The Challenge of Subtitling Offensive and Taboo Language into Spanish: A Theoretical and Practical Guide

This book provides readers, students and teachers with a clear and concise guide to understanding the concepts of offensive and taboo language and how this type of language can be subtitled into Spanish used in Spain. It combines theoretical and practical approaches and covers technical matters, as well as those of censorship, (ideological) manipulation, translation strategies and techniques, the treatment of offensive and taboo language and how to conduct research in this field. It includes an array of examples from recent films and TV series to present the reader with real samples of subtitles broadcast on digital platforms today. In addition, each chapter includes exercises with which the reader can put theory into practice, as well as possible solutions in the form of answer keys. It will be of use not only to researchers and students, but also to future audiovisual translators seeking to acquire further knowledge in the transfer of offensive and taboo language.

Table of Contents:
Illustrations Acknowledgements Abbreviations Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Audiovisual Translation Chapter 3. Offensive and Taboo Language Chapter 4. Model of Analysis for Offensive/Taboo Language Answer Key Bibliography Filmography TV Series Web Addresses Index

About the Author :
José Javier Ávila-Cabrera is an Associate Professor at the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Spain. His research explores the treatment of offensive and taboo language in audiovisual translation (AVT), as well as AVT as a didactic tool.

Review :
This scholarly and fascinating book is for anyone interested in audiovisual translation in the form of interlingual and intralingual subtitles or closed captions. Extensive discussion of problems with translating swearwords and other tabooed language is matched with a comprehensive survey of various strategies and techniques for managing them. Additionally, there are helpful practical exercises with suggested solutions. This monograph is an essential contribution to the field of audiovisual translation, since it gathers very valuable insights on the subtitling of offensive and taboo language. The skilled combination of descriptive theory, examples, and practice, especially in the second half of the book, turn it into an essential guide for any researcher or scholar interested in the field. In this rigorously researched monograph, the author successfully uncovers the many forces at play when dealing with the transfer of effing and blinding in the field of subtitling. Interdisciplinary in its approach, with examples galore, and written in an accessible and engaging prose, this is a must read for those of us fascinated with the sociocultural power of language. As some directors would say, “Hey, dude, this is a f***ing brilliant book!” [This] is an engaging and informative book that will be of interest to anyone working in the field of translation, be they researchers, teachers, students, or practitioners. The book’s thoughtful analysis and practical advice make it an invaluable resource for subtitlers grappling with the complexities of translating offensive and taboo language. Combining theoretical and practical approaches certainly adds value to this well-organized, well-researched, and easy-to-understand book. The exercises provided throughout the book are particularly useful because they allow readers to apply what they have learned and practice the skills they need to become proficient in subtitling and offensive language analysis. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to deepen their knowledge in these areas. Ávila-Cabrera generates a serious and detailed discussion of theoretical approaches to offensive and taboo language and offers a wide range of translation strategies and techniques in line with the proposed taxonomies. The author masterfully combines theory and practice in each chapter. Another asset of this volume is the incorporation of complete and comprehensive explanations to the answer keys provided with the aim of enlightening the reader, regardless of whether they belong to the academic or professional world. The combined theoretical and practical approach of this volume will appeal to a wide range of potential readers. Undergraduates will find in its pages a solid and well-founded presentation of the basics of subtitling and translating offensive and taboo language. Researchers, on the other hand, will find in this book a comprehensive review of the state of the art in this topic, of its application to AVT and, more specifically, to subtitling as a translation modality where it has not received extensive attention and where new avenues of research may offer interesting results. As a resource for AVT professionals, this volume is a handy tool that can assist subtitlers in solving very frequent problems in their daily work. Indeed, it sheds light on an aspect of translation practice that, due to its very nature, is often overlooked in the training of specialists. Así, The Challenge of Subtitling Offensive and Taboo Language into Spanish se convierte en una herramienta crucial para traductores que se enfrenten al gran reto de la transferencia y mediación intercultural de textos que aludan a realidades interdictas; las cuales, a pesar de provocar diferentes efectos en la  audiencia, están muy presentes en el habla cotidiana y dotan al texto de la tan buscada oralidad en la práctica de la TAV. [This is ] a landmark contribution to AVT studies. Its comprehensive analysis, practical exercises, and innovative methodology make it an essential resource for students, scholars, and translators [...] By tackling an underexplored yet crucial area of AVT, Ávila-Cabrera opens up promising avenues for future research and practice. Inspired by a wealth of empirical evidence and theoretical insights from the literature, José Javier Ávila-Cabrera’s book offers an in-depth discussion and a detailed image of the treatment of taboo and offensive language in Spanish subtitling. Although the book revolves around the English-Spanish language pair, I, as a researcher, practitioner and trainer of Persian subtitling, have found the discussions in the book meaningful and informative. The book will be of interest to both students and novice researchers of AVT.