Adaptation in audiovisual translation; a study based on the Sinhalese version of a children’s cartoon series “Ferdy, the Ant”

Abstract

Audiovisual translation, being the newest branch of translation studies, is concerned with the translation of audiovisual material. Amongst many methods of audiovisual translation, dubbing stand out as the most prominent method of translation when it comes to translating children’s audiovisual content. In order for children to grasp the meanings conveyed by such products, they have to be adapted in accordance with the target culture. This study will be an analysis on the strategies employed in dubbing by translators in the process of adapting children’s audiovisual content according to cultures, based on the British children’s cartoon series, “Ferdy, the ant” and its Sinhalese translation, “Kūmbichchi”. The methodology employed was to compare the translated version with the source version in order to identify how far it differed from the source version and how much the concept of adaptation was applied onto it. As far as the outcomes are concerned, it is noticeable that the applied adaptation strategies to the translation can mainly be classified under six main characteristics that are evident in children’s audiovisual content; figurative language, visual and verbal puns, cultural references, educational content, romantic content, and songs. Apart from those, changing character names and characteristics, inserting moral lessons, adaptation of a unique narration style, utilization of humor and satire appear to be added features by the translator as a means of adaptation. The methods of adaptation chosen by the translator in adapting the content according to Sri Lankan culture are domestication, dynamic translation and covert translation with the utilization of the strategies of reduction, maintenance and reinforcement on the source content. With the application of above methods and strategies “Kumbichchi” has turned out to be a whole new creation combined with the video track of the original and the audio track in Sinhalese, which appear less of a translation to its target audience.