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Stefano Lo Cigno, University of Bologna, ItalyAbstract
This paper examines the translation of dialectal and humorous elements in the film *Maiko Haaaan!!!* (2007). Specifically, the research aims to investigate the subtitling strategies used in the English version to convey culture-specific elements (Ranzato, 2010). The film features a notable linguistic hybridity (Vitucci, 2016), combining standard Japanese with a stereotypical use of the Kyoto dialect. Analyzing all the subtitles revealed several issues, primarily the loss of dialectal and humorous nuances, as seen in examples such as:
*Kyōto no ochaya wa dokomo ichigen san okotowari dosue*: "All the houses in Kyoto refuse first-timers."
*Boku... Onizuka desu*: "I'm Onizuka."
The English translation fails to capture the linguistic and cultural aspects of the dialectal term ichigen-san (a newcomer, unfamiliar to the owner of a maiko house in Kyoto), resulting in a conversation that loses its original comedic impact and does not make sense in the target language, where the linguistic misunderstanding by Onizuka, the protagonist, is lost. When translating such dialogues, the translator should aim to preserve the sociocultural and comedic elements that form the basis of the script. This study argues that translators should prioritize preserving sociocultural and comedic aspects to maintain the script's integrity and enhance the viewer's experience. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions about translating Japanese dialects and humor, a field still underexplored despite the growing availability of Japanese content on streaming platforms.
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