English Language Subtitles

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Writing English language subtitles for film and video productions

Translation of subtitles for any film or video production in English is a highly specialised form of translation. Typical subtitles are on screen for only 3-4 seconds but comprehension of written text takes much longer than the spoken word. A considerable amount of simplification is required – a skilled subtitles translator will decide how much of the original dialogue is transcribed into English to provide the best combination of readability and understanding.

Factors affecting the translation of film dialogue into English language subtitles include:

We can process speech more quickly than the written word. The amount of English that can be spoken in 3-4 seconds is considerably more than can be accommodated in the 15-20 short words of English subtitles that could be shown in that time. The translator must reduce and simplify the original speech while retaining the fluency and meaning in the English subtitles.

Literacy of the intended audience becomes important. While people of all educational levels and ages might understand spoken dialogue equally well, it may take some much longer than others to read the same words in written English subtitles.

Standardisation. English speech patterns and dialects vary widely and give significant information about the characters in the film. Dialect and unusual inflections are much more difficult to read than standardised English. When writing subtitles in English the translator has to consider how much might be lost or gained through different renditions of the dialogue.