From Magic to the Streets: Subtitling Strategies for Cultural and Slang Expressions in Harry Potter and Training Day into Arabic

Abstract

This dissertation examines the subtitling of culturally specific content from English to Arabic, focusing on the Harry Potter films and Training Day. Using Skopos theory and Venuti’s (1995) concepts of domestication and foreignisation, the study investigates how subtitlers navigate linguistic and cultural challenges, particularly regarding fantasy elements and offensive language. For Harry Potter, the challenge lies in adapting magical terminology while preserving the fantasy's integrity, whereas in Training Day, it is the culturally sensitive translation of vulgar language. The analysis shows how subtitlers balance the target audience's cultural sensitivities with the original context. Furthermore, the research highlights the complexities of cultural references, revealing the need for a dynamic balance between source-text fidelity and target-language accessibility. The dissertation concludes with recommendations for subtitling practices, limitations of the study, and suggestions for future research on audiovisual translation, emphasising the necessity for strategies that respect both the cultural specificity of the source and the norms of the target audience.