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Subtitling the f-word into Arabic in Hollywood films: a corpus-based study

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  • Yousef Sahari

    (University of Bisha)

Abstract

This study investigates the prevailing strategies used by Arab translators when translating the f-word in subtitles. The study also determines whether these strategies are source-language-oriented or target-language-oriented. To address these research questions, a corpus of 90 Hollywood films released between 2000 and 2018 is analysed quantitatively and qualitatively, with a particular focus on their subtitles. Insights from descriptive translation studies (henceforth DTS), particularly Toury (2012), are also incorporated. The findings indicate that the functions of the f-word significantly influence the choice of subtitling strategies. Also, the use of Modern Standard Arabic in Arabic subtitles restricts the subtitlers’ linguistic options. Additionally, the nature of audiovisual translation plays a role in subtitler choices since the meaning of a word can be conveyed through gestures, images, or sounds on screen. In addition, the f-word is often translated into religious expressions, and omission is commonly used for certain functions as, for instance, an emphatic intensifier or idiomatic ‘set phrase’.

Suggested Citation

  • Yousef Sahari, 2024. "Subtitling the f-word into Arabic in Hollywood films: a corpus-based study," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-03190-3
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-03190-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Yousef Sahari, 2023. "A corpus-based study of euphemising body parts in Arabic subtitles," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
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