Translating Cultural References and Sensitive Elements Between Arabic and English: Netflix Subtitles as a Case Study

Abstract

The present paper explores all the cultural references (CRs) and sensitive elements (SEs) found in the English and Arabic subtitles of the two films available on Netflix, entitled: “ عسل أسود ” ( Bittersweet ) and “ Holidate ,” examining the subtitling strategies adopted for translating them and analyzing the translation issues associated with their translations. The paper uses a mixed method, conducting both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The paper claims that different CRs and SEs found in the two films under study have been translated, using diverse subtitling strategies. Their translations in both the two films have caused translation loss, particularly in the cultural references attached thereto. Such loss is mainly due to the inappropriate use of the subtitling strategies adopted for the translation of CRs and SEs. Certain translations of CRs and SEs are justifiable due to different factors, such as multimodality, time and space restrictions, cultural religious sensitivity, translator ethics, and so on.