BA-Project: An analysis of misinterpretations in Family Guy subtitles
Kris Steinbichler Poulsen 528092
Table of contents
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….…2
2. The source text…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
3. Methodology……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
4. Theory………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
4.1. Subtitle theory……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………..4
4.2. Profanity in subtitles……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5
4.3. Tone and register…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………6
4.4. Macrostrategies……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………..7
4.5. Microstrategies……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
4.5.1. Adaptation……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………….7
4.5.2. Direct translation………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………7
4.5.3. Substitution……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………8
4.5.4. Paraphrase………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………..8
4.5.5. Condensation……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………8
4.5.6. Deletion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………8
5. Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………8
5.1. Segment 1……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………….8
5.2. Segment 2…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………10
5.3. Segment 3………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………..11
5.4. Segment 4………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………....12
5.5. Segment 5………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………13
5.6. Segment 6…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………..14
5.7. Segment 7…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………15
5.8. Segment 8…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………....16
5.9. Segment 9……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………17
5.10. Segment 10………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………18
5.11. Assessment of the macrostrategy………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………19
6. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………19
7. Sources……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………22
8. Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………24
9. Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..26
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1.Introduction
As a child with a trilingual upbringing, I have throughout the years developed a great interest for
languages. Additionally, my interest in music and movies, a lot of which comes from English
speaking countries has further catered to my liking of languages.
Perhaps as a consequence, I have become quite critical to the overall quality of subtitle
translations.
Unfortunately, quality subtitles are not placed very high on Netflix’ priority list, as an interview
with Netflix Scandinavia’s Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt, in a newspaper article indicates. As the
article goes to show, very little resources are in fact being spent on quality translation, as subtitle
translations mostly are outsourced and conducted by under qualified and underpaid translators,
working under immense time pressure. (Iskov 2014)
Hansen reports very similar conditions in his article about Netflix. (Hansen 2014)
Based on my own experience from watching a lot of Family Guy, and the professional opinions
expressed in the two articles, I hypothesize the quality of Netflix’s Family Guy subtitles to be
substandard and noncompliant with conventional subtitle rules and theory.
This thesis is an analysis of misinterpretations in subtitle translations of the animated sitcom
Family Guy. The selected scenes from the show are, what I believe to be, mistakes that mostly
derive from a lack of cultural background knowledge.
I will in this thesis investigate the importance of adequate cultural knowledge, based on an
analysis of 10 selected scenes from the show. Additionally, the thesis will shed light on possible
causes of these errors and attempt to identify the reason behind them.
The selected scenes mostly derive from the categories of idioms, profanity and cultural references.
These criteria were chosen as I believe they constitute a particular challenge to translators. They
often require great creativity, as it is not always easy to find adequate translations.
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2.The Source text
Family Guy, produced by 20th Century Fox, is an American animated sitcom created by Seth
Macfarlane in 1999. The show chronicles the misadventures of the Griffin Family, and thus far
consists of 13 seasons. Amongst other things, the show is specifically known for its black, satirical
humor, frequent use of profanity and numerous references to cultural and current events. 1 2
3.Methodology
This thesis is an empirical examination of the TV show Family Guy, consisting of a comparative
analysis of source text (ST) and target text (TT), based on 10 selected segments. The chosen
translational examples resemble lingual items from the categories of idioms and profanity, as well
as cultural references. As a result from the show being a situational comedy, i.e. sitcom, all
selected segments appear in a humorous context. It is thus paramount to authentic translation
that the translator indeed understands the type of humor and the individual jokes. I, therefore,
intend also to analyze each segment thoroughly for meaning, in order to determine whether the
translator has interpreted the jokes correctly.
Additionally, I will attempt to estimate the employed microstrategic choices, in order to gain
further insight into the translator’s approach.
Next I will summarize the results of the analysis and determine if the translator has followed the
conventions of the subtitling genre, in a satisfactory fashion. Moreover, an educated guess as to
the emergence of each error will be given, in order to clarify how and why these errors occurred.
Conclusively, I will compare my results with the opinions expressed in the two articles, and
elaborate on the importance of correct grammar in the general public.
1
2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Guy
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0182576/?ref_=nv_sr_2
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4.Theory
This thesis will primarily rely on theories by Anne Gram Schjoldager and Henrik Gottlieb, both of
which have extensively studied the field of translation, screen-translation and subtitling.
