Subtitling translation of idioms in the TV Series Bates Motel.

Abstract

Idioms are non-compositional, institutionalized, (un)frozen and connotative expressions (ADELNIA; DASTJERDI, 2011; BAKER, 1992; BRINTON, 2000; GRANT; BAUER, 2004; LEAH, 2012; MOON, 1998; RIVA; CAMACHO, 2010; STRAKŠIENE, 2009). Noting that they are culture-specific, posing a great challenge to the subtitles translator, and that Baker (1992) proposes four ways of translating idioms (similar meaning and form; similar meaning and dissimilar form; paraphrase; omission), this study investigates how some idioms from the American TV Series Bates Motel, Season 01, Episode 06 (BMS01E06), The truth, are translated from the English language (EL) into Brazilian Portuguese (BP) in the official subtitles. More specifically, this investigation attempts to: i) observe if the idioms selected from BMS01E06 are translated following Baker‟s (1992) four suggestions; ii) analyze the meaning of some idioms in the TV Series EL context compared to their meaning rendered in the BP context. Theoretically, this paper discusses: i) the definition of what idioms are (ADELNIA; DASTJERDI, 2011; BAKER, 1992; BRINTON, 2000; GRANT; BAUER, 2004; LEAH, 2012; MOON, 1998; RIVA; CAMACHO, 2010; STRAKŠIENE, 2009); ii) the difficulties and possible solutions in idioms translation (BAKER, 1992); iii) the translator‟s role as a cultural mediator (HATIM; MASON, 1990 apud KATAN, 1999; KATAN, 1999; TAFT, 1981 apud KATAN, 1999); iv) technical subtitling issues (DÍAZ CINTAS; REMAEL, 2007; GEORGAKOPOULOU, 2009; LUYKEN et. al., 1991). Methodologically, this research follows the interpretative paradigm, the descriptive methodology and the qualitative research typology (MOREIRA; CALEFFE, 2008). These concepts help build the corpus selection and analyses, following these steps: i) selection of 60 idioms found in BMS01E06; ii) classification of the idioms selected according to Baker‟s (1992) four suggestions of translating idioms and categorization of 50 idioms translated by paraphrase; iii) selection of 82 video excerpts and figures, using Bandicam program; iv) theoretical-based analyses of 11 idioms, attempting to work on these idioms‟ meanings in the EL and BP contexts, following two categories of analysis: a) (non-)compositionality of the idioms in context (EL); b) translations of the idioms in context (BP paraphrases and subtitles). The results show that the idioms have been rendered following Baker‟s (1992) suggestions of idioms translation. The paraphrases of idioms in the official subtitles demonstrate that: i) 35 phrasal verbs, 02 slangs and other 13 idiomatic expressions have been spoken by some characters and paraphrased in the subtitles; ii) 11 idioms from the corpus underscore the inexistence of one-to-one idioms between EL and BP, subtitling technical constraints and differences in register in both languages; iii) the figurative meanings of the EL idioms are arranged in different lexical items in BP paraphrases; iv) the subtitling technical constraints of time, space and presentation have been fulfilled in almost all cases analyzed; v) the subtitles translator is a cultural mediator interpreting perceptions and intentions between the languages and cultures involved. This study is concluded by presenting the facts that culture-specific idioms can be translated in a particular context and subtitling translation is an efficient tool to link different peoples and cultures.