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Audiovisual Translation in Applied Linguistics: Educational perspectives
Edited by Laura Incalcaterra McLoughlin, Jennifer Lertola and Noa Talaván
[Benjamins Current Topics 111] 2020
► pp. 153–180

Why is that creature grunting?

The use of SDH subtitles in video games from an accessibility perspective

| Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)

Video games today are highly complex audiovisual products. Their nature is not only multisemiotic but also interactive. Their potential audience has certain expectations and, especially in the case of digital blockbusters, final users need the advantage of knowledge and the force of numbers. A faux pas in design, continuity or playability will most likely be conducive to social media outrage, and will see official apologies be released presently. Conversely, accessibility shortcomings rarely or never have the same impact.

The present study puts forward the advantages of including Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH) in popular video games and offers an in-depth analysis of a selection of recent multimedia titles. Drawing on the work of Bernal Merino (2015), O’Hagan and Mangiron (2013) and Trabattoni (2014) on the special characteristics of video games, the main elements around which they are structured and the aspects that determine their success or failure, the author will endeavour to advance a convincing argument in favour of the introduction of SDH subtitling conventions.

Keywords: subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, localisation, video games, accessibility, subtitling norms
Article outline
  • 1.The medium
  • 2.The language
    • 2.1Translation vs Localisation
    • 2.2Localisation vs Transcreation
    • 2.3Video game content presentation
  • 3.The accessibility modality
  • 4.The corpus
    • 4.1First case study
    • 4.2Second case study
    • 4.3Third case study
    • 4.4Fourth case study
    • 4.5Fifth case study
    • 4.6Sixth case study
    • 4.7Seventh case study
    • 4.8Eighth case study
    • 4.9Ninth case study
  • 5.The norm
    • 5.1Tier 1: General level
    • 5.2Tier 2: Relationship between sound and text
    • 5.3Tier 3: Textual level
    • 5.4Overall assessment
  • 6.The potential applications
    • 6.1A note on SDH and language learning
  • Supplementary audiovisual presentation
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
  • Video game corpus
Published online: 12 November 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/bct.111.ttmc.00008.cos
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Video game corpus

Alien: Isolation (Creative Assembly 2014).

Anarchy Reigns (Platinum Games 2012).

Back to the Future: The Game (Telltale Games 2010).

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Mercury Steam 2014).

Catherine (Atlus 2011).

Deadpool (High Moon Studios 2013).

Halo 5 (343 Industries 2015).

Rise of the Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics 2015).

Street Fighter V (Capcom and Dimps 2016).