Parts of Schjoldager’s 4 point model for translation analysis will be used to determine the applied
macro- and microstrategies of the TT. Gottlieb provides thorough insight and detailed knowledge
about the rules and conventions of subtitling, which also will be useful when determining the
quality of the translation. Landers accounts for theory regarding tone and register, which will be
needed for identifying some causes for errors. Additionally, Serban and Landers provide theory
regarding profanity and swearing in subtitles, which also will prove relevant.
4.1.Profanity in subtitles
When it comes to profanity and swearing in subtitles, theories may vary, and translators
sometimes disagree on the translational approach. Serban stresses the importance of staying as
close to the ST as possible in order to fully comprehend the communicative effect and social
implicature, as it provides valuable indicators regarding individuality and social class. (Serban
2011:45)
It does, however, occur rather frequently that translators deliberately tone down the intensity of
profanity. This, to a degree is acceptable, as long as the translator uses emotional equivalents to
replace literal equivalents. However, translators in no case have the right to apply their own
standard of decency by ‘enhancing’ the ST. According to Landers, if you, as a translator, feel
offended by any word in either the SL or the TL, you simply have chosen the wrong profession.
(Landers 2001:151)
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4.2.Subtitle theory
Linguist Henrik Gottlieb defines subtitling as:
‘Diamesic translation in polysemiotic media (including films, TV, video and DVD) in the form of one
or more lines of written text presented on the screen in sync with the original dialogue.’ 3
There are two main characteristics of subtitle translation that distinguish it from regular
translation. Firstly, you have time-and-space constraints for readability purposes. Typically,
subtitles ought not to exceed two lines of approximately 70 characters each and should not be
projected at a pace higher than 12 characters per second. This, very often requires parts of the ST
either condensed or deleted entirely, both approaches which in regular translation occur more
seldom. According to Gottlieb approximately one-third of the original dialog is subject to either
deletion or condensation. (Gottlieb 2004:219) (See section microstrategies for more information)
Dependent on the communicative situation, different types of subtitles exist. In this case,
however, only interlingual subtitles will be of relevance, meaning ‘subtitling from a foreign
language into the domestic majority language. In this case English to Danish. (Schjoldager
2008:209)
Another important aspect that separates subtitle translation from regular translation is the fact
that the interpreter rarely has access to a transcript of the source text. This implies that translation
has to transmit diagonally through different semiotic channels – i.e. modes of expression,
language - from SL speech to TL writing. Gottlieb calls this process diamesic translation, as
opposed to isomesic translation where the semiotic channel remains the same. (Gottlieb
2004:219-220)
Fig. 1 illustrates this process.
3
Understanding Translation”, p. 208, first three lines in chapter 11.2
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Figure 1: Subtitling – diagonal translation (Source: Schjoldager, 2008: 210)
4.3.Tone & Register
Inherent to all languages, words are categorized into different registers or word categories, based
on the degree of formality of the word. Dialects, slang or other substandard, informal language
would be considered a lower register than formal, standard or even poetic language, which is
regarded high register language. Lower register is typically confined to spoken language, whereas
a higher register more commonly is found within written language. Register can thus be defined as
a category or field of language, which along with the level of formality identifies specific language
terminology such as medical, legal, rural, etc. Every utterance has a certain set of associations
attached to it that elude the literal, semantic meaning and determine the appropriate register. So,
aside from formality and terminology, tone and register also incorporate grammatical
constructions and intonation patterns, which can provide valuable indications of social class and
level of education and convey information such as emotion, emphasis and contrast. (Landers
2001:59)
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4.4.Macrostrategy
Within the field of translation, scholars agree and acknowledge the fact that no translation can be
100 % accurate. Slight nuances between the TT and ST are inevitable, and some translational
compromises will have to be made in the process. Schjoldager differentiates between two overall
types of macrostrategies, namely a ST-oriented and a TT-oriented macrostrategy. When applying a
ST-oriented strategy, one is mostly focused on the form and semantic meaning of the ST and the
translation is considered overt, meaning the reader will be aware that s/he is reading a translation.
If, however, one is more concerned about the effect of the TT, the strategy is generally referred to
as being TT-oriented. This also implies that the reader is oblivious to the fact that the text is a
translation. (Schjoldager 2008:71-72)
4.5.Microstrategies
As opposed to macrostrategies, microstrategies operate on a word, phrase and sentence level,
and can thus be useful for making specific translational decisions. Although translators mostly
handle these decisions by intuition, Schjoldager maintains the point that conscious awareness
about one’s approach will improve the overall quality. (Schjoldager 2008:89)
The following is a brief account of each microstrategy that is applied in this thesis.
