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Man vs Machine – AI’s Role in Subtitles
With the rapid advancements in AI technology, many people ask if we are approaching the point where subtitles can be automated through an AI, making human subtitlers obsolete. The short answer is that we are nowhere near that point. While we’ve seen a rise in automated subtitles on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, and while speech-to-text technology itself has made great strides, these subtitles are often more confusing (and comical) than informative or accurate. An automated speech-to-text process hits several snags when it comes to conversational inflections, talking speed, accents and ambient noise. People often misinterpret AI as an all-knowing and ‘self-thinking’ entity, while it’s actually just a program…
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Idiomatic Language – Why it Can Make or Break Your Subtitles
One of the first lessons any translator will encounter is that translating a sentence verbatim from the language of origin very often leads to a nonsensical ‘translated’ sentence. Of course, much of this has to do with grammar differences between languages, such as syntax, conjugation and phrasal translations, but even if the verbatim translation is adjusted to perfectly adhere to English grammar protocols, the sentence may range from downright confusing to somehow just ‘off’. This is where idiomatic language comes in. In any language, there is often variation between what is said and what is meant. For instance, if an English speaker asks, ‘Would you mind passing the salt?’, this…
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South African English Subtitles – Descriptive or Prescriptive?
The English language changes almost daily, and is greatly influenced by cultural diaspora, new developments in science and technology, pop culture – and now even viral memes and videos! This brings us to the ever-relevant question in linguistics: should language be descriptive or prescriptive? In other words, is it more important to adhere to (and enforce) rigid language rules, or to reflect and accommodate spontaneity and change in a language as it is spoken every day? Ignoring new trends in language usage can diminish both individual characterisation and the overall ‘conversational’ tone of any dialogue. While it is a priority to avoid any errors regarding spelling, grammar and language usage…
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Which Subtitling Software Is Best Suited to My Project?
There are countless subtitling and captioning programs, ranging from specialised to amateur. So how do you decide which software to use for your project? This depends largely on the compatibility of your editing software with the subtitling software. ScreenScribez subtitlers are experienced and proficient in multiple software, but we recommend Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, or EZTitles. Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro can both also be used for editing, which makes for a seamless post-production experience with everyone using the software. However, because not all editing software has a subtitle or caption function, EZTitles provides multiple plug-in options for most editing software. It’s important that there is…
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Style Guide: What Is It and Why Is It Important?
A style guide is a comprehensive document or manual containing all the style or house rules for a given project – from the preferred font and reading-time of each subtitle to punctuation and phraseology. Does every sentence get a full stop? Which punctuation marks should be avoided? Are ellipses or commas used to indicate an incomplete sentence? How much time should be given per subtitle for viewers to comfortably follow along without missing the action? Should your preferred font have background shading or a solid block? Which South African words and phrases are commonly accepted? Do we follow a descriptive or prescriptive approach to language? These may seem like obvious…
Trusted Subtitles in All 11 Official South African Languages + More!