Translation Studies and AVT Department of European, American and Intercultural Studies 2016-2017 WEEK 8 - LECTURE 1 Dr. Margherita Dore margherita.dore@uniroma1.it
Overview More on Video Games Translation Game Localization Scenario Translating humour in video games Humour in Video Games Humour Translation in Final Fantasy Exercises in AVT
Game Localization Scenario From O Hagan and Mangiron 2013: 141
Translating Video Games Translating Video games involves: Localization coordinator Translator(s) Reviewers Testers Professional actors Localised games should have the same look and feel as the original and provide the same game play experience to the target players (skopos) Awkward, unidiomatic language and cultural references should be avoided. Hence, (in-house) localizers can: Use vivid idiomatic language Easy language for tutorials Modify, omit jokes and/or cultural references Include new elements, etc.
Humour in Video Games No humour in video games because of repetition. However: Humour makes gaming more engaging Humour can help release the tension, relax and facilitate gameplay Humour can help social interaction and can be used to influence other people s actions and feelings Humour is crucial for character design Humour entertains and facilitates gameplay.
Game Translation Final Fantasy Final Fantasy ( ファイナルファンタジー Fainaru Fantajī) is a fantasy roleplaying video game created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, developed and first published in Japan by Square, now Square-Enix Fifteen series have be produced to date The story follows four youths called the Light Warriors. Together, they quest to defeat evil forces and save the world. Series VII first localised in 1997 and English as pivot language https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt3dyanb3pk
Humour in Final Fantasy Self-referencing (recurrent elements, e.g. chocobos) for engaging purposes Characterisation Design (look, dress, behaviour, way of speaking) Idiolect or dialect (language deviance) References to gender and sexuality; ambiguity (not easy to retain in languages such as Spanish or Italian) Wordplay and puns (new humour in the TT) The main function of video games is to entertain. While playing, user must complete a task and this can be stressful. Humour helps the process. Localisers may nee to establish the different norms of humour in the SC and TC. Translators become transcreators. Freedom in localisation is essential
Humour Translation in Final Fantasy Replacing humorous elements in the SL by a different one in the TL Use of dialects and accents not present in the original for comic purposes Introducing new puns and play on words to bring the game closer to the players
Final fantasy Example 1
Exercises in AVT To conclude this course, you will be asked to complete a series of practical exercises involving: 1. Adaptation for dubbing 2. Subtitling for adverts 3. Script translation for voice-over
Adaptation for Dubbing Watch the video taken from Charade, read the script and attempt its adaptation (Versione italiana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwjn845yc7k
Subtitling Adverts Zalando advert. Watch the video and attempt a translation of the subtitles: # In Out Duration Character count Characters maximum 0001 00:00:01:14 00:00:02:20 00:00:01:06 17 17 #ELEVATEYOURSTYLE 0002 00:00:03:11 00:00:06:04 00:00:02:18 40 38 TODAY'S EPISODE FROM COUCH TO SON IN LAW 0003 00:00:11:14 00:00:13:02 00:00:01:13 41 21 HEY LOVE, WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU OUTSIDE! 0004 00:00:15:07 00:00:16:21 00:00:01:14 35 22 MEETING HER DAD FOR THE FIRST TIME? 0005 00:00:17:15 00:00:19:19 00:00:02:04 36 30 YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH NICE CHINOS! 0006 00:00:20:17 00:00:22:17 00:00:02:00 30 28 PUT ON A CLASSIC, FRESH SHIRT! 0007 00:00:23:12 00:00:26:10 00:00:02:23 39 41 THE COLLAR SHOULD BE CRISP AND STRAIGHT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpiw2mf9c10
Script Translation for VO Read the children s story for a smartphone app and translate it: Pag English e 00 Stories to touch 01 The Red Apple, written and illustrated by Feridun Oral 01b English/Turkish 01c Listen/Read 02 A hungry Rabbit leaves his burrow. 02b Everything is buried in deep, deep snow. 03 He sees a lone, red apple and skips happily to the tree. 04 But the apple is too high for Rabbit. 05 Rabbit runs for his friend. 05b Mouse agrees to help. 06 Mouse stands on Rabbit s head. 07 Fox comes snuffling and sneezing through the woods. 08 It s a fine, ripe apple, says Fox. Maybe I can knock it off with my tail. 08b He flicks his tail but he can t knock the apple off the tree. 09 The three animals stand on top of each other. 09b But they still can t reach the apple. 10 They sit under the tree. 10b They argue about how to get that apple. 11 The noise wakes sleepy old Bear. 11b The three of them tell her all about the apple.
Script Translation for VO Read the children s story for a smartphone app and translate it: 12 Rabbit has a plan. The animal tower reaches up and up. 12b But just as Mouse is about to pick the apple 13 Fox sneezes and they all fall down. 14 At first they don t realize that the apple is there 14b then they see it. The apple is right in front of them! 15 After sharing the apple, they cuddle up and fall into a deep, happy sleep. 16 The Red Apple by Feridun Oral. Animated by (name). Powered by (name). User instructi ons Swipe screen to open book. Save as wallpaper.
Bibliography All material is available at the Centro Fotocopie in Villa Mirafiori: Munday, J. (2012) CHAPTERS 1-12 Chaume, Frederic (2013) The turn of audiovisual translation. New audiences and new technologies Translation Spaces 2: 105-123 From Chiaro (2010) Translation, Humour and The Media: Gulas and Weinberger, Mangiron O Hagan and Mangiron (2013) Game Localization, Chapter 3 (optional; if particularly interested in the topic) From Cintas and Anderman (2009) Audiovisual Translation. Language Transfer on Screen: read the following: Orero, Georgakopoupou, Sokoli, Burton, Caimi, De Bortoli and Maroto Ortiz- Sotomayor
Titolo Presentazione 31/12/2016 Pagina 16