Jorge Díaz Cintas and Aline Remael. Subtitling: Concepts and Practices. London, UK: Routledge, 2021. 292p. Paper, $46.95 (ISBN: 9781138940543).

Abstract

Subtitling: Concepts and Practices provides an approachable praxis for subtitling film and the history and philosophies behind those practices. The intended audience is translators or students creating subtitles for foreign language films. The book was published in conjunction with a companion website that provides additional exercises and access to a subtitling program. Audiovisual translation and subtitling as a focus of academic study is a relatively recent development, and the authors are careful to date and explain subtitling practices, pointing out where there is relative consensus around a method of subtitling. The core of the text argues that subtitling is ultimately always contextual. The length and formatting of a subtitle for a single scene depends on genre, the semiotics in the scene itself, the language of the source text, and the pace of the dialogue. Throughout the chapters there are clear, concise, and detailed examples of subtitling practice using lines from popular domestic and international films that make the text approachable and relevant. The companion site, accessible with the purchase of the book, provides files for additional questions, examples, and links to additional resources, which are organized chapter by chapter.