Emotions Recovered in Translation: On Artistic Audio Description and Translation of Humour Cover Image

Emocje odzyskane w tłumaczeniu: o audiodeskrypcji artystycznej i przekładzie humoru
Emotions Recovered in Translation: On Artistic Audio Description and Translation of Humour

Author(s): Monika Zabrocka
Subject(s): Film / Cinema / Cinematography, Translation Studies
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: audio description (AD); artistic audio description; translating emotions; translation of humour;

Summary/Abstract: The subject of this paper is audio description (AD) or, more precisely, artistic AD, by which I understand any AD whose language and form are adjusted to the product it is accompanying and which not only informs about the content of the visual layer of the movie, but is also able to recreate its unique character. The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of some scenes of the film The Intouchables and a Polish AD prepared for that film. The aim of the study was to establish how much of the original character of the film (especially the emotions and humour included in its scenes) the authors of the AD were able to preserve, how much was lost, and why. Although the AD for The Intouchables is written in a rich and colourful language, it can be classified as traditional. This, in turn, may be a starting point to consider whether giving it a more artistic form has the potential to contribute to a better rendition of the filmic humour. The conclusions of the study are part of wider reflection concerning the ability of AD to influence the mood of the audience. This is why the text is additionally illustrated with a number of examples from Polish and foreign ADs (which can be perceived as artistic) prepared for various movies of different genres.

  • Issue Year: 2017
  • Issue No: 35
  • Page Range: 107-127
  • Page Count: 21
  • Language: Polish