4.5.1.Adaptation: Adaptation renders the ST meaning and attempts to recreate the effect. It is
often deployed to substitute cultural references, thus useful for interlingual translation, with
similarities to oblique translation and paraphrase. (Schjoldager 2008:103)
4.5.2.Direct translation: This microstrategy renders translation on a word-for-word basis, meaning
the linguistic constructions of the ST are imitated as closely as possible in the TT, while maintaining
correct grammar and idiomatic language. This approach is often considered the default choice of
translation. (Schjoldager 2008:95-96)
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4.5.3.Condensation: This strategy renders the meaning/message of the ST into a shorter,
abbreviated version in the TT. This may entail a loss of explicit ST information that is being
rendered implicit in the TT. Amongst subtitle writers, this approach is commonly used, as it is quite
suitable and compatible with the previously mentioned time-and-space constraints. (Schjoldager
2008: 102)
4.5.4.Substitution: Here the semantic meaning of the ST is changed. Long, wordy terms and
idioms are often translated into shorter hyponyms or synonyms. This strategy is also rather
common in subtitle writing as it is compatible with the time and space limitations. (Schjoldager
2008:106)
4.5.5.Paraphrase: To paraphrase, in translational strategy, means to translate in a rather freely,
creative fashion. The objective is to preserve the overall meaning of the ST, but still maintain an
idiomatic tone in the TT. Similar to condensation, substitution and deletion, a paraphrased TT
often becomes shorter than its corresponding ST. (Schjoldager 2008:100-101)
4.5.6.Deletion: Deletion means that a particular ST element of meaning has been deleted entirely
from the TT. Unlike condensation, which might appear similar in style, deletion does not render
explicit ST information implicitly in the TT. (Schjoldager 2008:108)
5.Analysis
Ten segments will be analyzed for meaning, macro- and microstrategical approach and cause of
error.
5.1.Segment 1 (Season 10, episode 15, Starts at: 08.40 min)
In this scene Peter and his friends are socializing at a bar, sharing stories about experiences with
insurance companies.
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Original English version
Quagmire: A friend of mine staying in my house got injured and my homeowners insurance wouldn't pay her doctor
bills. Said the policy didn’t cover an ‘Act of rod’.
Danish subtitled version
Quagmire: En gæst i mit hjem kom til skade men forsikringen ville ikke betale for lægebehandlingen. De dækkede ikke
vold.
In order to fully understand this joke, it is important to know that the character Quagmire is a
complete and utter pervert in general. The joke itself in the ST is a play on words with a strong
sexual implication. The punch line, act of rod, phonetically much sounds like Act of God, a legal
term and common clause in insurance policies, referring to random, unpredictable events such as
natural catastrophes. 4 Rod, in this case refers to the colloquial term for penis, essentially implying
the theme of the joke to be either rape or injuries sustained from sexual intercourse. The joke
concludes with a quick cutaway shot to a still frame of Quagmire, giving a thumbs-up with a mucky
grin on his face, further supporting the suggestive undertone.
In the Danish subtitled version, the gist of the joke is somewhat altered. The build-up essentially
remains the same, but the phrase act of rod is translated into violence, referring to an act of
violence or domestic abuse. This changes the joke entirely, as the theme of ‘rape’ is now being
reduced to an ‘act of violence’. The critique of the translation lies not in the fact that the translator
did not attempt to transfer the wordplay into the TT, but rather that his interpretation is
inaccurate.
I estimate the employed microstrategy to be substitution, as a meaningful unit in the ST is left out
of the TT. The phrase, Act of rod, could arguably also have been condensed in the TT, as it is
shorter than the ST. A third suggestion could be paraphrasing, as the semantic meaning is partly
modified, as a result of rather free translation.
4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_God
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5.2.Segment 2 (Season 6, episode 3, Starts at: 0.51 min)
This scene features Peter and his friends socializing at their favorite bar, The Drunken Clam. As
they joke around Peter shares a picture, he took on his cell phone with his friends.
Original English version
Peter: I took a picture of Lois’ poo.
Danish subtitled version
Peter: Jeg tog et billede af Lois’ prut.
