Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Does your "translator's eye" make it difficult to enjoy subtitled movies? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Does your "translator's eye" make it difficult to enjoy subtitled movies?".
View the poll results »
| | | Ricki Farn Germany Local time: 15:14 English to German
I don't watch movies because I prefer to read the book. Very translator-ish | | | Julian Holmes Japan Local time: 22:14 Member (2011) Japanese to English
Subtitles are extremely distracting and a pain to watch since I invariable proof the translation on the fly, which takes all the fun out of watching the film in the first place. I wait until the films I want to see are available in Amazon and buy up a bunch of about 6 at a time. They're light which makes them quite reasonable to send and I can get them delivered in a matter of days via UPS. They come with deleted scenes, interviews and other freebies which are quite entertaini... See more Subtitles are extremely distracting and a pain to watch since I invariable proof the translation on the fly, which takes all the fun out of watching the film in the first place. I wait until the films I want to see are available in Amazon and buy up a bunch of about 6 at a time. They're light which makes them quite reasonable to send and I can get them delivered in a matter of days via UPS. They come with deleted scenes, interviews and other freebies which are quite entertaining, too. ▲ Collapse | | |
If I know the source language, I find them distracting. Otherwise, of course I would prefer subtitles to dubbing. \ Once when I lived in Mexico I watched a James Bond movie (filmed in English) with Spanish dubbing and German subtitles. It was hilarious - it was very hard to pay attention to the movie. I know of one movie that was filmed in two different versions: once in English and once in Norwegian - same actors, same scenes. It was the recent re-do of "Kon-Tiki." A... See more If I know the source language, I find them distracting. Otherwise, of course I would prefer subtitles to dubbing. \ Once when I lived in Mexico I watched a James Bond movie (filmed in English) with Spanish dubbing and German subtitles. It was hilarious - it was very hard to pay attention to the movie. I know of one movie that was filmed in two different versions: once in English and once in Norwegian - same actors, same scenes. It was the recent re-do of "Kon-Tiki." Apparently all the actors were bilingual. ▲ Collapse | |
|
|
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote: If I know the source language, I find them distracting. Otherwise, of course I would prefer subtitles to dubbing. \ | | | Overtitled opera | Mar 2, 2017 |
I was delighted to find the last time I went to a performance that I had such a "bad" seat that I couldn't see the overtitles. | | | Kay Denney France Local time: 15:14 French to English
Once I ended up watching a dubbed programme in French with the sub titles in French too, we just couldn't get rid of them. It was not the same translation at all, to the point that at a crucial moment, a character said "yes" but the sub-title read "no" simply because the question had been worded differently. That drove me mad! I always insist on watching the original version and my partner needs French subtitles when it's in English. He's learned not to ask me if he doesn't understa... See more Once I ended up watching a dubbed programme in French with the sub titles in French too, we just couldn't get rid of them. It was not the same translation at all, to the point that at a crucial moment, a character said "yes" but the sub-title read "no" simply because the question had been worded differently. That drove me mad! I always insist on watching the original version and my partner needs French subtitles when it's in English. He's learned not to ask me if he doesn't understand, because then he'll be treated to a long-winded trashing of the translation. ▲ Collapse | | |
I think yes, but not because of "translator's eye". I find subtitles themselves are rather distracting. A good voiceover is better, except a few justified cases, like the film "Human" by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. | |
|
|
Ventnai Spain Local time: 15:14 German to English + ...
I think I paid more attention to subtitles when I wasn't a full-time translator. They don't bother me if they are good or bad, especially as I tend to watch films on YouTube subtitled by amateurs who try their best and do it for free. | | | inkweaver Germany Local time: 15:14 French to German + ...
I prefer reading so I hardly ever watch films. I find it hard to read translated books though, especially when it's all too easy to translate them directly back into the original language because the translator was too lazy to come up with idiomatic German expressions. This does not only apply to books but magazine articles, advertising etc.
