Reduction Levels in Subtitling

The end of the 20th century, marked by the advent of DVD, witnessed an increased interest in audiovisual translation and subtitling in particular. This book is an analysis of reduction, the core translation technique in subtitling, from a dual perspective. Firstly, it is a systemic analysis of reduction percentages in Greek subtitle files, which aims to establish the extent to which filmic characteristics determine the degree of text reduction in subtitling. Secondly, it involves a pan-European comparison of reduction percentages in subtitle files of several European languages, so as to explore whether national characteristics affect reduction levels in subtitling. These files are further compared to the ‘template’ English file used as the basis for the DVD subtitling of the films in question, and the impact of DVD in the subtitling industry is also analysed. The theoretical background of audiovisual translation, the analysis of subtitling models and the critical evaluation of the use of reduction – with an emphasis on DVD subtitling – make this book a useful guide to subtitling for students, practitioners, academics, and the interested public alike.