Subtitling Modern Family: A case study of the translation of humor by subtitling Modern Family's "Door to Door"

Abstract

This thesis researches the difficulties that arise as a result of the subtitling of comedic content. Various translation and subtitling strategies concerning culture-specific references, wordplay, and accent-based humor are considered and discussed in the analysis of the subtitling into Dutch of an episode of American sitcom Modern Family, namely “Door to Door”. In this translation, the subtitling guidelines as provided by streaming website Netflix were adhered to. In the subtitling of this episode, the following statement by Patrick Zabalbeascoa was kept in mind: “Translate the words and/or the contents and then keep your fingers crossed and hope that the humor will somehow come across with the rest” (“Humor and translation” 188).