Subtitling swear words in Netflix stand-up comedies from English to Arabic

What is it about?

This study explores how swear words in stand-up comedy are subtitled for Arabic-speaking audiences, focusing on the Netflix special Mo Amer: Muhammad in Texas. Swear words like "fuck" and "shit" were the most common, making up 52% and 16% of the 174 instances analyzed. To make these terms suitable for a more conservative audience, translators used strategies like euphemism (softening the language), deletion (removing the swear words), or changing taboo words to non-taboo expressions. Euphemism was the most popular choice, used in 44% of cases, while directly translating swear words was avoided entirely, likely due to cultural sensitivities. This research highlights how subtitling choices can bridge cultural gaps and make stand-up comedy more accessible and enjoyable for different audiences.

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Photo by Erin With on Unsplash

Photo by Erin With on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research is important because it addresses the complex challenge of subtitling swear words for conservative audiences, particularly Arabic speakers. Swear words often carry strong emotional and cultural connotations, making them difficult to translate without altering their meaning or impact. By analyzing how swear words were subtitled in the Netflix special Mo Amer: Muhammad in Texas, this study offers practical insights into strategies like euphemism, deletion, and rephrasing that help adapt such content while respecting cultural sensitivities. This research is valuable for translators and content creators, as it provides a framework for handling culturally sensitive language in audiovisual media. For streaming platforms, these insights can improve the accessibility and cultural relevance of their content, helping them reach and engage more diverse audiences.

Perspectives

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Probably one of the very few studies on subtitling stand-up comedy from English to Arabic on Netflix.

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