Multilingualism in audiovisual productions has substantially increased in recent years as a refle... more Multilingualism in audiovisual productions has substantially increased in recent years as a reflection of today’s globalised world. While the number of publications looking at the phenomenon from the perspective of audiovisual translation (AVT)—especially interlingual subtitling and dubbing—has grown considerably in the last decade, there seems to be relatively little research on the rendering of multilingualism from the perspective of accessibility modes, namely subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH) and audio description (AD). This article aims to investigate how multilingualism is rendered for deaf and hard-of-hearing as well as blind and partially sighted audiences, focusing on SDH and AD, as well as audio subtitling (AST). The study analyses a small corpus of TV shows available on Netflix and aims to highlight how multilingualism is made accessible both in SDH and AD. The products selected for the study had to satisfy three main criteria: they had to be a recent production, include the presence of an L1 (English) and one or more third languages and offer both intralingual SDH (closed captions) and AD. The results show that, even within the context of a single streaming platform, the strategies applied to deal with multilingualism seem to vary quite significantly both in SDH and AD/AST, ranging from neutralisation to L3 visibility.
Bridging the gap between non-professional subtitling and translator training: A collaborative approach
The Interpreter and Translator Trainer, 2021
The impact of technology on audiovisual translation has been enormous, and it continues to change... more The impact of technology on audiovisual translation has been enormous, and it continues to change not only audiovisual production and distribution models but also the profile of the translator and the concept of audience. The development of new digital technologies has led to the emergence of internet communities of non-professional translators who subtitle popular TV series and films using freeware and sharing their collective intelligence. This article describes a teaching project which investigates the potential benefits of integrating activities inspired by non-professional subtitling into a formal teaching context. Making the most of their knowledge as fans as well as of their linguistic skills and socio-cultural awareness, students work in teams to produce interlingual subtitles for different episodes from a variety of TV series, including comedy, medical drama, crime and science fiction. Such collaborative approach, based on a social constructivist view of translator training, has important pedagogical implications for areas such as translator competence, student motivation and learner autonomy.
The importance of the self: using online diaries in the EFL classroom
Language Learning in Higher Education, 2021
Learner journals, diaries, and logs have been used in a variety of learning contexts, including f... more Learner journals, diaries, and logs have been used in a variety of learning contexts, including foreign language learning. This paper investigates how diary writing can be used in the EFL classroom to encourage students to express their identities through the language they are learning; it is also a way of supporting them in their quest for greater autonomy, with a view to exploring the interconnections between learner autonomy, learner self (L2 self), and learner emotions. More specifically, it will be shown how reflective writing – in the form of online diaries – can offer learners an important tool to explore their thoughts and emotions and reflect on their identity as learners and users of English. Moreover, diaries are a qualitative research tool for teachers and scholars, who can examine metacognitive and affective aspects of language learning. The paper reports a study conducted within a university English Language course, in which the students were encouraged to keep a reflective online diary throughout a semester. The analysis of their personal and expressive writing has shed light on their need to speak as themselves, not just as language learners, and to explore their emotions, both positive and negative. A final questionnaire has revealed that the students were generally positive about the activity, highlighting its usefulness in terms of learner autonomy, self-awareness, and self-regulation.
This article sets out to investigate the emotional aspects of foreign language learning in virtua... more This article sets out to investigate the emotional aspects of foreign language learning in virtual classrooms. The pandemic has brought about a sudden transition to online and/or hybrid teaching in Italian universities, giving teachers and students new academic challenges while causing worry, stress, and anxiety. Since emotions are of fundamental importance to students’ learning as well as their wellbeing, this study explores possible interventions in the online classroom that target the emotional realities of foreign language learning and are aimed at building a safe and collaborative learning environment. Such interventions, based on affective strategies (Oxford, “Anxious Language Learners”), promote mindful learning (Langer, “Mindful Learning”) and autobiographical writing in the form of online journals in which learners can share their emotions using the foreign language.
