17.2605, Diss: Translation/Text&Corpus Ling/Socioling: Caracciolo: 'Analysis...'

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LINGUIST List: Vol-17-2605. Thu Sep 14 2006. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 17.2605, Diss: Translation/Text&Corpus Ling/Socioling: Caracciolo: 'Analysis...'

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1)
Date: 14-Sep-2006
From: Francesca Caracciolo < dindo5 at supereva.it >
Subject: Analysis of the Dubbed Version of Roberto Benigni's Film 'Pinocchio' in the United States 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 14:49:57
From: Francesca Caracciolo < dindo5 at supereva.it >
Subject: Analysis of the Dubbed Version of Roberto Benigni's Film 'Pinocchio' in the United States 
 


Institution: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore 
Program: Dottorato di Ricerca in Linguistica Applicata e Linguaggi della Comunicazione 
Dissertation Status: Completed 
Degree Date: 2005 

Author: Francesca Caracciolo

Dissertation Title: Analysis of the Dubbed Version of Roberto Benigni's Film
"Pinocchio" in the United States 

Linguistic Field(s): Sociolinguistics
                     Text/Corpus Linguistics
                     Translation

Subject Language(s): English (eng)
                     Italian (ita)


Dissertation Director(s):
Gianfranco Porcelli

Dissertation Abstract:

My doctoral research work deals with the translation and the adaptation of
Roberto Benigni's film 'Pinocchio' into English for the American audience.
In this case study I have analysed the whole linguistic and cultural
adaptation process from the draft translation and synch script of the film
dialogues, provided by the Italian translator and adapter of the film, to
the final dubbed script.

The film directed and played by the Oscar winner Roberto Benigni was
released by Miramax Films in the U.S. and received an English-dubbed
soundtrack featuring the voice of some Hollywood stars. Savaged by the
American critics for different reasons, but especially because of its
dubbed version, the film did not reach the expected success in the United
States in spite of its strong promotional push. 

In this work the 'US theatrical version' of Benigni's film, which is the
shortened English dubbed version shown in the American theatres, is
compared with the longer English dubbed and the subtitled original language
versions both contained in the DVD sold in the United States. The analysis
is focused on the strong strategy of naturalisation adopted for the
creation of the dubbed text. The socio-cultural adaptations occurring in
the 'US theatrical version' serve the purpose to adapt this audiovisual
text to the different cultural needs and prerequisites of the target
audience (children and families) and affect the whole film, involving some
evident transformation processes in the plot, in the characters
presentation and sometimes even in the original author's message. 

In particular, in the first two chapters of my research work, I concentrate
on some visual and verbal transformation processes which take place in this
version, such as the cutting of some scenes, especially those touching
taboo topics (death and violence) and other dark elements belonging to
Collodi's tale and intentionally kept by Benigni in his film; the cutting
and the modification of some lines and dialogues containing taboo topics;
the additions of lines, dialogues and off-screen voices not belonging to
the original version of the film, as for example the figure of the
narrator; the substitution of Italian graphic signs with English ones; the
transformation of some important characters as a consequence of the
modification of their dialogues; the intertextuality of the original film
with Collodi's original tale and the added intertextuality of the dubbed
film with Walt Disney animated movie 'Pinocchio'.

Finally, this analysis focuses on some typical translation problems, always
with reference to the domesticating strategy mentioned, such as the
translation of proper and geographical names, of modes of address and power
relation, of interjections and exclamations, of positive and negative
epithets and, more generally, on the difficulties linked to cultural
transfer on the screen. 




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