Audio-Visual Translation and Promotion of Positive Multiculturalism: Students' Perspectives

Abstract

: Multiculturalism describes the existence, acceptance, and/or promotion of multiple cultural traditions within a single jurisdiction, usually considered in terms of the language or culture associated with interaction between ethnic groups. Audio-visual translation (AVT) is a specialized branch of translation which deals with the transfer of multimodal and multimedial texts into another language and/or culture. In Cameroon today, the principles of multiculturalism are not respected, thereby creating misunderstandings and sometimes conflicts between the users of the different cultures and languages of the country. Despite the many measures taken by the Government so far to palliate these problems, they have persisted. The present study aims at explaining how audio-visual translation can be used to solve the problems inherent in multicultural contexts through the use of subtitling to facilitate and ease understanding among the people from different cultures. Data was collected through questionnaires from two hundred students of the University of Buea coming from nine regions of the country and international students from 9 countries in Africa. Analysis of the results revealed that 1) Multiculturalism-related laws are only on paper and thus, are not effectively implemented, 2) AVT can effectively promote multiculturalism, peace and unity but not justice. and 3) AVT can solve these conflicts if and only if the government adoptsit as one of the teaching and learning tools.