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
References
- Barker, S. (2017). PSX 2017: Uncharted series lifetime sales top 41.7 million units. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2017/12/psx_2017_uncharted_series_lifetime_sales_top_41_7_ million_units google scholar
- Bernal-Merino, M. A. (2006). On the translation of video games. The Journal of Specialised Translation, (6), 22-36. Retrieved from http://www.jostrans.org/ issue06/art_bernal.php google scholar
- Bernal-Merino, M. A. (2007). Challenges in the translation of video games. Revista Tradumatica, (5), 1-7. Retrieved from http://www.fti.uab.es/tradumatica/revista/num5/articles/02/02.pdf google scholar
- Bernal-Merino, M. A. (2009). Video games and children’s books in translation. The Journal of Specialised Translation, (15), 234-247. Retrieved from https://www.jostrans.org/issue11/art_bernal.pdf. google scholar
- Bernal-Merino, M. A. (2011). A brief history of game localisation. TRANS. Revista De Traductolog^a, (15), 11-17. Retrieved from http://www.trans.uma.es/pdf/Trans_15/11-17.pdf google scholar
- Bernal-Merino, M. A. (2013). The localisation of video games [Doctoral dissertation]. Imperial College London. https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk:8443/handle/10044/1/39333. google scholar
- Bizzocchi, J. & Tanenbaum, J. (2011). Well read: Applying close reading techniques to gameplay experiences. D. Davidson (Ed.), Well played 3.0: Video games, value and meaning (pp. 289-315). Pittsburgh: ETC Press. Retrieved from https://press.etc.cmu.edu/index.php/product/well-played-3-0/. google scholar
- Di-Marco, F. (2007). Cultural localization: Orientation and disorientation in japanese video games. Revista Tradumatica, (5). Retrieved from http://www.fti.uab.es/tradumatica/revista/num5/articles/06/06art.htm google scholar
- Dietz, F. (2007). “How difficult can that be?” - The work of computer and video game localization. Revista Tradumatica, (5). Retrieved from https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/tradumatica/15787559n5/15787559n5a4.pdf. google scholar
- Fernandez Costales, A. (2012). Exploring translation strategies in video game localization. MonTI. Monograffas De Traduccion E Interpretacion, (4), 385-408. doi:10.6035/monti.2012.4.16 google scholar
- Mangiron, C. (2007). Video games localisation: Posing new challenges to the translator. Perspectives: Studies on Translatology, 14(4), 306-317. doi:10.1080/09076760708669046 google scholar
- Mangiron, C., & O’Hagan, M. (2006). Game localisation: Unleashing imagination with ‘restricted’ translation. The Journal of Specialised Translation, (6), 10-21. Retrieved from https://jostrans.org/issue06/art_ohagan.php. google scholar
- Newmark, P. (2001). About Translation (Multilingual Matters: 74) (1475921064 1067172561 J. Edwards, Ed.). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. google scholar
- O’Hagan, M. (2007). Video games as a new domain for translation research: From translating text to translating experience. Revista Tradumatica, (5). Retrieved from https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/tradumatica/15787559n5/15787559n5a 9.pdf. google scholar
- O’Hagan, M. (2009). Towards a cross-cultural game design: An explorative study in understanding the player experience of a localised Japanese video game. The Journal of Specialised Translation, (11), 211-233. Retrieved from https://www.jostrans.org/issue11/art_ohagan.pdf. google scholar
- Pym, A. (2004). Localization from the perspective of translation studies: Overlaps in the digital divide? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250363090_Localization_from_the_Perspective_of_ Translation_Studies_Overlaps_in_the_Digital_Divide google scholar
- Venuti, L. (2017). The Translator’s Invisibility: A History of Translation (Routledge Translation Classics). London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. google scholar
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.
References
- Barker, S. (2017). PSX 2017: Uncharted series lifetime sales top 41.7 million units. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2017/12/psx_2017_uncharted_series_lifetime_sales_top_41_7_ million_units google scholar
- Bernal-Merino, M. A. (2006). On the translation of video games. The Journal of Specialised Translation, (6), 22-36. Retrieved from http://www.jostrans.org/ issue06/art_bernal.php google scholar
- Bernal-Merino, M. A. (2007). Challenges in the translation of video games. Revista Tradumatica, (5), 1-7. Retrieved from http://www.fti.uab.es/tradumatica/revista/num5/articles/02/02.pdf google scholar
- Bernal-Merino, M. A. (2009). Video games and children’s books in translation. The Journal of Specialised Translation, (15), 234-247. Retrieved from https://www.jostrans.org/issue11/art_bernal.pdf. google scholar
- Bernal-Merino, M. A. (2011). A brief history of game localisation. TRANS. Revista De Traductolog^a, (15), 11-17. Retrieved from http://www.trans.uma.es/pdf/Trans_15/11-17.pdf google scholar
- Bernal-Merino, M. A. (2013). The localisation of video games [Doctoral dissertation]. Imperial College London. https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk:8443/handle/10044/1/39333. google scholar
- Bizzocchi, J. & Tanenbaum, J. (2011). Well read: Applying close reading techniques to gameplay experiences. D. Davidson (Ed.), Well played 3.0: Video games, value and meaning (pp. 289-315). Pittsburgh: ETC Press. Retrieved from https://press.etc.cmu.edu/index.php/product/well-played-3-0/. google scholar
- Di-Marco, F. (2007). Cultural localization: Orientation and disorientation in japanese video games. Revista Tradumatica, (5). Retrieved from http://www.fti.uab.es/tradumatica/revista/num5/articles/06/06art.htm google scholar
- Dietz, F. (2007). “How difficult can that be?” - The work of computer and video game localization. Revista Tradumatica, (5). Retrieved from https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/tradumatica/15787559n5/15787559n5a4.pdf. google scholar
- Fernandez Costales, A. (2012). Exploring translation strategies in video game localization. MonTI. Monograffas De Traduccion E Interpretacion, (4), 385-408. doi:10.6035/monti.2012.4.16 google scholar
- Mangiron, C. (2007). Video games localisation: Posing new challenges to the translator. Perspectives: Studies on Translatology, 14(4), 306-317. doi:10.1080/09076760708669046 google scholar
- Mangiron, C., & O’Hagan, M. (2006). Game localisation: Unleashing imagination with ‘restricted’ translation. The Journal of Specialised Translation, (6), 10-21. Retrieved from https://jostrans.org/issue06/art_ohagan.php. google scholar
- Newmark, P. (2001). About Translation (Multilingual Matters: 74) (1475921064 1067172561 J. Edwards, Ed.). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. google scholar
- O’Hagan, M. (2007). Video games as a new domain for translation research: From translating text to translating experience. Revista Tradumatica, (5). Retrieved from https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/tradumatica/15787559n5/15787559n5a 9.pdf. google scholar
- O’Hagan, M. (2009). Towards a cross-cultural game design: An explorative study in understanding the player experience of a localised Japanese video game. The Journal of Specialised Translation, (11), 211-233. Retrieved from https://www.jostrans.org/issue11/art_ohagan.pdf. google scholar
- Pym, A. (2004). Localization from the perspective of translation studies: Overlaps in the digital divide? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250363090_Localization_from_the_Perspective_of_ Translation_Studies_Overlaps_in_the_Digital_Divide google scholar
- Venuti, L. (2017). The Translator’s Invisibility: A History of Translation (Routledge Translation Classics). London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. google scholar
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Communication and Media Studies |
| Journal Section | Research Articles |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | July 26, 2022 |
| Submission Date | September 19, 2021 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2022 |