Established businesses and startups can take advantage of foreign language translated subtitles to target a worldwide audience. Good translation work for your content spreads your message, ushering in brand discovery and recognition. It’s a worthwhile strategy to build your name in the international market.
Foreign language translations in subtitles convert spoken dialogue into written texts. It is a complex process with plenty of factors to consider. It’s a step-up from merely subtitling audio-video material. This tactic entails translating the source language into the target language without losing meaning and context.
This guide offers a clear picture of foreign language subtitles and why you must consider them for your content.
Why use foreign language translated subtitles?
Content creators often fall into the trap of staying in the comfort zone of English or their native language. Now here’s a thought-provoking question: will you stay inside this bubble forever? There’s an international stage waiting for you to conquer. It takes a simple step such as subtitle translations to open this door of opportunity for you.
You mathematically increase your brand discovery with subtitles. Over 80% of viewers watch subtitled videos from start to finish. On Facebook, videos with this feature have an increased view time of up to 12%. Moreover, videos with subtitles offer 16% better reach compared to videos without.
Foreign language translated subtitles help you tap into a global audience. Here are other reasons why it’s worth using this feature for your video content:
- You improve the exposure of your content to other cultures that may find your message relevant and relatable.
- Foreign language translations enhance your brand awareness and recognition around the world.
- It demonstrates your effort in connecting with your viewers despite the distance and cultural differences.
- It allows you to diversify your content to unite people of different races and beliefs.
- Subtitles are an inclusive way of producing content for consumers with hearing loss.
Process of foreign subtitling
Here is a rundown of how expert translators create foreign language subtitling.
Step 1: Client consultation
When you need foreign subtitles for your audio-visual material, the first step is to discuss with the agency what you require. These things include target language/s, turnaround times, and format times, among others.
Step 2: Transcription and subtitling
While every translator has a different method, most experts usually do foreign language translated subtitles by first transcribing the original language. It creates a template that details the onscreen text and timestamps as necessary.
Step 3: Subtitle translation
A specialist in the target language will then review the transcribed text and start working on the translation.
Step 4: Editing
In this step, the translated text undergoes transpositions and editing. These processes ensure that reading speed and line lengths are accurate.
Step 5: Formatting
Foreign language translations are then formatted into the right color, placement, animation, font, and style. These tweaks allow viewers to easily read the subtitles.
Step 6: Burning
Editors use professional editing software to burn the foreign subtitles onto the video. it’s also the step where video resolution, frame rate, and other essential metrics are set.
Step 7: Proofreading and quality checking
Professional translators will then run the final video for proofreading and consistency checks, ensuring that the subtitles are in sync and the written text is readable.
Good practices in foreign subtitling
Foreign language translated subtitles should always complement the video. Here are some recommendations that make subtitling more effective for your content.
- Space limitation is one of the constraints of subtitling that a good translator knows how to work around. The general standard for English texts is two lines with 37 characters per line. If you’re working with the Japanese language, there is a typical 16-word character limit for each line.
- Literal translations sometimes do not convey the right meaning and purpose of the dialogue. It’s better to avoid word-for-word translations because some words in the source language do not have an equivalent in the target language. Moreover, there are cultural references and expressions that can never be translated.
- Understanding the social and cultural practices of the target language is necessary to produce an effective translation.
- Subtitles must stay on screen long enough for your audience to read them. However, it shouldn’t overstay and distract the viewer. They should also not be too short that your audience struggles to keep up with the written text.
Final thoughts
Foreign language translations cannot be taken lightly, but that doesn’t mean you have to deal with them on your own. Circle Translations is a professional translation agency that can offer the right services for your video subtitling needs. We provide top-of-the-line foreign language translated subtitles to connect you with a global audience regardless of distance and time.
Visit: https://circletranslations.com/
-
-
-
-