In the Danish subtitled version, the word poo is translated into prut, the Danish word for fart.
This TT translation is rather inaccurate to say the least, as the words poo and fart carry an entirely
different semantic meaning, the former meaning feces, the latter referring to flatulence.
Consequently, these words are in no way synonymous or interchangeable. Throughout previous
translations the translator has not shied away from nouns describing fecal matter, so it is
somewhat peculiar that he/she now feels the necessity to undermine the vulgarity. Perhaps
because poo, in this case, has a meaning that is denotative and not connotative, the translator
rendered it too profane. Either way, the entire essence of the joke is lost in translation, as gas is
invisible to the naked eye and physically impossible to capture on a standard cellular phone
camera, thus rendering the meaning of the TT absurd and nonsensical.
The most likely used microstrategy was probably substitution, as the translator altered the
semantic meaning of the ST, be it consciously or subconsciously.
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5.3.Segment 3 (Season 9, episode 16, Starts at: 5.41 min)
In this scene Peter is about to engage in a physical altercation with laundry cleaner Mr. Washee
Washee.
Original English version
Peter VS Mr. Washee Washee (written screen text)
Danish subtitled version
Peter sagsøger Mr. Washee Washee
This entire scene is a reference to the videogame Streetfighter 2, a popular fighting-game from the
90’s. 5 As the fight is about to commence, we see a static image of Peter facing his opponent Mr.
Washee Washee with the caption VS, i.e. versus, placed between the two. This is the common way
of introducing a fight in fighting games, as well as in professional martial arts. (See image 1 in
appendix)
The Danish subtitles literally translate into Peter sues Mr. Washee Washee, altering the meaning of
the original version profoundly. Although VS in a legal context can mean to sue, it is hardly a
translational equivalent in this case. It thus appears like the translator has misinterpreted the
appropriate register.
In contrast to the other translation segments, this example is also characterized by an isomesic
translational approach, meaning that the channel of communication remains the same, as the
translational process remains within the written language, both in the ST as well as in the TT.
A suggestion as to how such a misunderstanding could occur could be that the translator either
has misinterpreted the register or perhaps was translating from a transcript, without the visual aid
to provide the appropriate context.
5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Fighter_II:_The_World_Warrior
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5.4.Segment 4 (Season 10, episode 12, Starts at: 7.50 min)
In this scene, Peter is a contestant on a game show. As he fails to answer a question correctly, he
expresses his frustration.
Original English version
Game show host: Uh, I’m sorry Peter, we were looking for King Louis XI.
Peter: Ah damnit, I knew that. Well, if that doesn’t suck a big black cock.
Danish subtitled version
Game show host: Jeg er ked af det, Peter, vi ledte efter Kong Louis XI.
Peter: Pokkers, det vidste jeg! Det er da bare noget lort.
Peter’s exceedingly profane choice of words, along with his calm tone and casual demeanor,
appear in stark contrast to each other, creating absurdity and forming the basis of the joke.
The microstrategy used for this segment is rather difficult to determine, as several approaches
could be applicable. It could arguably be oblique translation, as the semantic meaning changes,
but the TT to a certain degree still manages to render the sense of the ST, even if the intensity of
vulgarity is toned down immensely. However, the applied microstrategy might also be referred to
as paraphrase, as this approach renders ST meaning rather freely, in a sense-for-sense procedure,
which is more TT oriented.
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5.5.Segment 5 (Season 6, episode 12, Starts at: 3.31 min)
In this scene, Stewie helps Brian come up with ideas for Brian’s new act as a magician.
Original English version
Stewie: You can even split me in half.
Brian: What?
Stewie: Saw me in half.
Danish subtitled version
Stewie: Du kan skære mig over.
Brian: Hvad?
Stewie: Save mig over.
In order to fully grasp this joke, it is vital to know that the character Stewie is not openly
homosexual but quite frequently expresses his, perhaps somewhat suppressed, homosexual
desires. Colloquially, split in half has an ambiguous meaning, as it, depending on the context also
can refer to rough sexual intercourse. This ambiguity is further supported by Stewie’s hasty,
somewhat awkward response as Brian, unsure if he heard correctly, interjects what. Stewie,
realizing Brian’s reluctance to the idea, quickly reformulates his words into saw me in half,
implying that Brian must not have heard him correctly, thus creating awkwardness and situational
humor.
