Subtitling of Oprah’s Interview of Michael Jackson from a Multi-modal Approach

Abstract

This paper is about the introduction and use of Multimodal Analysis (MDA) as a research methodology in subtitling of audiovisual products. Its aim is to show the contribution of the MDA to the analysis of multi-semiotic resources in audiovisual products and their influences on the subtitling. Although many scholars have realized that audiovisual products employ different types of signs to create meanings, the focus remains primarily on their linguistic features. The paper elaborates on the theoretical and practical aspects of the MDA methodology, and provides a case study to show how the methodology works in the subtitling process of audiovisual products, in particular the subtitling of interviews. Finally, it concludes the paper with some suggestions for further research.

Multimodality in Subtitling

“…The study of multimodality in Translation Studies has gained more academic attention in the recent two decades (e.g., Taylor 2004;Perego 2009;Tuominen et al 2018). For example, Jieyu Chen (2016) and Yves Gambier (2013) have noted that research of audiovisual texts is too often limited to the linguistic aspects of translation. Consequently, more studies of multimodality are needed; especially studies that take the other modes and their interaction into consideration.…”