今日黑料

Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description

CODE TTI5002

 
TITLE Translating for the Screen: Language, Culture, and Creativity

 
今日黑料 LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
EQF/MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Translation, Terminology and Interpreting Studies

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit focuses on the linguistic and cultural issues in Audiovisual Translation (AVT). It discusses the challenges posed by the multimodal and technical constraints, along with the AVT norms present in professional practice. Additionally, the unit explores challenges related to pivot translation workflows.

This constrained, yet creative, translation process considers the demands of the various AVT modes, the different target languages and cultures, client and viewer expectations, local policies, and the multimodal nature of the audiovisual source text.

To tackle these issues, the syllabus covers both theoretical and practical perspectives on the following topics:
1) Film language and grammar;
2) Strategies to address linguistic and cultural issues, including cultural references, intertextual references, multilingualism, specialised jargon, censorship, humour, and sensitive language (profanity, gender identity, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, religion, disabilities, mental health, and cultural sensitivities);
3) Pivot language templates, including annotation techniques;
4) Rewriting and constrained creative writing.

Study-unit Aims:

- To prepare students for hands-on audiovisual translation practice;
- To help students familiarise themselves with translation norms and issues in AVT, with a focus on the linguistic and cultural challenges;
- To help students familiarise themselves with various strategies and scholarly taxonomies;
- To help students familiarise themselves with client norm expectations;
- To provide the students with the necessary tools for decision-making.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Identify client and viewer demands and expectations;
- Identify territory-specific demands;
- Identify and classify translation issues and potential strategies;
- Analyse the extent to which a text can be rewritten;
- Develop cultural sensitivity;
- Identify sensitive content and language;
- Identify inclusivity issues.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Apply AVT theory and research methods;
- Apply suitable models and taxonomies;
- Apply adequate translation strategies;
- Analyse a source text;
- Decodify film language and grammar;
- Adopt inclusive language;
- Adopt adequate solutions for sensitive content;
Create and annotate pivot language templates.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

View reading list



 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Case Study (Take Home) SEM1 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Joseph M. Brincat
Giselle Spiteri Miggiani

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2026/7. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

/courses/studyunit/index.php