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Article published In: Babel
Vol. 63:5 (2017) ► pp.667–688

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Re-assessing the ‘weight’ of translations within the context of translated soap operas

 | Bilkent University |
Published online: 16 April 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00003.oky
Abstract
In translation studies, investigating translations beyond the implications, realities and difficulties of single texts and single language combinations, viewing the larger picture surrounding translations and following the translations through to the impacts they produce wherever they are received, is an integral part of the discipline. The study discussed in this article is an effort to present food for thought for audiovisual translators of soap operas. Turkish soap operas have been aired in 90 countries around the world, reaching over 400 million viewers, according to 2014 statistics from the sector. The aim of the study is to indicate the type of translated soap operas preferred in different regions of the world; to explain, on the basis of feedback from experts, the public and local and international media, why these are watched; and to investigate the translation modes and strategies used to market the translations successfully in the receiver markets.
Résumé
Les études qui examinent les implications, les réalités et les difficultés de traduire un seul texte et dans une seule combinaison de langues en donnant une vue d’ensemble plus large de ces traductions et en les étudiant à travers l’impact qu’elles produisent dans les pays auxquels elles sont destinées font partie intégrante de la traductologie. L’étude suivante tente de donner matière à réflexion aux traducteurs audiovisuels de séries télévisées. Des séries télévisées turques ont été diffusées dans 90 pays dans le monde, touchant plus de quatre cents millions de téléspectateurs selon des statistiques du secteur datant de 2014. L’objectif de l’étude est de déterminer quel est le genre de séries télévisées traduites favorites des téléspectateurs dans les différentes régions du monde. Et ce, pour expliquer, compte tenu du feed-back des experts, du public et des médias locaux et internationaux, pourquoi elles sont regardées et pour étudier les modes et stratégies de traduction utilisés afin d’assurer le succès commercial des traductions sur les marchés destinataires.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Reasons behind the success of Turkish soap operas
    • 2.1Content and the manipulation of the content
      • 2.1.1Portrayal of issues which are taboo in the viewer country
      • 2.1.2Focus on family and values
      • 2.1.3Creation of strong women characters
      • 2.1.4TV policies in Turkey and censorship making originals acceptable for conservative audiences
    • 2.2Similarities and creating empathy
      • 2.2.1Cultural/linguistic similarities
      • 2.2.2Religious/social similarities
      • 2.2.3Shared history and commonalities
    • 2.3Economic and political factors
      • 2.3.1Portrayal of a synthesis of the West and the East
      • 2.3.2Social and political changes and aspirations in the viewer country
  • 3.Translations of Turkish soap operas
    • 3.1Translations of the names of Turkish soap operas
    • 3.2Dubbed Turkish soap operas
    • 3.3Subtitled Turkish soap operas
    • 3.4Adaptations and remakes of Turkish soap operas and Turkish remakes
    • 3.5Censorship
  • 4.Conclusion
  • References
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