Date of Project
12-6-2024
Document Type
Honors Thesis
School Name
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Art
Major Advisor
Dr. Miguel Rincon Perez
Second Advisor
Dr. Megan Burnett
Abstract
This study aims to determine the best ways for comedy-based TV shows to be translated so their cultural significance can be maintained while also becoming a piece of media that is enjoyed across linguistic barriers. Data was gathered from the TV shows Friends and La que se avecina and analyzed through comparison with one another. Analysis reveals both shows use unique techniques as a result of the specific challenges subtitle translators faced for the shows, but in general, focusing on one aspect of the translation over another would prevent the audience from enjoying the show. Friends's translations rely on the foreign audience having an understanding of the show so that it does not have to omit many of the jokes. La que se avecina focuses on maintaining the integrity of the original script but omits many swear words in an attempt to appeal to a foreign audience that might be offended. These findings show that there is a balance that must be found between good translation and maintaining the culture of the original show.
Recommended Citation
Lamkin, Abigail, "Translating a Culture: How Subtitles in Popular TV Shows Friends and La que se avecina (The One that Looms) Maintain National Culture Within Translations" (2024). Undergraduate Theses. 161.
https://scholarworks.bellarmine.edu/ugrad_theses/161
Included in
Modern Languages Commons, Other Film and Media Studies Commons, Spanish Linguistics Commons, Television Commons