The limitations of the audiovisual environment and their influence on subtitles in Dutch-Czech context

Abstract

This contribution explores subtitling as a form of translation, and more specifically the constraints of the audiovisual environment, which are imposed on the process of subtitling. After a discussion of some of the most important technical constraints of the audiovisual environment a taxonomy of translation strategies is presented, which the translator-subtitler can apply to effectively deal with the aforementioned constraints. This taxonomy is subsequently placed in a Czech-Dutch context and illustrated by examples from the Czech subtitled edition of the Dutch movie Zwartboek and the Dutch subtitled version of the Czech movie Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále (I served the king of England). These examples will provide insight in the practical application of the mentioned translation strategies and show in which way the translator-subtitler has dealt with the constraints of the audiovisual environment.