“LE PAROLE DEL FASTIDIO”: COMUNICAZIONE EMPATICA E COMPETENZA EMOTIVA IN AULA, 2023
Alla base di un’interazione efficace, vi sono fiducia e stima reciproche. La scuola dovrebbe esse... more Alla base di un’interazione efficace, vi sono fiducia e stima reciproche. La scuola dovrebbe essere il contesto in cui queste componenti sono alla base di qualsiasi scambio, ma spesso le routine comunicative impiegate dagli insegnanti sono percepite con “fastidio” dagli studenti, perché collidenti con i valori e i principi su cui stanno tentando di costruirsi un’identità. Il presente lavoro indaga gli effetti e le implicazioni degli approcci comunicativi nell’ambiente di insegnamento-apprendimento e presenta i risultati di uno studio svolto in tre fasi: ad una raccolta iniziale di parole ed espressioni usate dagli insegnanti e ritenute ostili da studenti di scuola secondaria di primo e secondo grado è seguito un intervento laboratoriale rivolto a docenti di lingua di ogni grado scolastico nell’ambito del 2° Convegno ELICom che ha proposto un’attività di riflessione sulla comunicazione in aula e la successiva riformulazione di alcuni messaggi che, seppur frequenti nel contesto educativo, possono impattare negativamente nei discenti. Successivamente è stato somministrato un questionario ai docenti di ogni grado scolastico al fine di indagare la loro consapevolezza comunicativa. Lo scopo degli interventi è duplice: si desidera aumentare la consapevolezza degli insegnanti sull’impatto della propria modalità comunicativa e si vuole promuovere lo sviluppo di competenze emotive che rendano le interazioni in aula più efficaci, inclusive ed empatiche.
This article discusses the complex relationship between multilingualism, translation and characte... more This article discusses the complex relationship between multilingualism, translation and character portrayal in television series. In recent decades, cinema and TV have begun to include linguistic diversity in their productions in an attempt to pursue realism and to represent multilingual realities. TV series, which have become very popular with American and European audiences, increasingly display characters who speak more than one language or who use mixed language variants. Focusing on the TV series Jane the Virgin, this article explores the different forms and functions of mul- tilingualism in the original version and analyses the translation strategies adopted in the Italian dubbed version, in order to verify whether multilingual discourse practices are maintained, adapted or neutralised and to consider the effects of such strategies on character portrayal.
In recent decades, cinema has increasingly included and depicted multilingual realities (Heiss 20... more In recent decades, cinema has increasingly included and depicted multilingual realities (Heiss 2014). Starting from a discussion of multilingualism and its main functions on screen, this paper focuses on two multilingual films of recent production and of different genres – the drama Lion (Gareth Davis 2016) and the comedy Demain tout commence (Hugo Gélin 2016) in order to analyse the transfer operations (Zabalbeascoa and Voellmer 2014) found in the Italian dubbed versions. The aim of the study is to investigate how multilingual discourse is dealt with in the translated versions and to consider the implications of different translation strategies in terms of character portrayal and film genre.
The importance of using Web 2.0 tools such as social networking sites to enhance the learning exp... more The importance of using Web 2.0 tools such as social networking sites to enhance the learning experience has been increasingly recognised in the literature (Blake, 2013; Blattner & Lomicka, 2012; Blattner & Fiori, 2009; Lomicka & Lord, 2009; Mazer et al, 2007; Mynard, 2011; Peeters, 2015). Social networks foster autonomous learning, encourage student motivation and increase their social relationships (Promnitz-Hayashi, 2011). This article discusses how the use of Facebook can promote not only a sense of community of learners but also leadership development in language learners. Through the creation of an online learning community of practice and the use of Facebook groups, students’ interactions and interventions were analysed in order to explore the relationship between social networks, foreign language learning, collaborative learning and leadership development in a university context.
This article explores the role of emotions in foreign language learning at university level. Draw... more This article explores the role of emotions in foreign language learning at university level. Drawing on the recent literature regarding the affective dimension in language learning, it illustrates the ways in which students experience emotions in foreign language learning. Particular emphasis is given to the way in which students’ emotions, both positive and negative, emerge and change during their learning process. The article presents a study conducted among university students learning English in a co-directed and autonomy-inspired environment. Following a qualitative approach, students’ emotional expression was investigated, by means of individual advising sessions and group sessions, as well as in written form. The relationship between emotion, motivation and self-awareness in a semi-autonomous learning context was explored in order to consider the impact of the affective dimension on students’ progress and achievement.
The aim of this paper is to highlight the validity of subtitling as a pedagogical tool having a s... more The aim of this paper is to highlight the validity of subtitling as a pedagogical tool having a significant impact on the improvement of various skills, ranging from translation to the acquisition of socio-cultural knowledge and intercultural awareness. Specifically, it describes a didactic proposal based on the integration of interlingual subtitling into university general translation courses. The didactic project was carried out with a class of undergraduate language students attending a university translation module who were asked to engage in subtitling activities of a variety of films and TV series. Particular emphasis was given to multilingual films which involve specific translation problems, such as the rendering of language diversity and variation (i.e. ethnolects, dialects, sociolects, accents, language varieties, idiolects, etc.) and cultural references. Such translation tasks can enhance students’ awareness of the complexity of the translation process and of the role of the translator as a cultural mediator, not only fostering the development of strategies related to audiovisual comprehension and audiovisual translation, but also promoting students’ intercultural awareness.
