CREATIVITY AND TRANSLATOR TRAINING: INVESTIGATING WORDPLAYS IN AMERICAN SITCOM 2 BROKE GIRLS SUBTITLED INTO BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE

Authors

  • Adauri Brezolin PhD in English Language, Independent Researcher, Brazil
  • Tatiane de Paula Bóvis Spinetti Undergraduate in Translation, Methodist University of São Paulo, Brazil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejlll.v5i2.272

Keywords:

wordplays, translation, subtitling, creativity, translator training

Abstract

Translating wordplays has been considered a challenging task and an appropriate exercise for building (meta)linguistic awareness in translation students. By comparing wordplays from American sitcom 2 Broke Girls translated from American English into Brazilian Portuguese, we discuss, in this article, the main mechanisms used to generate and translate wordplays. For solutions considered ineffective in the target language, suggestions are offered emphasizing the creative and pragmatic aspects surrounding this linguistic event. Our results show that it is possible to encourage creativity among translation students if suitable techniques, such as free association, are adopted in the classroom. Our discussion can be a useful didactic tool for reflecting on theoretical and practical aspects related to wordplays, (meta)linguistic awareness and creativity.

 

Author Biographies

  • Adauri Brezolin, PhD in English Language, Independent Researcher, Brazil
    Adauri Brezolin holds a doctoral degree in English Language from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. He taught in several translation undergraduate programs for more than 30 years. He is the co-author of the following dictionaries: Pequeno Dicionário de Expressões Idiomáticas e Coloquialismos (Fiuza, 2001), Whatchamacallit? Novo dicionário português-inglês de idiomatismos e coloquialismos (Disal, 2006), Happy Couples - dicionário de colocações lexicais adjetivas (Disal, 2010) e The word is the thing: dicionário português-inglês de fórmulas situacionais, frases feitas e provérbios (Lexikos, 2019). He has also published articles on the translation of wordplays, and other subjects (orcid.org/0000-0002-4990-0224). His research interests are the teaching of translation, idiomaticity, conventionality, terminology, and Corpus Linguistics. He is also a freelance translator.
  • Tatiane de Paula Bóvis Spinetti, Undergraduate in Translation, Methodist University of São Paulo, Brazil
    Tatiane de Paula Bóvis Spinetti earned a B. A. in Translation from the Methodist University of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2020. She works as a freelance translator.

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Published

2021-08-11

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2 (2021)

Section

Articles