High 2 · Reading series
Lesson 43 · Subtitles for a Local Story
Audio track 43
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
Our class filmed a short interview with a craftsperson who repaired old umbrellas. We planned English subtitles for a partner school. Her answer included a joke about a rainy festival that local viewers would recognize, but a direct translation sounded confusing.
We tried adding a long explanation. It covered half the screen and disappeared before anyone could read it. We tried removing the joke, but then her warm personality vanished. Finally, we used a shorter phrase in the subtitle and added one sentence of context before the interview began.
The craftsperson watched the edited video. She said the meaning felt right, although the words were not identical. We also asked viewers from the partner school what they understood, and changed one line that still suggested the wrong event.
Subtitles must fit time and space. They also carry a voice. The best version was not the most literal line; it was the one that helped new viewers follow her story without pretending every difference had disappeared.
Sentence practice
Play any sentence in Dicvo’s Jenny English voice. Before playing all, choose how many times each sentence plays. A practice pause about as long as the sentence follows each play, including before the next sentence. The complete reading remains above.
Choose a sentence to begin.
-
Our class filmed a short interview with a craftsperson who repaired old umbrellas.
-
We planned English subtitles for a partner school.
-
Her answer included a joke about a rainy festival that local viewers would recognize, but a direct translation sounded confusing.
-
We tried adding a long explanation.
-
It covered half the screen and disappeared before anyone could read it.
-
We tried removing the joke, but then her warm personality vanished.
-
Finally, we used a shorter phrase in the subtitle and added one sentence of context before the interview began.
-
The craftsperson watched the edited video.
-
She said the meaning felt right, although the words were not identical.
-
We also asked viewers from the partner school what they understood, and changed one line that still suggested the wrong event.
-
Subtitles must fit time and space.
-
They also carry a voice.
-
The best version was not the most literal line; it was the one that helped new viewers follow her story without pretending every difference had disappeared.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
我们班拍了一段采访修旧伞手艺人的短片，准备给合作学校配英文字幕。她的回答里有个关于雨天节庆的笑话，当地观众听得懂，直接翻译却令人困惑。
我们试着加上长篇解释，可它占了半个屏幕，观众还没读完就消失了。删掉笑话，她亲切的个性又不见了。最后，我们在字幕里使用较短的说法，采访开始前再加一句背景说明。
手艺人看过剪好的视频，说虽然字句并不相同，意思却对。我们还询问合作学校观众理解了什么，改掉一句仍会让人误会所指活动的话。
字幕要受时间和空间限制，也要传达说话者的声音。最好的版本未必逐字直译，而是帮助新观众跟上她的故事，同时不假装文化差异全都消失了。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- interview
- 采访；与修伞手艺人对谈。
- craftsperson
- 手艺人；擅长修理旧伞。
- subtitles
- 字幕；为海外观众制作。
- direct translation
- 直译；笑话如此翻译难懂。
- confusing
- 令人困惑的；缺背景会误会。
- personality
- 个性；删笑话会抹掉温暖语气。
- context
- 背景；放在采访前补充。
- edited
- 剪辑后的；请手艺人看最终视频。
- identical
- 完全相同的；译文不必逐字一致。
- literal
- 字面上的；最佳版本未必如此。
Background notes (Chinese)
字幕必须兼顾可读时间、屏幕空间和人物语气。文中学生把部分背景放在采访前，并请原受访者和目标观众核对效果。