UoP French TTP 2026/7
This is the blog page for the Translation Theory and Practice classes running at the University of Portsmouth shared with Dr Claire Reid.
A short link to this page is: ajstarr.short.gy/upttp26 Code QR
mardi, 2 novembre
Mastering Aegisub or at least getting it to work for you.
Today, most of you will be working from English into French (your non-native or at least strongest language).
It is no bad thing for native French speakers to work from English into French either, but your assessment piece will be French to English...
If you ever do subtitles, the chances are they will be from your second language to your native language. However, we are assessing you in your second language for this assessment, as ideally a translator should be able to work in both directions.
Links to useful materials.
This is the first test video to continue trying out for everyone to get used to the software.
The above is a test movie clip in English. The idea is to familiarise yourselves with Aegissub.
Use this clip to test out Aegisub for yourselves... Remember the style guides for how subtitles generally work best.
You do not need to complete the whole thing; just concentrate on getting things to work and to follow the subtitling constraints and get those right.
When you get your assessment piece, you need to get this to follow as near as possible to the recommended processes. You also need to write a commentary on how the translation and subtitling process went.
This one is for those working from French to English.
BBC Subtitling style guide (use for comparison) or from France Télévisions here
Ataa Normes Sous-titrage - A guide for subtitles from France.
Once you have completed Born to Be Loved or Caen, upload your .ass file and Word document version to the shared folder;
How does the advice or tips in this video compare with the 'norms' you were given in your lecture?
lundi, 19 octobre
Are you thinking of learning another language through the IWLP Programme?
If so, you need to apply by this Friday, October 23rd. Here is the application form
The last two weeks, with Claire, you pretty much completed the section on tourism. If you placed your Cormeilles translation in the shared folder, then I will have looked at it and commented where appropriate.
We are going to use open-source software that you could install on your own systems and that is available under Apps Anywhere for the university networked PCs.
It is called AegiSub
AegiSub was originally developed so that fans of Animé could subtitle the many movies out there for others to enjoy.
There is a portable version that operates entirely from a memory stick, one for Windows and one for Mac. I have experience with the Mac and Windows versions.
Sometimes I found the Mac version was not so compatible, but all were updated in 2024. A further version was added on October 4th, 2026. I imagine Appsanywhere may not have this version.
I had once to very quickly subtitle some clips for presentations at Portsmouth City Council official events. With less than an hour's notice. Here is what I managed to do that quickly (so no finesse here!).
Once you have activated Aegisub either on your own device or on a university PC using Apps Anywhere. (This might be the thing to do in the meantime before next week's session.)
For those whose L2 is French, try subtitling this clip from 0:54 to about 1:50 into French.
For those whose L2 is English, try subtitling this clip into English.
[Handbrake for marrying your subtitles to the video clip. .ass files usually need converting to .srt format...]
lundi, 28 septembre
Discussion de traduction du texte touristique de Cormeilles dans l'Eure.
The text for translation should be visible on Moodle.
Regarding the Cormeilles text... (Complete the translation in your time and place it in the shared folder.)
Imagining you had to write a commentary ...
In a nutshell...
How was the translation?
Who might your text be aimed at? (Audience/Purpose)
How confident are you that yours would read like a text written for an Anglophone?
What were the difficulties?
What did you do to solve the issue?
What theory could relate to this?
What can you conclude overall?
... but do please consult the handout!
(Part of your assessment on subtitling requires you to write a commentary, so this thought process is a good introduction to it...)
If you would like to have a go at writing a commentary, I could certainly have a look at it for you... put it in the shared folder.
This photo blog may help picture some of the places in Cormeilles.
My few photos taken on 01.08.13 in 37C temperatures.
Tourist VLOG about Cormeilles dans L'Eure
If all is complete and we are happy with our 'top copy', how would you have translated the text from the original website (c.2014)?
Or from the video (linked below), that surely has to have been done by someone who thinks they know English rather than a bonafide translator (I hope at least).
lundi, 21 septembre
Bienvenue !
Pour cette première semaine, le cours de traduction va couvrir les principes généraux de ce module et vous permettre de mieux comprendre la manière dont nous travaillerons.
Vous aurez également l'occasion de comprendre la manière dont les traductions sont notées.
Enfin, vous passerez quelques minutes à réfléchir sur les défis du thème que nous démarrerons la semaine prochaine.
It's an oldie but goodie. (How Google Translate does not always get things correct)
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