Translating oral features from one language into another is a notoriously challenging task, parti... more Translating oral features from one language into another is a notoriously challenging task, particularly in the area of subtitling. The present study was carried out in order to investigate how conversational features such as interjections, discourse markers, vocatives, etc. are dealt with in Italian subtitles. The data for the linguistic analysis were gathered from a popular American TV series, New Girl. The study focused on both the original dialogues and the translation strategies adopted by Italian professional subtitlers and fansubbers. While extensive research has shown that orality markers tend to be substantially reduced in professional subtitles, recent research has highlighted the different ways in which fansubbers try to render the features of orality.
This paper focuses on the topic of censorship associated with the use of strong language and swea... more This paper focuses on the topic of censorship associated with the use of strong language and swear words in the translation of contemporary American TV series. In AVT, more specifically in Italian dubbing, the practice of censorship, in the form of suppression or toning down of what might be perceived as offensive, disturbing, too explicit or inconvenient, still remains a problematic issue. By focusing on two recent successful TV series - Girls and Orange is the New Black – which are characterized by the use of strong language (swear words, politically incorrect references) and the presence of taboo subjects (homosexuality, sex, drugs, violence) – this study will consider the different translation choices applied in dubbing and fansubbing. Previous academic studies have underlined the fact that professional translators tend to remove, more or less consciously, the disturbing elements from the source text, while fansubbers try to adhere as much as possible to the original text, not only in terms of linguistic contents but also in terms of register and style. The results of this analysis seem on the one hand to confirm that there is still not a systematic set of rules that govern the translation of strong language in dubbing, and on the other to indicate that the gap between professional and amateur translation is perhaps becoming less pronounced.
Having Fun in the Classroom: Subtitling activities
Language Learning in Higher Education, 2013
This article analyses the role of subtitles both as a functional activity
and a didactic tool in ... more This article analyses the role of subtitles both as a functional activity and a didactic tool in translation teaching and foreign language learning. It presents the results of a didactic project carried out with a class of university students enrolled in the first year of Laurea Magistrale in Lingue e Letterature Straniere (University of Parma). In particular, the aim of the project was to exploit the potentials of subtitling – and in particular those of fansubbing – in a formal teaching context such as a translation course (Lingua e Traduzione Inglese). More specifically, students were asked to engage in multimodal activities in order to create interlingual subtitles for a variety of TV series, acting as non-professional subtitlers. Such activities included the translation of episodes of their favourite TV programmes, ranging from medical dramas to crime, legal and science fiction series, thus presenting students with a variety of backgrounds and different fields. Using the software Subtitle Workshop, students were asked to complete the translation of the episode in a very short time, trying to solve as many problems as possible (regarding terminology, cultural references, language varieties, taboo language, etc.) and making the most of their fan cultural knowledge.
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Papers by Micol Beseghi
is given to the way in which students’ emotions, both positive and negative, emerge and change during their learning process. The article presents a study conducted among university students learning English in a co-directed and autonomy-inspired environment. Following a qualitative approach, students’ emotional expression was investigated, by means of individual advising sessions and group sessions, as well as in written form. The relationship between emotion, motivation and self-awareness in a semi-autonomous learning context was explored in order to consider the impact of the affective dimension on students’ progress and achievement.
and a didactic tool in translation teaching and foreign language learning. It presents
the results of a didactic project carried out with a class of university students
enrolled in the first year of Laurea Magistrale in Lingue e Letterature Straniere
(University of Parma). In particular, the aim of the project was to exploit the
potentials of subtitling – and in particular those of fansubbing – in a formal
teaching context such as a translation course (Lingua e Traduzione Inglese). More
specifically, students were asked to engage in multimodal activities in order to
create interlingual subtitles for a variety of TV series, acting as non-professional
subtitlers. Such activities included the translation of episodes of their favourite
TV programmes, ranging from medical dramas to crime, legal and science fiction
series, thus presenting students with a variety of backgrounds and different
fields. Using the software Subtitle Workshop, students were asked to complete the
translation of the episode in a very short time, trying to solve as many problems
as possible (regarding terminology, cultural references, language varieties, taboo
language, etc.) and making the most of their fan cultural knowledge.