LA874-7-SP-CO:
Subtitling: Principles and Practice
2024/25
Language and Linguistics
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 21 March 2025
15
26 March 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
LA898
MA Q2Q912 Audiovisual and Literary Translation,
MA Q91012 Translation, Interpreting and Subtitling,
MA Q91112 Translation and Professional Practice,
MA Q91212 Chinese-English Translation and Professional Practice,
MPHDQ91048 Translation Studies (Translation, Interpreting and Subtitling),
PHD Q91048 Translation Studies (Translation, Interpreting and Subtitling),
MLANR990 Modern Languages (Translation)
The module will provide a thorough introduction to subtitling, helping students to develop technical skills in this specialised field and thus enhance their employability potential. Students will explore key theories and current trends in subtitling and will be able to apply their new knowledge in practical subtitling exercises.
The aims of this module are:
- To introduce students to subtitling principles.
- To provide students with the linguistic and technical skills required to produce accurate and reader-friendly interlingual subtitles for audiovisual
- To encourage students to analyse fictional, non-fictional and specialised audiovisual texts and make informed subtitling decisions according to genre, purpose and audience.
- To encourage students to discuss and analyse a range of issues that relate specifically to the professional practice of interlingual subtitling.
- To enable students to become proficient users of professional and non-professional subtitling software.
- To familiarise students with the correct terminology of AVT and the published research in the field to support their practice.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Understand subtitling rules and sub-rules and the constraints imposed by the audiovisual medium.
- Have an insight into what constitutes good subtitling practice in a professional context.
- Analyse a range of audiovisual products for subtitling purposes.
- Produce accurate spotting, i.e. defining the in and out times of subtitles.
- Condense original oral content/dialogue, segment text and write in sense blocks.
- Identify and effectively handle cuts/shot changes and sound bridges.
- Observe the natural speech rhythm of an audiovisual programme and the viewer’s reading rhythm.
- Proofread and revise work to meet quality standards.
- Export subtitles files into different formats (e.g.: srt.).
- Be a proficient user of the professional subtitling software Wincaps Q4.
- Be familiar with non-professional software, such as MateSub, Captionfy, etc.
- Proofread and revise subtitling work.
No additional information available.
This module will be delivered via:
- Two-hour lessons each week, combining lecture and practical work.
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Diaz Cintas, J. and Remael, A. (2021)
Subtitling: Concepts and Practices. 2nd edition. Routledge. Available at:
http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315674278.
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Pérez González, L. (2014)
Audiovisual translation: theories, methods and issues. Abingdon: Routledge. Available at:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=837959.
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Pedersen, J. (2011)
Subtitling norms for television: an exploration focussing on extralinguistic cultural references. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Pub. Co. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=794525.
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Gambier, Y. and Gottlieb, H. (2001)
(Multi) media translation: concepts, practices, and research. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Available at:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=86730.
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Pedersen, J. (2017) ‘The FAR model: assessing quality in interlingual subtitling’,
Journal of Specialised Translation [Preprint], (28). Available at:
https://www.jostrans.org/issue28/art_pedersen.php.
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Díaz-Cintas, J. and Remael, A. (2007)
Audiovisual translation: subtitling. Manchester: St. Jerome. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=1702387.
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Díaz-Cintas, J. and Anderman, G.M. (2009)
Audiovisual translation: language transfer on screen. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=455158.
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Díaz-Cintas, J. (2009)
New trends in audiovisual translation. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=449888.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Subtitling Project |
22/04/2025 |
|
Additional coursework information
N/A
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Mrs Lexa Olivera-Smith, email: molivera@essex.ac.uk.
Lexa Olivera-Smith, Antonia Wu
4.322, molivera@essex.ac.uk
No
No
Yes
Dr Chonglong Gu
University of Liverpool
Lecturer in Chinese Translation Studies
Dr Eloisa Monteoliva
Heriot-Watt University
Assistant Professor in Spanish (Translation & Interpreting)
Dr Maria Gomez-Bedoya
University of East Anglia
Associate professor in Spanish and Applied Linguistics
Available via Moodle
Of 36 hours, 0 (0%) hours available to students:
36 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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