In the Danish subtitled version, however, the sexual ambiguity is not present. What is interesting
here is that the literal translation of split, in Danish flække, which would have been the obvious
choice, however does carry that exact same sexual undertone. This suggests that the translator
either has not understood the essence of the joke or deliberately attempted to weaken the sexual
reference. In regard to microstrategies, this example could be classified as substitution, as the
connotative meaning of the TT differs significantly from that of the ST, even though the denotative
meaning remains similar.
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5.6.Segment 6 (Season 6, episode 12, Starts at: 2.45 min)
This scene is a cutaway to/of two foreigners speaking unidiomatic English to each other in a
cafeteria. The aim of the sketch is to ridicule foreigners who almost sound American.
Original English version
Foreigner 1: Oh man, what a good bunch of partying at that discotheque...
Foreigner 2: Way awesome, I myself drank like five liters of beer, any more and I would have ended up in hospital,
man.
Danish subtitled version
Foreigner 1: Sikke en god fest på diskoteket...
Foreigner 2: For sejt. Jeg drak 5 liter øl. Det var lige før, jeg røg på sygehuset.
The ST is characterized by numerous linguistic flaws, all of which are possible mistakes a nonnative speaker of the English/American language could make. The sketch continuous for several
more minutes, but I have chosen only to focus on these two sentences, as they will suffice to
illustrate my point. The flawed units in question are highlighted and will be addressed in
chronological order.
Good bunch of partying – Unidiomatic phrase an American would refrain from using.
Discotheque – Americans would more commonly refer to a discotheque as a club, or possibly use
the abbreviated form – disco.
Way awesome – Not entirely unidiomatic, but fairly uncommon and perhaps slightly outdated.
Myself – Redundant, as the self-reference already is implied in the personal pronoun I.
Liters – Incorrect unit of measurement, as Americans do not use the metric system.
in hospital – missing definitive article (the) between the words in and hospital.
The idiomatic and grammatical flaws of the ST, and thus the very essence of the joke, are not
transferred into the TT. Granted, some of these flaws are impossible to emulate in the TT, which
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arguably to some degree renders the whole exercise pointless. However, the translator could have
applied the technique adaptation, which aims to recreate the effect of the ST, entirely or partially.
In terms of microstrategic choices, the translator relied heavily on condensation, as the TT is
roughly 50% shorter than the ST.
5.7.Segment 7 (Season 10, episode 1, Starts at: 5.50 min)
In this scene, Peter has literally acquired heaps of lottery tickets, which he is about to check for
winnings with his family. He asks his family would the best procedure for checking the lottery
tickets would be.
Original English version
Peter: How do you wanna do this? A static shot of the house, where night turns into day, or a montage-song that
over-explains what we’re doing?
Danish subtitled version
Peter: Hvordan vil du gøre det? Et stillbillede af huset, hvor nat bliver til dag eller en montage med sang, der forklarer,
hvad vi laver?
As the original dialog partially foreshadows, the subsequent scene features an over-explanatory
montage-song, which functions as a self-referential joke, or meta-joke, about filming techniques
and clichés. The song specifies the happenings in a severely self-evident, painfully obvious fashion,
which is the exact point of the joke. The translator, however, has not translated the key-word,
over-explain, adequately, which alters the meaning considerably. The TT simply reads explains,
ignoring the prefix over, which renders the following montage and song relatively non-contributive
to the actual meaning of the joke.
Additionally, the translator has misinterpreted the communicative situation in respect to who
actually is engaged in the dialog. As the video indicates, Peter is in his living room, surrounded by
his family, addressing them as a whole, as to how they should proceed with the lottery tickets. The
Danish subtitled version, however, suggests that Peter is only speaking to one person, as he uses
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the second-person-singular pronoun (du) in the TT, instead of the correct second-person-plural
pronoun (i).
This mistake could indicate that the translator perhaps was translating from a transcript, as not
having the corresponding video to complement the audio could be a plausible reason as to why
the translator has confused the pronouns. The fact that the English language does not
differentiate between the second-person-singular and –plural pronoun, in this case, constitutes an
additional challenge for the translator.
5.8.Segment 8 (Season 7, episode 9, Starts at: 17.25 min)
This scene is a reference to Fred Goldman, the father of Ronald Goldman, who was allegedly
murdered by former football player O.J. Simpson in 1994.6 The scene features Fred, lamenting
about his financial situation to his wife.
