TRANSLATION STRATEGIES FOR SOCIOLINGUISTIC VARIATION IN ANIME SUBTITLING

Abstract

This Honours Thesis aims to investigate the dichotomy between official and fan subtitles in anime and the reasons behind their choice of strategies. Using the historical science-fiction anime Gin Tama as a case study, the analysis focuses on the effectiveness of translation strategies in conveying the sociolinguistic variation in three salient features: names, culture specific items and linguistic wordplay in comedy. Gin Tama is an anime that incorporates historical, cultural and modern elements into its plot, creating an eclectic mix of features in its characters’ dialogues. These features often do not have a straightforward English counterpart and thus, require greater consideration in the choice of translation strategies. Through the analysis of the features using Venuti’s (1995) translation frameworks, the findings of the study demonstrate the predominantly domesticating nature of official subtitles in contrast to the largely foreignising practices in fan subtitles. The divergence in translation alignment and the dichotomy of its resultant subtitles also reveal the advantages and risks of each strategy, contributing to the evaluation of the most suitable translation strategy for sociolinguistic variation. This honours thesis hopes to lend itself to the field of translation studies, particularly in translating sociolinguistic variation and bring about a better understanding of the importance of evaluating and choosing translation strategies that convey the intended meaning most accurately.