Transediting the Self: Transadaptation for Dubbing in Arabic

This research project investigates the reasons behind various translation shifts occurred on two audiovisual texts transadapted for dubbing into Arabic by seven MA students. This research sets out to answer the following questions: What are the changes that occur on students’ first and final transadapted versions?; What are the reasons behind their transediting choices?; To what degree does transediting affect the function of and faithfulness to the ST? In order to provide answers to the research questions, Stetting’s (1989) model of ‘Areas of Transediting’, which is based on three transediting areas: cultural transediting (socio-cultural constraints); situational transediting (ideological constraints); and cleaning-up transediting, as well as the inclusion of ‘technical constraints of dubbing, mainly synchrony’, were used as the theoretical framework in order to carry a contrastive analysis between the source texts and the target texts, and first and final transadapted versions. Furthermore, the written reflections on the assignments were analyzed and interviews were conducted with the students to validate and triangulate the findings. The findings of the case study reveal a pattern in which ‘technical constraints’ received the highest frequency of reoccurrence in both assignments. In light of the findings, and building on Stetting’s (1989) model of ‘Areas of Transediting’, a model for ‘Transediting in AVT’ is proposed.