Original English version
Fred: You know how much mustache-cream that could have bought?
Danish subtitled version
Fred: Ved du, hvor meget barberskum, det kunne have betalt?
In the scene Fred Goldman is ridiculed by being portrayed with a massively exaggerated, oversized
mustache, which is a reference to his real, somewhat iconic handlebar mustache. (See image 2 and
3 in Appendix)
The translator has misinterpreted the word mustache-cream in the ST, translating it into the
Danish equivalent for shaving cream in the TT. Needless to say, mustache cream and shaving
cream is not the same thing, as the former is a grooming product to maintain a nice looking
mustache, and the latter is a cream you apply for a smoother shaving experience. The two words
in question thus carry a different semantic meaning and are not interchangeable. A confusion of
the register could be an explanation of this error.
6
familyguy.wikia.com/wiki/Fred_Goldman
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Regarding the microstrategic choices, apart from the misinterpretation of the word mustache
cream, the translator has conformed to the approach of direct translation, as form and content of
the ST and TT are identical.
5.9.Segment 9 (Season 10, episode 1, Starts at: 11.30)
In this scene Peter is at the bar with his friends, Quagmire and Joe, after he borrowed both of
them a substantial amount of money. As Quagmire and Joe are about to leave for work, Peter
expresses his disappointment about them making an early exit, implying that they are ungrateful
friends. As they realize Peter’s dissatisfaction, they have a change of heart.
Original English version
Quagmire: Yeah, I guess the co-pilot can fly the plane. She’s a woman, and passengers are usually okay with that.
Danish subtitled version
Quagmire: Ja, og førstepiloten kan vel flyve flyvet. Hun er en kvinde, og det har passagerer det fint med.
The word usually in this case is vital and actually the very core of the joke. Quagmire’s general
sexist attitude toward women is no secret and also not exclusively the point of the joke. It is the
word usually that adds the most notable amount of humor, as it further accentuates Quagmire’s
warped perception of reality. Quagmire’s implication is that while most people might not share his
outlook, a considerable portion of people, however, does. It is thus his view of others that is the
foundation of the joke, as it reflects his own twisted, chauvinistic opinions.
The translator has not managed to convey the joke in its entirety, as there is no translation of the
word usually in the TT. This would suggest that the translator has employed the microstrategy
deletion, because a meaningful unit is left out. The rest of the segment is rather close to a direct
translation though, meaning the translation is processed in a word-for-word format. This only
makes it all the more puzzling as to why the translator has chosen to leave out the word usually,
since it would have been as simple as adding one word (normalt, plejer, som regel, etc.) to the TT,
and all ST meaning would have been preserved.
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However, this just as well could be an indicator of sloppy work by the translator, as it is uncertain
if that decision was made consciously or subconsciously.
5.10.Segment 10 (Season 6, episode 12, Starts at: 1.40 min)
This scene is a cutaway shot, featuring the Pink Panther lying in a coma. His wife, by his side,
inquires about his condition.
Original English version
Wife: What’s wrong with him, doctor?
Doctor: Well, it seems his lungs are completely filled with Owens Corning fiberglass insulation.
Danish subtitled version
Wife: Hvad er der galt med ham?
Doctor: Hans lunger er helt fyldt med rockwool.
The sketch is a reference to a commercial campaign of the contracting company Owens Corning,
which features the famous cartoon character The Pink Panther. 7 (See image 4 in appendix)
The implication of the joke is that his lungs have been severely damaged from inhaling too much
fiberglass fumes throughout the years. The scene progresses with the wife and Doctor continuing
to go back and forth about his condition, repeating the words Owens Corning fiberglass insulation
a total of three times.
The show Family Guy is well-known for creating wordplay with oddly specific references, such as
also is the case in this segment. The detailed specification of the type of insulation appears
relatively redundant, creating a sense of bizarreness, which is amplified by continuous repetition.
This is a fine example of Family Guy’s black type of humor, as the words, Owens Corning fiberglass
insulation, in itself not carry much, if any, humorous significance, but become amusing when
repeated over and over in the right context.
In comparison to other condensed segments, this segment stands out, as explicit ST information is
rendered implicit in the TT to a much higher degree. The parts that become condensed are usually
7
www.owenscorning.com
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the ones that contribute the least to the overall meaning. In this case, however, the translator has
abbreviated an elementary part of the ST-meaning by reducing a hyponym, i.e. specification,
(Owens Corning fiberglass insulation) to a more general, superordinate term, i.e. hypernym.
