Translation and Localization of Video Games: An Analysis of Uncharted 4 in Turkish

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assist game designers, game producers, and video game translators with translation procedures and open doors for future research in the field by offering comparative research following a descriptive method. Globalization and technological advancements have grown academic interest, as well as video game and localization sectors, and understanding the video game translation process is crucial. This study compares the original English subtitles of the video game Uncharted 4 with the professionally adapted Turkish subtitles. Each sentence in Uncharted 4 was coded, and 67 dialogue lines were picked from a wide range of lines that the three coders thought were notable and would fit well within the scope of the study. The coders re-examined the game’s 67 lines in order to achieve an agreement on the suggested lines and the translation approach employed in the dialogue. The video game Uncharted 4 was chosen due to the coders’ contextual awareness of the game series, its global success, and its appeal in the Turkish market as a result of its Turkish version. The translation professionals’ perspectives as coders on the analysis aims to provide additional support for findings and suggestions. The main variables of the study are Domestication and Foreignization, Transcreation, Keeping the Original Language, Literal Translation, Remaining Loyal to the Origin and Re-creating Meaning and Humor.

Keywords

• Game localization
• game translation
• translation analysis
• localization analysis
• translation strategies

Video Oyunlarının Çevirisi ve Yerelleştirilmesi: Uncharted 4’ün Türkçesinin Bir Analizi

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı oyun tasarımcılarına, oyun yapımcılarına ve video oyunu çevirmenlerine çeviri prosedürleri konusunda yardımcı olmayı ve betimleyici bir yöntem izleyen karşılaştırmalı araştırmalar sunarak bu alanda gelecekteki araştırmalara kapı açmayı amaçlamaktadır. Küreselleşme ve teknolojik gelişmeler, video oyunu ve yerelleştirme endüstrilerinin yanı sıra akademik alandaki çalışmalara olan ilgiyi arttırmıştır. Dolayısıyla video oyunu çeviri sürecini anlamak kritik önem taşımaktadır. Bu çalışma, Uncharted 4 video oyununun orijinal İngilizce altyazıları ile profesyonelce uyarlanmış Türkçe altyazıları karşılaştırmaktadır. Uncharted 4’teki her cümle kodlayıcılar tarafından kodlanmış ve geniş bir satır aralığından dikkate değer olduğu ve çalışma kapsamına uygun olduğunu görülmüş 67 diyalog satırı seçilmiştir. Seçilen 67 satır, kodlayıcılar tarafından incelenmiş ve diyaloglarda kullanılan çeviri yaklaşımı üzerinde bir anlaşmaya varmak için analiz edilmiştir. Uncharted 4 video oyunu, kodlayıcıların oyun serisine yönelik bağlamsal farkındalığı, oyunun küresel başarısı ve Türkçe versiyonunun olması nedeniyle Türkiye pazarındaki çekiciliğinden dolayı bu çalışma için seçilmiştir. Çeviri uzmanlarının analize kodlayıcı olarak bakış açıları, bulgular ve öneriler için ek destek sağlamayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmanın temel değişkenleri, Yerelleştirme ve Yabancılaştırma, Transkreasyon, Orijinal Dili Koruma, Literal Çeviri, Kökene Sadık Kalma, Anlam ve Mizahı Yeniden Yaratmadır.

Keywords

• Oyun yerelleştirmesi
• oyun çevirisi
• çeviri analizi
• yerelleştirme analizi
• çeviri yöntemleri

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