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Article published In: Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 33:2 (2020) ► pp.641–666

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Subtitling of ostensible speech acts (OSAs)

Towards proposing a guideline

 | University of Ottawa
Published online: 10 February 2021
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.18033.yaq
Abstract
Persian-English subtitling of Iranian films deals with the challenges of understanding and transferring ostensible speech acts (OSAs). Both linguistic and cultural variations of these elements in Persian and English are expected to create serious difficulties for subtitlers. Although few studies with pragmatics approach have been conducted to interpret the meaning of Persian OSAs, they have been practically ignored in the fields of translation and subtitling. To fill this gap, this study aims to descriptively investigate the transference of the meaning of 80 Persian OSAs from selected Iranian films. It also analyses perceptions of 106 target text audiences of subtitled OSAs by examining their level of comprehension of 14 subtitled OSAs and the effective factors on their understandings. Finally based on the findings emerged from the descriptive and survey analyses, this study proposes a guideline for Persian-English on assisting the transfer of the intended meaning of OSAs.
Resumen
Subtitulado de actos ostensibles del habla (OSA): Hacia la propuesta de una guía
En los filmes iraníes, el subtitulaje del idioma persa al inglés iraní conlleva el reto de entender y transferir los actos de habla aparentes (AAHHAA). Se presume que las variaciones lingüísticas y culturales de estos elementos en los idiomas persa e inglés pueden causar serias dificultades para los subtituladores. Existen pocos estudios con un enfoque pragmático realizados para interpretar el significado de los AAHHAA en persa y la mayoría de estos han sido ignorados en las áreas de traducción y subtitulaje. Con el propósito de llenar este vacío, el estudio aquí presentado investiga de forma descriptiva la transferencia del significado de 80 AAHHAA en persa tomados de filmes iraníes. Además, se analiza la percepción de la audiencia del texto de llegada de 106 AAHHAA por medio del análisis de su nivel de comprensión de 14 AAHHAA subtitulados y los factores efectivos en su entendimiento. En base a los resultados de los análisis descriptivos y de las encuestas, el estudio propone una guía de ayuda para la transferencia de la intensión del significado de los AAHHAA del inglés al persa.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Ostensible speech acts (OSAs) in English
    • 1.2 Ta’ārof: Ritual system of persian politeness
    • 1.3Persian OSAs as manifestation of Ta’ārof
    • Invitation
    • Refusal of offer and invitation
    • Offer
    • Apology
  • 2.Identifying the problem and gaps of the study
  • 3.Conceptual frameworks and methodology
  • 4.Results and data analysis
    • Descriptive analysis
    • Survey analysis
    • Stage 1
    • Stage 2
    • Stage 3
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • 7.Guideline
  • References
References (49)
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