(rockwool).
Granted, the condensed part in question could appear rather verbose and thus perhaps not
entirely suitable for subtitles, in regard to the time-space restraints of the genre, but if that very
wordiness is an integral part of the joke, it cannot be rendered completely unnecessary either.
5.11.Assessment of the macrostrategy
When attempting to determine the macrostrategy of the TT, I encountered some inconsistencies
of the macrostrategical theory outlined by Anne Schjoldager. In respect to the overtness of the
translation, the TT appears to be in alignment with a ST oriented macrostrategy. This is due to the
polysemiotic parameters of the subtitling genre, because the readers are aware that what they are
reading is in fact a translation, as ST and TT are simultaneously present.
This, however, is partially in contradiction with my results of the microstrategical analysis that
frequently focused on the TT effect, which in turn ought to indicate a more TT oriented
macrostrategy. The identified microstrategies paraphrase, condensation, substitution and deletion
support this ascertainment. The examples classified as direct translation, and to some extent
oblique translation, however, could suggest a tendency toward a ST oriented macrostrategy.
All things considered though, I conclude the overriding macrostrategy to be TT orientated.
6.Conclusion
From previously watching a lot of Family Guy I gathered the impression that the subtitles not
always were correct. Although I previously did not pay that close attention to the subtitles, as I did
when I conducted the research for this thesis, I did feel certain that the translation quite regularly
showed signs of sloppy work. I thus wanted to put my preconceived notion to the test and locate
lexical items that constituted translational errors. Reading the articles (Hansen:2014) and
(Iskov:2014) further supported my hypothesis and gave me additional inspiration and motivation
to write about this subject.
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The selected theories have been very beneficial. Analyzing each segment, in order to ascertain if
the translator has interpreted the jokes correctly, was not only an amusing task, but indeed a vital
prerequisite for the rest of the analysis. It would not have been possible to proceed to the phase
of micro- and macrostrategy analysis, without those results.
Although the macrostrategy was somewhat problematic to decipher, and the analysis to a degree
gave inconclusive results, it has still proved useful. It has advanced my understanding of how a ST
oriented macrostrategy differs greatly from a TT oriented strategy, and how it will have an impact
on one’s translational approach.
In respect to the space-time restraints, outlined by Henrik Gottlieb, I must conclude that the
translators have conformed in a satisfactory fashion, as poor readability in my opinion was not an
issue.
The microstrategic analysis also supplied interesting information, as it gave insight into the
translator’s approach and, most of all, confirmed my hypothesis about the translations being of
substandard quality.
I also ascertained that the writing style fluctuated, which probably is an indication that several
translators have been writing the subtitles. To a certain degree I believe this had an impact on the
overall coherence of the translations.
However, it appears to me that the most significant contributor to the translational errors, was
perhaps not so much an outcome of under qualification, but more likely a consequence of time
pressure. Some of the errors, where one word in the translation essentially could have made the
difference, are, I think, a very clear indication of said time pressure.
Although I in this thesis focused on flaws, there most certainly also exist quite witty and creative
solutions to translational problems in family guy subtitles. It seems the majority of these errors
could have been avoided, if the working conditions would allow the translator to perform a twominute online research, when necessary.
It has to be mentioned though, that these conclusions are solely based on the results of my
analysis, which arguably constitutes a rather narrow sample size. Thus the point, that the evidence
gathered, to some degree, could be considered inconclusive, indeed has validity. Due to the given
space limitations of this bachelor thesis, however, I believe that compromises, to some extent are
inevitable.
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As a final thought, I personally find it deeply concerning that Netflix shows that little interest in
quality subtitles and does not lead by example, as I believe they have a moral obligation to do so.
Like the article (Hansen:2014) points out, faulty grammar is not accepted in printed mediums such
as newspapers, so why should it be tolerated on screen? I believe TV plays an undeniable
educational role in society, which Netflix sadly does not seem to acknowledge. When directly
confronted about Netflix’s responsibility to society in terms of educating the people, Netflix’s Neil
Hunt apparently dismissed that notion as a joke. (Iskov:2014)
So, in the spirit of Family Guy humor: ‘Fuck you Neil Hunt, kill yourself!’
