Difficulties of translating humour: From English into Spanish using the subtitled British comedy sketch show "Little Britain" as a case study

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Chapter 1: Humour and Subtitling

2.1 1.1 What is Humour?

2.2 1.2 Overview of Theories of Humour

2.2.1 1.2.1 Humour of Little Britain

2.2.1.1 1.2.1.1 The Schema Theory

2.3 1.3 Humour in Spain

2.4 1.4 What is Subtitling?

2.4.1 1.4.1 Limitations and Constraints of Subtitling Humour

3. Chapter 2: Humour, Translation and Culture

3.1 2.1 Translating Humour

3.1.1 2.1.1 Target Parameter (TA)

3.1.1.1 2.1.1.1 Stereotypes

3.1.2 2.1.2 Language Parameter (LA) – Intertextual Features

3.1.2.1 2.1.2.1 Verbal Allusion

3.1.2.2 2.1.2.2 Verbal Irony

3.2 2.2 Translating Humour Linked to Culture

3.2.1 2.2.1 Translation Loss

3.2.2 2.2.2 Cultural Transposition

3.2.2.1 2.2.2.1 Exoticism

3.2.2.2 2.2.2.2 Cultural Transplantation

3.2.2.3 2.2.2.3 Communicative Translation

3.3 2.3 Audiovisual Aspects of Translating Humour

4. Chapter 3: Case Study of ‘Little Britain’

4.1 3.1 The Deleted Scenes

4.2 3.2 Misinterpretations – Translation Loss

4.3 3.3 Intertextuality Issues

4.3.1 3.3.1 Verbal Allusion

4.3.2 3.3.2 Verbal Irony

4.4 3.4 Cultural Issues

4.4.1 3.4.1 Exoticism

4.4.2 3.4.2 Cultural Transplantation

4.4.3 3.4.3 Communicative Translation

4.4.4 3.4.4 Stereotypes

4.5 3.5 Visual Humour Issues

Research Objectives and Themes

This dissertation investigates the challenges encountered when translating humour from English to Spanish, utilizing the British comedy sketch show Little Britain as a primary case study. It explores how linguistic, cultural, and audiovisual constraints affect the preservation of humorous intent in subtitled formats.

• Theoretical frameworks of humour and their applicability to comedy sketches.
• Technical and linguistic constraints inherent in audiovisual subtitling.
• The role of cultural specificities and stereotypes in humour translation.
• Techniques for mitigating translation loss, including exoticism and cultural transplantation.
• Analysis of specific sketches from Little Britain to evaluate successful and problematic translation strategies.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

Introduction: Provides the rationale for the study, outlining the inherent difficulties in translating culture-bound humour in television programmes and introducing Little Britain as the case study.

Chapter 1: Humour and Subtitling: Reviews established humour theories, schema theory, and the specific limitations imposed by the technical constraints of subtitling.

Chapter 2: Humour, Translation and Culture: Examines linguistic and cultural parameters of humour translation, including techniques like exoticism, cultural transplantation, and communicative translation.

Chapter 3: Case Study of ‘Little Britain’: Analyzes specific sketches from the show to identify instances of translation loss, intertextuality, and the failure or success of rendering humorous effects in Spanish.

Keywords

Humour translation, Little Britain, Subtitling, Audiovisual translation, Translation loss, Cultural transplantation, Exoticism, Communicative translation, Schema theory, Verbal irony, Verbal allusion, Stereotypes, Parody, Satire, Language transfer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this dissertation?

The dissertation focuses on identifying and analyzing the difficulties faced by translators when converting humorous content from English to Spanish in the context of a subtitled comedy sketch show.

Which comedy show serves as the case study?

The research uses the British comedy sketch show Little Britain, specifically its deleted scenes from the second series, as the primary case study.

What is the main research objective?

The objective is to examine how cultural and linguistic nuances, which are often central to comedic success, are maintained or lost during the translation process for a Spanish-speaking audience.

Which theoretical framework is used to analyze humour?

The study utilizes Attardo’s General Theory of Verbal Humour (GTVH) as a framework to break down and examine the translation of humorous elements.

What does the main body of the work cover?

The main body covers humour theories, subtitling constraints, translation techniques like exoticism and cultural transplantation, and a detailed case study of selected sketches from Little Britain.

Which keywords best characterize this work?

Key terms include humour translation, audiovisual translation, translation loss, cultural transplantation, and Little Britain.

How does the author define the role of schema theory in this study?

The author uses schema theory to explain how an audience's background knowledge of cultural situations is essential to understanding the humour, and why a lack of this knowledge creates translation difficulties.

Why are stereotypes considered a challenge for the translator in this study?

Stereotypes are often culturally specific; if the target audience does not share the same cultural background or recognize the specific groups targeted, the comedic effect of the stereotype is significantly reduced or lost.

How does the author propose dealing with 'untranslatable' cultural references?

The author suggests that when literal translation fails, the translator must use creativity, such as communicative translation or cultural transplantation, to adapt the joke so it retains its intended humorous effect for the new audience.