Title slide

Text Reduction

• Viewers can absorb speech more quickly than they can read, so subtitles must give them enough time to absorb what is written.
• Viewers must be given the time to read, watch and listen.
• Subtitles are limited to a max of 2 lines. How much reduction occurs depends on the speed of the dialogue and the subtitle reading speed.
• The subtitler must:
• ELIMINATE what is not relevant for the comprehension of the message
• REFORMULATE what is relevant in as concise a form as possible

Condensation and Reformulation 1

• Simplifying periphrasis:
• I’m going to have this place fixed up in no time…then I’m gonna sell it.
• I’ll fix this place and I’ll sell it
• Using a shorter expression:
• What! I’ve always treated her right!
• What? I was good to her!
• Changing word classes:
• I don’t want it to be transparent.
• I don’t want transparency.

Condensation and Reformulation 2

• Changing negative sentences into affirmative and questions into affirmation:
• Ok, we did not live in a palace
• Ok, the place was small
• Did I tell you there’s a party Friday?
• There’s a party Friday.
• Simplifying modality:
• I understand that it may be the best result, politically, that can be delivered just at the moment.
• It’s the best political solution right now.

Condensation and Reformulation 3

• Simplify compound sentences
• Here, I’ve got an idea. Suppose you agree that he can’t actually have babies, not having a womb, which is nobody’s fault, not even the Romans, but that he can have the right to have babies.
• I have an idea. Let’s agree that he can’t have a child. He doesn’t have a womb. It’s not his fault, not even the Romans. But he has the right to have them.
• Pronouns, deictics to replace nouns
• I’m a hairdresser. The only thing I know is how to do hair
• I’m a hairdresser. It’s all I know.