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7.Sources
All Family Guy episodes available at: www.netflix.dk, [Accessed 3 May 2015]
Books
Landers, C. E. (2001) Literary Translation. A Practical Guide, Great Britain: Cromwell Press Ltd.
Serban, A., Matamala, A., Lavaur, J. (2011) Audiovisual Translation in Close-up. Practical and
Theoretical Approaches, Switzerland: Peter Lang
Schjoldager, A., Gottlieb, H., Klitgård, I. (2008) Understanding Translation, Denmark: Academica
Journal article (online)
Gottlieb, H. (2004) Subtitles and International Anglification. Nordic Journal of English Studies,
Vol.3, 219-230. Available at: http://ojs.ub.gu.se/ojs/index.php/njes/article/view/244, [Accessed 3
May 2015]
Newspaper articles (online)
Hansen, P., L. (2014) Danske tekstere angriber Netflix. Journalisten, [online] 23 January, Available
at: http://journalisten.dk/danske-tekstere-angriber-netflix [Accessed 3 May 2015]
Iskov, B. (2014) Undertekster på Netflix er sort snak. Politikken, [online] 11 January, Available at:
http://politiken.dk/kultur/medier/ECE2179142/undertekster-paa-netflix-er-sort-snak/ [Accessed 3
May 2015]
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Websites
Familyguy.wikia.com [online], Available at: http://familyguy.wikia.com/wiki/Fred_Goldman,
[Accessed 03.05.15]
Imdb.com [online], Available at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0182576/?ref_=nv_sr_2, [Accessed
03.05.15]
Owenscorning.com [online], Available at: http://www.owenscorning.com, [Accessed 03.05.15]
Wikipedia.org
[online],
Available
at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_God,
[Accessed
[online],
Available
at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Guy,
[Accessed
03.05.15]
Wikipedia.org
03.05.15]
Wikipedia.org
[online],
Available
at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Fighter_II:_The_World_Warrior, [Accessed 03.05.15]
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8.Appendix
Image 1: Screenshot of Family Guy, season 9, episode 16
Source:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view6/2315917/family-guystreet-fighter-o.gif&imgrefurl=http://gifsoup.com/view/2315917/family-guy-streetfighter.html&h=180&w=320&tbnid=qf44me1OEytuAM:&zoom=1&docid=Yyhc3BHiZsJJ1M&ei=jGZ
DVeO3MsSXgwTNloCgDg&tbm=isch&ved=0CB8QMygCMAI
Image 2: Screenshot of Family Guy, season 6, episode 3.
Source:
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http://www.google.dk/imgres?imgurl=http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1eB2_TRPr6U/maxresdefault.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D1e
B2_TRPr6U&h=720&w=1280&tbnid=2oqhjimsddsmcM:&zoom=1&docid=lEdrvUetxAd9UM&ei=q_xFVamgHoGysgGlkIGwDA&tbm=isch&ved=0CB4Q
MygAMAA
Image 3: Image of Fred Goldman
Source: http://laurasegall.net/laurasegall/portraits/
Image 4: Image of an Owens Corning commercial
Source: http://www.roofingwarren.com/images/426425_0.jpg
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9.Summary
An analysis of misinterpretations in subtitle translations of the animated sitcom Family Guy
This thesis is based on the hypothesis that quality of subtitle translation in the animated sitcom
Family Guy, is rather poor. The introduction outlines my personal interest and motivation, as well
as an account for why Family Guy has been chosen as empirical evidence. In the methodology
section I detail the approach to this thesis, which consists of a comparative analysis of ST and TT,
based on 10 humorous scenes that indicate translational errors. The first part of the analysis is
about meaning, in order to verify if the translator indeed has understood the humor and jokes. In
the majority of the cases the translator appears to have not fully understood the gist of the jokes.
The subsequently conducted macro and micro strategy analysis reveals that the translator has
applied a variation of ST oriented and TT oriented strategies.
The macro strategy analysis gave mixed results, but still contributed positively to my
understanding of translation.
The analysis is an identification and estimation of the cause of the lexical errors. Most of the errors
indicate hasty work. Based on that I assume the translators have conducted little to no research at
all, about the ST.
In the conclusion I summarize my results and conclude that the main reason for the analyzed
errors must have been time pressure, which consequently resulted in poor quality subtitles. At last
I compare my results to the opinions expressed in the two articles (Hansen:2014), (Iskov:2014) and
express my concern for Netflix’s stance on the subject.
Character count: 35.530
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