Subtitling Strategies of Real World Culture References in The Complete and Extraordinary Life of Winston Churchill

Abstract

This research focuses on analyzing cultural references and subtitling strategies in the translation of The Complete and Extraordinary Life of Winston Churchill from English into Indonesian. A descriptive qualitative approach was used in this study. It applied Pedersen's taxonomy on cultural references and used Díaz Cintas and Remael’s subtitling strategies to identify subtitling techniques. The study found 118 cases of cultural references which were grouped into geographical (18.7%), ethnographic (28.8%), and socio-political references (52.5%) with socio-political references being the most dominant. Five subtitling strategies were identified which included literal translation (62%), loan (23%), substitution (9%), calque (4%), and explicitation (2%). Literal translation was the highest used strategy. These findings illustrate the challenge of translating documents laden with diverse and intricate cultural contexts, specifically the balance of preserving the historical and political context for the intended readers. The classification system employed in the study assists in balancing the preservation of cultural meaning and the subtitlers’ need to structure the translation for easy understanding. The study also invites other scholars to analyze the perception of audiences on cultural references in subtitles and the relationship between subtitling strategies and audience understanding and interest. The investigation of fan-subtitling and the socio-cultural implications of translated texts may enhance understanding of how audiovisual translation influences cultural perception and identity in a globalized context.