By Rushali Chanana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4GCczkDhkw
translation, transcription, subtitling, all three are related and slip-up in one will cause inaccuracy in the others. Only if the transcription is done properly, proper translation and subtitling can be performed. Here are some points to keep in mind while carrying out these works.
Margaret explains: transcription is the process of converting audio or video into a written format. It is performed mainly for dead and hard-of-hearing individuals, thus includes a written form of background noises like 'clouds thundering'. It is of two types: Full-verbatim which includes every word and sound of non-verbal communication too; Non-verbatim which excludes unnecessary speech to make the transcript more readable. One can follow some tips like saving the text regularly, only transcribing, not correcting the audio, making a short form for recurring things like names, concepts, etc, re-reading the complete document to verify mistakes. Often beginners complain of poor quality audio. To overcome this, we have a multitude of audio editing programs for volume-boosting and background noise reduction. Another method is using auto-correct.
Mr. Ravi, adding to this, shares that listening to the whole audio first, to understand the totality of the subject, can help correct transcription and reduce chances of errors. He explains the importance of cultural awareness and not doing direct translation, by giving examples of Hindi sayings that have no meaning when translated to other languages.
After translation, is subtitling. A subtitle is a translated version of the transcription of the video. The reason for adding subtitles to videos are many: sometimes one watches videos without subtitles; it makes videos more accessible and also boosts SEO. It has restrictions on time and space. To ensure that the translation has to be well-performed, thus, when translating the text, one should use simple language, avoid direct translation. We can summarize the concepts but make sure not to omit important words and respect the speaker's style. We can avoid translating repetitions, interjections like 'oh, uh, um' as they are heavy to read.
Moving on to subtitles, we should try that every subtitle contains an independent sentence with the subject, verb, and direct object. Every line should be 35 letters long, or a maximum of 40, and we should have a maximum of two lines per subtitle, which becomes easier for the human eye to read. When two lines are used, the upper should be kept short to keep most of the image free. Next, there are some as well. The maximum length of a subtitle is 4 seconds for one line, 6 for two lines, and a pause of at least 0.2 seconds between each subtitle. One must ensure that when the image changes so do the subtitle.
Punctuation too is used while subtitling, suspension points (….) are used for hesitation/interruption; hyphen (-) to indicate two speakers; inverted commas ("") for quotes; italics for songs and other background noise. The use of capital letters can be avoided, as they are heavier to read.
After this discussion, Vineeta explains the exact steps of adding subtitles to videos. With Shubhnagi, the discussion moves to the international and Indian markets, and how we can demand extra payment and time if the video is difficult to subtitle. Mr. Ravi adds that instead of running away from the problem we must try out new projects to improve our skillset. Dr. Yamina shares what we can do to improve further.
