AN AUDIENCE-BASED APPROACH IN THE SUBTITLING OF CULTURAL ELEMENTS IN SELECTED IRANIAN FILMS MOHAMMAD SADEGH KENEVISI UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA 2017 AN AUDIENCE-BASED APPROACH IN THE SUBTITLING OF CULTURAL ELEMENTS IN SELECTED IRANIAN FILMS by MOHAMMAD SADEGH KENEVISI Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2017 To My Much-loved Father, Mother, Wife & Daughter ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Associate Professor Dr. Hasuria Che Omar, whose academic supports, encouragements and her invaluable counselling and advice helped me in the course of accomplishment of the present research. I am also indebted to Dr. Aniswal Abdol Ghani, whose critical viewpoint shaped my initial understanding of the required capabilities in doing a Ph.D. I would also like to especially thank my proposal examiner, Dr. Leelany Ayob, whose comments paved the way for finding the better path in carrying out the present study. My deepest thanks also extend to Dr. Ali Jalalian Daghigh whose support helped me carry out this research. I would also like to express my special gratitude to my beloved father and mother, whose patience, support and care supported me during these years of separation. Lastly, I would like to extend my warmest thanks to my much-loved wife and daughter whose presence and patience were incredibly compassionate for me and enabled me in carrying out this research. ii TABLE OF CONTENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………… ii TABLE OF CONTENT…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. iii LIST OF TABLES…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. x LIST OF FIGURES…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. xii LIST OF PHOTOS…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. xiv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. xv LIST OF SYMBOLS…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. xvi ABSTRAK…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………. xvii ABSTRACT…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. xix CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION 1. Introduction…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1 1.1 Background to the Study…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………. 2 1.2 Statement of the Problem…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 1.3 Objectives of the Study…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15 1.4 Research Questions of the Study…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16 1.5 Working Definitions…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16 1.6 Scope of the Study…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 19 1.7 Significance of the Study…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 20 1.8 Organization of the Chapters…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21 CHAPTER 2 - REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 2. Introduction…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 23 2.1 Iranian Cinema…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 23 2.1.1 Pre-revolutionary Iranian Cinema…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 24 2.1.2 Post-revolutionary Iranian Cinema…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………… 25 2.1.2(a) From 1979 to 1990…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 26 2.1.2(b) Post-1990s…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………… 28 2.1.3 Factors in Globalization of Iranian Cinema…………….……………………………………………………….…………………………………………… 30 2.1.3(a) Ideological-Political Factors…………….………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………… 30 2.1.3(b) Financial Factors…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…………………… 32 iii 2.1.3(c) Cultural Factors…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………… 33 2.2 Film Translation…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 34 2.2.1 Film as a Multimodal Text…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 35 2.2.2 Modes of Film Translation…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………… 37 2.2.2(a) Subtitling…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………… 37 2.2.2(b) Constraint Nature of Subtitling…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 38 2.2.2(c) Pros and Cons of Subtitling…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 40 2.3 Translation of Iranian Films…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 43 2.3.1 Subtitling of Foreign Language Programmes…………….………………………………………………………………….…………………………… 43 2.3.2 Subtitling for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 44 2.3.3 Subtitling for Non-Iranian Audience…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 44 2.4 Polysystem Theory…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 45 2.4.1 Polysystem in AVT…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 50 2.5 Notions of Foreignization and Domestication …………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 52 2.6 Cultural Elements (CEs) …………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 60 2.6.1 CEs as Translation Problems…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 62 2.6.2 Different Categories of CEs…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 64 2.6.3 Different Classification of Procedures…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 66 2.7 Target Audience…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 76 2.8 Summary…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 80 CHAPTER 3 - THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND METHODOLOGY 3. Introduction…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 82 3.1 Theoretical Framework…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 82 3.1.1 Classification of CEs…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 82 3.1.1(a) Newmark (1988) …………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 83 3.1.1(b) Diaz-Cintas and Remael (2007) …………….…………………………………………………………………………………………….………………… 83 3.1.1(c) Pedersen (2011) …………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 83 3.1.2 Classification of Procedures…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 86 3.1.2(a) Diaz-Cintas and Remael (2007…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 87 3.1.2(b) Pedersen (2011) …………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 87 3.1.3 Even-Zohar Polysystem Theory…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 88 3.1.4 Venuti’s Domestication/Foreignization…………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 90 iv 3.2 Methodology…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 90 3.2.1 Procedures…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 90 3.2.2 Corpus of the Study…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 92 3.2.2(a) Justification of the Corpus…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 92 3.2.2(b) The Films…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 93 3.2.3 Collecting the Survey Data…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....... 94 3.2.3(a) Developing the Questionnaire…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 95 3.2.3(b) Validity and Reliability…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....... 96 3.2.3(c) Conducting the Questionnaire…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 100 3.2.4 Subjects of the Study…………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 101 3.2.5 Data Analysis …………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 103 CHAPTER 4 - THE POSITION OF IRANIAN, CULTURAL ELEMENTS AND TRANSLATION PROCEDURES 4. Introduction…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 105 4.1 Position of Iranian Films in the Global Film Polysystem…………….……………………………………………………………………. 106 4.1.1 Number of Feature Films Produced in Iran…………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 106 4.1.2 Global Position of Iranian Films during 2005-2013…………….………………………………………………………………….. 107