Translating Multilingual Films in a South African Context

Abstract

Multilingualism is fundamental to the South African context in a country which recognizes eleven official languages in its Constitution. This chapter explores a series of films which showcase the multilingual reality that is present in South Africa. Code-switching and code-mixing are widespread, and the particular variety that is South African English offers various challenges and opportunities for the translator. What are the effects that are created in the original and do they have an impact on the French subtitled and dubbed versions? Which strategies are employed to allow the viewer to access these multiple layers of meaning that are present in the complex audiovisual text? The dialogue and imagery recreate the South African context, of which multilingualism is an important part. This chapter analyzes the role of multilingualism in the original films, the extent to which meaning is created through multilingualism, and the manner in which the translator’s choices are impacted as a result.