30(2) - 2018

Surmounting censorship in subtitles in the context of Turkey

Mehmet Şahin

 

Titre

Surmounting censorship in subtitles in the context of Turkey

Résumé

Growth in audiovisual translation (AVT) has increased rapidly in Turkey in the last two decades, due to the increasing demand for foreign productions. Both professional and amateur audiovisual translators are involved in the production of Turkish subtitles. The censorship policies in the country affect AV translation both as a process and a product. This study aims at outlining the general profile of AV translators, with a focus on fansubbers, and their views on censorship. Data were collected through an electronic survey completed by 107 translators, and correspondence through e-mail and telephone interviews with professional translators. The results suggest a high degree of censorship in Turkey for AV materials; translators for TV channels must abide by rules set forth by government institutions or employers. Subtitles by fansubbers available at online portals are closer to the original text, although with minor modifications due to personal preferences.

Mots-clés

audiovisual translation, censorship, fansubbing, non-professional translation, translation studies

DOI 10.17462/para.2018.02.05