar 21, 2019 | Blog

What does over-the-phone interpreting consist of? Over-the-phone interpreting (OPI), sometimes called “phone translation”, is a specific language-related and real-time service. It consists of connecting at least two speakers over the phone who do not share a common language. An interpreter is also on the phone – so there are at least three lines connected – and plays the role of a messenger. S/he renders the original speech into the appropriate language so that speakers can understand each other easily. This service modality differs from other interpretation mechanisms as it does not occur face-to-face. OPI is increasingly in demand as in-person services can be very expensive and linguistic diversity isst countries. How does it work? It starts with a client – a corporation or an individual for example – who needs a multilingual service for instant communication with someone else. The client contacts an agency which provides telephone interpretation services and provides basic information including the languages at stake. The OPI provider finds an interpreter within a minute and connects the call between the three parties. The interpretation process takes place in consecutive mode: the interpreter listens (and takes notes) until the speaker finishes what s/he has to say and then renders the speech into the listener’s language. The roles of speaker and listener always switch but that of the interpreter is always the same. So this is a three-way and almost instant communication. Most of the time, OPI call centres offer services 24 hours/day, 7 days/week and 365 days/year. They are staffed with great interpreters, technical engineers, scheduling analysts and many more. Usually, they manage to successfully connect people...
The Emergence of Languages – Different Opinions

The Emergence of Languages – Different Opinions

Mar 12, 2019 | Blog

The origin of languages We know when people invented writing. We also know when the very first translation was done (in the second century BCE on the Rosetta stone). But despite scientific studies, nobody knows when the first signs of oral language appeared, yet many have spoken on the issue. Let’s take a closer look at different perspectives when it comes to the emergence of languages. Divine hypothesis Language has a divine origin. This is what the Judeo-Christian tradition says on the subject of the creation of the universe in John 1: 1-3. It is a gift from above, from God to humankind. Similar stories come in all religions and mythologies. But those theories are of course very difficult to verify or falsify, therefore unlikely and invalid for most scientists. Many have searched for an answer to the question of the Original Human Language. By the 7th century BCN, the Egyptian Pharaoh Psammetichus had performed a famous experiment with a child he brought to a remote place to see what his first words would be. The first word the child pronounced was bekos which means “bread” in Phrygian. He thus concluded that Phrygian was the original language. In the same vein, James IV of Scotland carried on a similar experiment and discovered that the first word uttered was in Hebrew. Later on, Becanus claimed that the original language was Antwerpian Brabantic (a sort of Dutch), Webster Aramaic and Elkins Chinese. Human “invention” For other famous philosophers and researchers, language is not a gift from the gods. Language appeared because some needs had to be expressed. J.J. Rouseau speaks about...
Wait, French Fries Aren’t French?

Wait, French Fries Aren’t French?

Mar 7, 2019 | Blog

Demystifying French Fries We all eat them, almost all over the word, fried in oil or baked in the oven. Delicious French fries were seemingly born back in the 17th century, in a very small country unintentionally shadowed by a bigger one: France. It’s true that France gave the US the Statue of Liberty. However, it appears it did not give the world this well-known fried potato dish: Belgium did. It is time we demystify French fries and discover their real origin. A disputed birth certificate The Belgian claim for fries has been a long fight and is still not entirely recognized. Belgian lore says that the fry was born in the Meuse Valley, where villagers would fish in the river and fry their catch. But one day, during a harsh winter back in the 17th century, the river froze and made fishing impossible. The inhabitants had the idea to fry potatoes instead. The first fries were born. The thing is that France also lays claim to the French fry. Indeed, some people believe the first fries were seen and sold on Paris’ oldest bridge: the pommes Pont-Neuf. The Belgian authorities would like fries to be given UNESCO cultural heritage status. There exists today a petition for this. In the meantime, French fries and mayonnaise have iconic status in Belgium. A misleading American moniker You might think that French fries got their name because of the easy-to-pronounce alliteration, but this isn’t the case. Let’s look back at the origin of the English name. During the First World War, American soldiers came to Belgium to help defend the country. They...
Constructed languages – Na’vi, Klingon, High Valyrian

Constructed languages – Na’vi, Klingon, High Valyrian

Mar 5, 2019 | Blog, Language Varieties

Rytsas everyone! Kirimvose for visiting our blog post about constructed languages! You just learned your first two words in High Valyrian: Rytsas – Hello – and Kirimvose – Thank you. David J. Peterson is the person who developed High Valyrian for the fantasy world in G.R.R. Martin’s book series The Song of Ice and Fire, also known as Game of Thrones. This is only one of many languages that were constructed for movies or TV series. But what’s behind these constructed languages? What rules do they follow? Let’s have a look at some of the most popular constructed languages for movies and series worldwide. Basics about constructed languages First of all, a constructed language is a language that was consciously invented by one individual and that has an elaborate linguistic system consisting of a specific phonology, vocabulary and grammar. Invented language, planned language and artificial language represent three of the many names for this phenomenon. As opposed to other languages we know such as English, French, Spanish, Japanese, etc., constructed languages have not evolved from thousands of years of development. There are many different reasons why people create new languages, for example: universal communication, research on already existing languages, and most importantly for our topic, to make a fictional world seem more authentic. The process of inventing a new language is complex. Thus, it is mostly professional linguists who do the job. There are two types of constructed languages – a posteriori languages and a priori languages. A posteriori languages contain aspects from already existing languages. Moreover the elements are usually simplified and mixed with other ones. A priori...