Analysis methodology

This study followed a mixed methodology combining a quantitative and qualitative analysis, taking into consideration the multimodal nature of the corpus. As discussed by Olohan (2004) and Baños (2014), this allowed for a more robust analysis. Frequency data produced from the classification of all units in the STs and the TTs was analysed from a quantitative and qualitative perspective. At the textual level, quantitative analysis was used to identify the patterns of behaviour regarding the linguistic varieties used and how they were recreated in the STs and translated in the TTs. The comparative analysis of the quantitative data on linguistic varieties identified in the STs and TTs helped to determine whether the subtitles adopt neutralisation or preservation strategies. In addition, quantitative analysis was adopted to consider the possible distinction that can be made between the major and minor characters and how this might mediate the recreation of linguistic varieties in the STs. By comparing quantitative data on the use of linguistic varieties in the speech of major and minor characters in both the STs and TTs, it was possible to determine whether the TTs follow the same pattern as the STs. Quantitative analysis was also useful to investigate whether linguistic varieties occur more prominently at the beginning and reduce progressively towards the end of the STs. This was compared with the quantitative data in the TTs in order to examine whether the subtitles follow a coherently applied strategy throughout the films. At the diegetic level, quantitative analysis allowed for the identification of intermodal relations established between the modes and the elements at play.

The study used qualitative analysis at the textual level in order to gain insights into the communicative meaning associated with linguistic varieties. The identification of the meaning associated with linguistic varieties helped to identify the characters’ profiles and associate characters with a specific region, social group, level of education, etc. in the STs. In the case of TTs, the identification of the meaning associated with linguistic varieties enabled the investigation of the impact of the strategies used on preserving, cancelling or modifying the meaning expressed by the varieties identified in the STs to serve the initial function of depicting the characters’ profiles, and defining interpersonal relationships of power or solidarity. Moreover, qualitative analysis at the diegetic level offered an effective way of investigating how the communicative meanings associated with linguistic varieties interacted with other elements and modes to fulfil different diegetic functions in different scenes in the STs. Qualitative analysis was also useful to examine the impact of the subtitling strategies on preserving, cancelling or modifying the intermodal relations established and, consequently, the diegetic functions they are assumed to fulfil in the STs.

For the purpose of identifying the general patterns of recreation of linguistic varieties in the STs and the subtitling strategies employed in the TTs, the analysis of the collected data was conducted using some techniques of analysis developed in descriptive statistics, mainly percentage of occurrences. All the frequency values (the number of observations for a particular category such as standard and non-standard varieties in the STs) were added together and enclosed within square brackets. In order to calculate, for example, the percentage of use of standard varieties in the STs, the number of occurrences of standard varieties were added together and divided by the total number of occurrences. The result was multiplied by 100 to calculate the percentage of occurrences. Categories Number of occurrences Percentage of occurrences Standard varieties 54 5% Non-standard varieties 1112 95% Total 1166 100%

In addition, the Chi-square test was used to explore and test hypotheses. An alpha of 0.05, which correspond to a 95% of confidence level, was used as the significant level to test the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true. Two hypotheses were tested; first, the null hypothesis of the Chi-Square test is that no significant difference exists between the use of linguistic varieties and the role of characters (i.e. major or minor); and second, the alternative hypothesis is that a significant difference exists. The Chi-square test gave a probability value ‘p-value’ to test the hypothesis. In the case which p-value is high than the significance level of 0.05, this would suggest that there is no significant difference and the variables are independent. In the case which p- value of the Chi-Square statistic is less than or equal to the significance level of 0.05, it could be concluded that there is a significant difference and the variables are not independent. In order to identify the strategy adopted by translators, the percentage change between TTs and STs was calculated by using the formula [(value of the TT-value of the ST)/ value of the STx100]. The expansion and contraction strategies are represented in the tables using the symbols ↑ and ↓, respectively.

4.7 Conclusion

This chapter has provided information on the design of the corpus. It explained the criteria used to select the films, scenes and characters. It also described the schemes that were built manually in the UAM CorpusTool and how all the units in the STs and the TTs were classified. Finally, the chapter discussed the methods employed in the analysis of both the textual and diegetic levels. The next chapter provides a discussion and analysis of the frequency data collected for both the STs and TTs.

Chapter 5 : Analysis and discussion