Prospective Media Translators in Audio-Visual Training: Towards a Critical Discourse Analysis of Gender-Bias in Subtitling

Abstract

This article dwells on the significance of translation training in gender-related issues. It focuses on raising the question of gender bias in audio-visual translation (AVT). The latter is posited to maintain the same patriarchal visions found in language use as in culture. To this end, the classroom is viewed as the perfect space where prospective translators are engaged in questioning how gender is part and parcel of the source texts as multi-dimensional and ‘polisemiotic’ in nature, and how lexical and semantic choices are significantly powerful to reveal underlying ideologies, subjectivities, attitudes and mind-sets. This research is corpus-based. It was carried out with my under-graduate students studying the module of ‘Translation 2.’ Multi-modal text samples containing problematic gender issues were purposefully selected to bring forth the reactions that I sought to make. By adopting critical discourse analysis (CDA) with its three dimensional framework: the descriptive, interpretive and explanatory, in a pedagogically collaborative learning environment, the subtitled texts with the classroom activities and the group discussions were meant to measure how training in AVT translation can practically sensitize future translators to the salience of gender-bias in mainstream media hence triggering in them the need for change. Through all the covered phases of the classroom training, gender is duly addressed to have an all-encompassing approach to subtitling in English, French and Arabic. The main goal is to gauge the consistency of a male-dominated discourse that permeates all media channels. It is geared towards helping trainees as individuals, rather than professionals, to overcome the challenges posed by all the patriarchal ideologies from one language to another.