[Edited at 2017-03-02 10:02 GMT] | | | Marjolein Snippe Netherlands Local time: 15:14 Member (2012) English to Dutch + ...
Platon Danilov wrote: I think yes, but not because of "translator's eye". I find subtitles themselves are rather distracting. A good voiceover is better, except a few justified cases, like the film "Human" by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. How funny - I couldn't disagree more! I am with Muriel and prefer subtitles to dubbing any time. I stop watching when a voiceover or dubbing is used to convey more than a couple of sentences in an interview. I reckon this is probably just a matter of what you are used to - dubbing and voiceover are rare in the Netherlands, where subtitles are the norm. In Brazil it is the reverse, and it always annoyed me when I used to live there. Because subtitles are mostly used with English and sometimes German, I don't tend to read them and am not usually distracted or annoyed by them. | | | Ricki Farn Germany Local time: 15:14 English to German Ssshhhht Marjolein | Mar 2, 2017 |
do NOT divulge the secret of why Dutch people are so good at English and German! Yes, it is the use of subtitles rather than voiceover/dubbing (which is due to the relatively small number of Dutch speakers, so the reasoning is that "expensive" voice work would not pay for itself), but you're supposed to leave the rest of the world wondering! | |
|
|
ahhhahaha yes | Mar 2, 2017 |
Ricki Farn wrote: do NOT divulge the secret of why Dutch people are so good at English and German! Yes, it is the use of subtitles rather than voiceover/dubbing (which is due to the relatively small number of Dutch speakers, so the reasoning is that "expensive" voice work would not pay for itself), but you're supposed to leave the rest of the world wondering! True.... | | | Nilton Junior Brazil Local time: 14:14 Member (2009) English to Portuguese + ... Strongly dislike dubbing | Mar 2, 2017 |
Marjolein Snippe wrote: How funny - I couldn't disagree more! I am with Muriel and prefer subtitles to dubbing any time. I stop watching when a voiceover or dubbing is used to convey more than a couple of sentences in an interview. I reckon this is probably just a matter of what you are used to - dubbing and voiceover are rare in the Netherlands, where subtitles are the norm. In Brazil it is the reverse, and it always annoyed me when I used to live there. Because subtitles are mostly used with English and sometimes German, I don't tend to read them and am not usually distracted or annoyed by them. I live in Brazil and stopped going to the movies because the nearest ones only have dubbed movies these days. I am not a movie enthusiast, but I unconsciously picked up the habit of going to the movies whenever I travel abroad. Last time was in Amsterdam. | | | Only when the subtitles are terrible | Mar 2, 2017 |
-- or when they are superimposed over other subtitles, so I can't read any of them! This happens typically when the actors say a couple of lines in Japanese, for instance (Shogun) and there are English subtitles just there in the film. The Danish subtitles are occasionally superimposed. It also happens with the credits, and in either case, it is very difficult to read either version. Otherwise I am quite good at ignoring subtitles when I don't need them. As... See more -- or when they are superimposed over other subtitles, so I can't read any of them! This happens typically when the actors say a couple of lines in Japanese, for instance (Shogun) and there are English subtitles just there in the film. The Danish subtitles are occasionally superimposed. It also happens with the credits, and in either case, it is very difficult to read either version. Otherwise I am quite good at ignoring subtitles when I don't need them. As a rule, I have a great respect for the translators who produce them - the Danish translators often find really good solutions to the limitations of space or the puns and word-play. I make use of the subtitles for the deaf when watching German films - my school German does not always catch spoken dialect, and being able to read it enables me to understand it. The same with Norwegian and Swedish films - I can only understand what is said with subtitles as a help! I hate dubbing as a rule. It sounds artificial, and I have to admit, I don't always catch all the subtleties in German!
[Edited at 2017-03-02 17:05 GMT] ▲ Collapse | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: Does your "translator's eye" make it difficult to enjoy subtitled movies? Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
| Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |