10.4. Cinema/video/tv-translation without preparation

Cinema/video/TV-translation without preparation is extremely complicated process, demanding great experience and knowledge. If there is no possibility to look through the scenario (editorial script – монтажний лист), then it is expedient to find information in corresponding editions, press, catalogues or at least annotation. If it is a screen version of literary work, then it is necessary to become acquainted with the original source.

In cinema translation the extra-linguistic context (video-line – відео-ряд) becomes of primary importance, which contributes to the translation adequacy. Still the auding problem remains the main one.

In foreign movies, especially in the Hollywood ones, every word of each actor is carefully weighted and thought over by the dialogue editor. Scenario is corrected subject to mass psychology, existing stereotypes and other essential factors. Popular expressions (catch-words – крилаті вирази) become the result of the dialogue editor’s good work. In cinema base www.imbd.com there is a section “Memorable Quotes”, and the best native movies, like “Brilliant arm”, “White sun of desert”, “Irony of fate”, have given us a great many catch-words. In translation they are often lost for objective reasons of lingual-cultural character.

One of the fundamental rules of cinema/video-TV translation says that the interpreter must understand and know what the case in point is about by himself. Modern interpreters mainly work with printed out “scripts”, when they don’t have to strain their ears to hear sound track, trying to catch an idiom, drowned out by firing. This kind of work provides maximum comfort for a professional. Still not infrequently the hero’s image, his character are lost in modern dubbing (obviously not that much expansive) put on the production line.

10.5. Cinema/video/tv-translation with preliminary preparation

This kind of interpretation is more adequate and artistic, then the previous one, but requires availability of scenario or literary original source of screen version.

One should try at least to find a critical essay on a given movie, review, survey of cinematologists, etc.

If there is any possibility, then it is helpful to look through the movie at least one time on video, stopping the tape or disk in the places hard to interpret, and think a possible translation variant over.

Cinema/video/TV-translation requires from interpreter great erudition, resourcefulness, keen feeling for native language, and surely, perfect knowledge of foreign language (or several languages), as well as love and reasonable interest in cinema (the more you watch, the better you translate).

Chapter 11: Specialized Interpretation

11.1. Details of working in different spheres of professional communication

Graduates of translation and linguistic departments work not only at state institutions (MFA, other Ministries and departments), in different mass-media (TV/radio stations and press), where they deal basically with general political genre of oral translation, but also in other spheres, where additional specialized knowledge in economics, law, science and engineering, religion, art, etc., are strongly recommended.

There is an eternal dilemma of oral translation: specialist (e.g., in math or law) is a perfect expert in his sphere, but does not know language (foreign) and has no skills of oral translation, and translator-professional can translate, but is ignorant in a given sphere of knowledge (math or law).

Obvious decision is to train interpreter – specialist in a definite sphere, who may not know profoundly and deeply the given sphere, but more than competent both in terminology and specificity of the sphere chosen, as well as well trained regarding language and translation.

Nowadays, on the one hand, the number of students of linguistic institutions, in parallel obtaining secondary education (economical, financial, judicial, etc.) is growing fast, and on the other – many specialists, knowing language within the framework of their profession, strive to master at least basic skills of oral translation, sometimes showing interest even in simultaneous translation within seminars on their subject-matter.

Specific genres of oral translation determine specificity of working in the following spheres of professional communication:

• interpreter-diplomat (journalist-specialist in international law or affairs – журналіст-міжнародник);

• interpreter-scientific officer;

• interpreter-lawyer (jurisprudent – правознавець);

• interpreter-fine art specialist (мистецтвознавець);

• interpreter of religious subject-matter.