The Other in Subtitled Documentary Films and Making History: A Multidisciplinary Perspective to Arabic/English Translation

Abstract

What is the relation between translation and history? A simple question as it may seem, but it gave the motive for this study to explore academically this relationship. It aimed to investigate the role of subtitling translation of documentary films from Arabic into English and the use of supplementary visual images in making the history of the Other, the Arab other generally and Egyptian Other particularly. It hypothesized that the West has constructed a deformed image of the Egyptian 'Other' and used translation and visual images as a tool to make the latter's history. To test the authenticity or the inauthenticity of the hypothesis, it set the following objectives: to analyse and compare English TTs to their original Arabic STs to infer the translator's strategy; to analyse visual images and discuss the image of the Other as delineated in both the TTs and STs; to present counter stories to reveal the other side of the story and who makes history; to explore how subtitling translation and visual images are utilized to help in making the Other's history; and to devise a future role for translators in this respect.The sample data was collected from the BBC documentary 'Egypt's Stolen Billions' (2012) and it consists of original Arabic utterances and their subtitling translation from Arabic into English, and some visual images. The study applied a qualitative, theoretical method of research using content analysis and comparison between TTs and STs as tools of analysis. An interdisciplinary approach deriving its key concepts from cultural translation studies and international relations theories was employed. The study found out that whatever the translator' modes of negotiating the Other are, translation is an operative political decision to make the history of this Other and that subtitling translation and visual images can be used as political tools to achieve certain agendas