В статье рассматривается роль аудиовизуального перевода в подготовке будущих переводчиков. Анализируются основные виды AVT, особенности их использования в образовательном процессе и профессиональные компетенции, формируемые у студентов в ходе работы с аудиовизуальными материалами. На основе практического исследования выявлены основные трудности, возникающие при субтитровании и переводе разговорной речи. Результаты исследования показывают, что аудиовизуальный перевод способствует развитию языковой, межкультурной и технической компетенций студентов.
Ключевые слова: аудиовизуальный перевод, подготовка переводчиков, субтитрование, дубляж, переводческая компетенция.
The development of globalization and information technologies has transformed the modern translation industry. Translation today extends far beyond traditional written texts and increasingly involves multimedia communication. Audiovisual translation (AVT) has become one of the fastest-growing fields within translation studies due to the expansion of international media content and streaming services.
Audiovisual translation refers to the transfer of verbal elements contained in audiovisual products from one language into another while taking into account visual, acoustic, temporal, and cultural factors. Unlike written translation, AVT requires translators to process spoken language, visual context, sound effects, gestures, and synchronization simultaneously.
The relevance of audiovisual translation in higher education continues to increase because modern translation markets require specialists capable of working with subtitles, dubbing scripts, localization projects, and multimedia materials. Therefore, integrating AVT into translator training programs has become an important methodological issue in translation pedagogy.
According to K. E. Kostrov, audiovisual translation is the translation of multimodal and multimedia texts into another language and their transfer into another culture [1; 143].
Theoretical aspects of audiovisual translation have been widely discussed in modern translation studies. According to Jorge Díaz Cintas, audiovisual translation combines linguistic transfer with technical and cultural adaptation, making it a multidimensional translation activity [2]. Researchers emphasize that AVT differs from traditional written translation because translators operate under temporal and spatial limitations.
Frederic Chaume notes that audiovisual translation requires the interaction of multiple semiotic channels, including verbal language, images, music, and sound effects. Consequently, AVT develops complex translation competence that combines linguistic accuracy with technical and intercultural awareness [3].
Recent studies in translation pedagogy demonstrate that audiovisual translation can be effectively integrated into university curricula. Subtitling and dubbing tasks increase student engagement, improve listening comprehension, and expose learners to authentic language use. Researchers also emphasize the role of AVT in developing digital literacy and practical professional skills required in the contemporary translation industry.
Despite growing academic interest in audiovisual translation, its methodological application in translator education remains insufficiently explored in many educational contexts. Therefore, further research into the pedagogical potential of AVT remains relevant.
To investigate the role of audiovisual translation in translator training, a small-scale practical study was conducted among second- and third-year undergraduate translation students. The participants were given several short audiovisual fragments from interviews, films, and educational videos in English. The students were asked to produce subtitles in Kazakh while following basic subtitling conventions such as timing restrictions, synchronization, and character limitations.
The study aimed to identify:
– common translation difficulties encountered by students;
– competencies developed through audiovisual translation tasks;
– the pedagogical effectiveness of AVT activities in translator training.
The analysis was based on students’ subtitle translations, classroom observations, and feedback collected after the activitie
The analysis of students’ audiovisual translation projects revealed that one of the most common difficulties was the reliance on official Kazakh dubbing versions instead of direct translation from the English source text. In many cases, students reproduced lexical and syntactic structures from existing dubbed versions, which resulted in the loss of semantic nuances present in the original dialogue.
A comparative analysis between the original English scripts, official dubbed versions, and students’ translations demonstrated significant interference from secondary translation. For instance, in the animated film Tangled , the original line “You want to go outside?” was translated by several students using the officially dubbed Kazakh version “Мұнарадан шыққым келеді деймісің?” , despite the fact that the original utterance contains no reference to the tower itself. A more semantically accurate translation would be “Сыртқа шыққың келеді ме?” This example illustrates students’ dependence on pre-existing dubbed adaptations rather than on the source text.
Similar tendencies were identified in the translation of the phrase “I’ve charted stars.” Some students rendered the line as “Суретін салдым” , reproducing the official dubbed version. However, the verb “to chart” implies mapping or marking celestial objects rather than drawing them. Therefore, a closer equivalent would be “Жұлдыздарды картаға белгіледім.” Such examples demonstrate that students often prioritize familiar dubbed expressions over semantic precision.
The research also revealed difficulties in interpreting pragmatic meaning and context-dependent expressions. In one fragment, the German expression “Gesundheit” was translated by some students as “Солай-ақ болсын,” following the official dubbed version. However, within the communicative context, the expression functions as a response to sneezing and is pragmatically closer to “Сау бол” or “Bless you.” This indicates that students experienced difficulties recognizing the communicative function of culture-specific expressions.
Another frequent problem involved literal translation of polysemantic vocabulary. In The Lion King , the dialogue “He looks blue.” was interpreted literally by several students, who associated the adjective “blue” exclusively with color and translated the phrase accordingly. However, within the context of the scene, the word “blue” refers to an emotional state meaning sadness or depression. The misunderstanding emerged because students focused on the dictionary meaning of the word rather than its contextual and idiomatic usage. Such cases demonstrate insufficient pragmatic and contextual analysis during translation.
The study further demonstrated that students encountered difficulties when translating culturally marked and emotionally loaded expressions. For example, the phrase “You’re an outcast!” was translated by some participants as “Қаңғыбас.” Although this version partially conveys negative connotation, it shifts the meaning toward “wanderer” or “vagabond,” whereas the original emphasizes social exclusion. More contextually accurate equivalents would be “Үйірден қуылған” or “Аластатылған”.
In addition, students frequently struggled with audiovisual translation constraints such as synchronization and subtitle compression. Many participants initially attempted to preserve the complete structure of the original utterances, which resulted in excessively long subtitles that reduced readability and disrupted viewing pace. During the practical tasks, students gradually began applying translation transformations such as omission, compression, modulation, and pragmatic adaptation in order to achieve more natural and communicatively effective translations. These findings correlate with the observations of R. A. Matasov, who notes that in dubbing translation semantic synchronism may sometimes be sacrificed in order to achieve phonetic synchronism and natural articulation matching [4; 120].
Overall, the findings indicate that audiovisual translation requires students not only to possess linguistic competence but also to understand pragmatic meaning, visual context, cultural references, and technical limitations of dubbing and subtitling. The practical translation tasks contributed to the development of critical analysis skills and encouraged students to rely more on the source text rather than existing dubbed adaptations.
References:
- Козуляев А. В. Аудиовизуальный полисемантический перевод как особая форма переводческой деятельности // XVII Царскосельские чтения: материалы междунар. науч. конф. — Т. I. — СПб, 2013. — 314 с.
- Díaz Cintas, J., & Remael, A. Audiovisual Translation: Subtitling. Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing. — 2014.
- Chaume F. Audiovisual Translation: Dubbing. Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing. — 2012.
- Матасов Р. А. Перевод кино/видео материалов: лингвокультурологические и дидактические аспекты/Р. А. Матасов. — М.: МГУ, 2009. — 211 с.
