Videos, whether they are documentaries, dramas, or other genres of films are popular forms of entertainment around the world. Of course, they mix audio content with video content, which can pose problems for some viewers. Deaf people, for example, only see the video content and miss out on the audio content. Viewers who do not understand the language used in the video format also miss out on important context. One of the answers to these sorts of problems is subtitling and subtitling translation. This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of subtitling and subtitle translation.
What is a subtitle?
A subtitle is a text version of the audio content that can be heard in the film or video. Subtitles appear on the screen, typically below the video content. Without translation, subtitles use the same language that is used in the audio content. Noises, music, or other sounds can also be represented by text-based subtitles. Subtitles can often be turned on or off on some screens, e.g. on a TV screen.
What is subtitle translation?
Subtitle translation is simply a translated version of the original subtitle. For example, let’s say a new Bollywood film comes out in Hindi. Subtitles can be added to help hard-of-hearing or deaf Hindiviewers, but subtitle translation means that viewers who don’t understand Hindi can follow what is going on when they can see subtitles in their own language.
Where are subtitles used?
Subtitles are primarily used to help deaf people or those who have reduced hearing ability understand the audio content that is on the video or film. The subtitles may just be the text version of what is being spoken, or may include sounds and noises where relevant as well. For example, if people are laughing in the film, the subtitle may show the word “laughter”.
Where are subtitle translations used?
Subtitle translations are translations of subtitles. They are used to allow viewers who do not understand the language used in the original video or film. Subtitle translation allows films made in one part of the world to reach out and be enjoyed and viewed by many more people around the world, as long as the translation happens to be in a language they understand.
What other techniques are available for video promoters and marketers?
The main alternative to using subtitle translation is the use of voiceovers. A voiceover is also called dubbing. When video or filmmakers or marketers use voiceovers, what they do is employ someone to say what the actors or spokespeople in the original video, but in another language. The original audio content is muted, with the newly translated audio voice content superimposed on the film instead.
Advantages of subtitles
Apart from the main virtues of subtitles and subtitle translation already mentioned, the main advantage of using subtitles, rather than opting for voiceovers, is that they are much cheaper and more flexible. A video that has been subtitled can be converted into many other languages quite quickly by translating the subtitles. Finding real people to translate the audio content and dub the original content is more complex and certainly more expensive.
Disadvantages of subtitles
The main disadvantage of subtitles is that is that it tend to distract from the video content of the film, documentary, or other format. Viewers may spend so much time reading the subtitles that they miss what is actually happening on the screen. There is an additional disadvantage of translating subtitles into some languages, as they may occupy more space than the original language, adding to the potential distraction for viewers.
Conclusion
Subtitles are useful extra provisions for hard of hearing or deaf viewers of videos and films allowing them to understand the context of the video content. Subtitle translation allows foreign viewers to watch and understand the content of videos and films that are not in their own language. Subtitles are cheaper and more flexible to use than the main alternative, dubbing or voiceovers, but may be more distracting.