{"id":7415,"date":"2023-03-24T13:42:27","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T18:42:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/44.241.49.129\/2023\/03\/30\/subtitling-a-journey-with-cannoli-and-karaoke\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T07:44:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T13:44:16","slug":"subtitling-a-journey-with-cannoli-and-karaoke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terralocalizations.com\/ja\/2023\/03\/24\/subtitling-a-journey-with-cannoli-and-karaoke\/","title":{"rendered":"Subtitling: A Journey with Cannoli and Karaoke"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Can you guess how many languages are supported in 2022\u2019s Game of the Year winner Elden Ring<\/em><\/a>? It\u2019s a whopping 16, which is huge when you consider the number of gamers who can now explore caves full of giant ants and combat \u2018fingercreepers\u2019 \u2013 the Elden Ring<\/em>\u2019s answer to \u2018giant spiders\u2019 \u2013 in their native language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Subtitling, voice-over, and dubbing are three tools that we use in localization to enable video games to traverse cultural and language barriers to reach people who may not speak a game\u2019s original language. Now, you\u2019ve most likely encountered all three of these before, but you may not be profoundly aware of the different impacts each has on its audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this three-part blog series, I will define each of them and \u2013 using some of my favorite examples from gaming, TV, and film \u2013 put \u2018audience impact\u2019 under the microscope to give you a better understanding of why a game or film studio may consider using one over the other. In this part, we will look at subtitling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Brief History of Subtitling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Back in the 90s and 00s, subtitling was mostly used to aid the hearing-impaired, enabling people who were deaf or hard of hearing to read an abridged version of dialogue for many mainstream TV shows so that they could fully understand what was happening and not miss out. The quality was, at times, quite chaotic but generally effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, our media consumption has evolved. It\u2019s now quite common for those of us who live in English-speaking countries to watch TV series and films in other languages. Squid Game<\/em>, All Quiet on the Western Front<\/em>, and Parasite<\/em> are some great examples of where subtitles have to lead the charge in breaking down language barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And by the way, subtitling is no easy feat. A good rule of thumb is that you know the subtitles have been well-written when you barely notice them at all. The duration a \u2018subtitle event\u2019 appears on screen, rules regarding positioning, character-limitation, and, of course, fidelity are just some obstacles that subtitlers contend with. These rules help to minimalize intrusion so that readers are not overloaded with huge quantities of text that awkwardly lingers too long or disappears in a flash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what of the \u2018audience impact\u2019? As we all will have experienced in our lives, language affects us profoundly. As does its delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Benefits of Subtitles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Subtitles are extremely good at aiding and preserving the audience\u2019s sense of \u2018escapism\u2019 \u2013 that feeling when you drift off into the world on your screen or book. This is particularly important when you want your audience to drink in as much of the setting as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A great example is Italian TV series \u2018Commissario Montalbano<\/em>\u2019 (Inspector Montalbano), based on the books written originally in Sicilian by Andrea Camilleri. It\u2019s about a fictional Italian police detective who solves crimes in and around the small town of Vigata, on the beautiful island of Sicily. The episodes each last two hours and they showcase lots of picturesque Sicilian scenery, restaurants, cobbled streets with tiny cars, wine, cannoli, pasta \u2018ncasciata\u2019, <\/em>and just about every seafood dish you can find on the island. After about 20 minutes of watching, you can practically taste the food and feel the warmth of the baking Sicilian sun. The immersion works. It works so, so well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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