‘Read my lips’ subtitling principles, practices, and problems

Abstract

Abstract Subtitling is subject to constraints of lime and space which impose a reductive form of translation. Various theoretical models have been examined in search for principles at work in deciding what has to be kept and what has to be dropped. The model proposed incorporates several approaches to the analysis of discourse. An examination of two French films subtitled in English brings out sharp contrast. It is maintained that these contrasts relate systematically to the hypothesis that reductions in screen translation are systematic and not random.