title: ISV - Interlingual Subtitle Voicing
title: A New Technique for the Translation of Interlingual Subtitles - A Case Study in Croatian
titleType: Subtitle
Creators: name: Radic, Zeljko
Publisher: name: University of Surrey
Year: 2025
Subjects: ISV, interlingual subtitle voicing, subtitling, respeaking, SR, speech recognition, action research, SUBX, subtitler experience, ergonomics, SpeakSubz, non-live subtitles, hybrid workflows, voicing

description: This doctoral study explores interlingual subtitle voicing (ISV) as an innovative technique
description: for the creation of interlingual subtitles drawing from traditional translation modes of
description: subtitling, interpreting and respeaking and primarily relying on speech recognition (SR) as
description: opposed to the traditional typing. This ISV approach enables subtitlers to voice rather than
description: type subtitles into a speech recognition tool as an option depending on subtitlers’
description: preferences and/or work conditions. The rationale for this study was investigating whether
description: SR can boost efficiency, defined as a confluence of speed and accuracy, and also enhance
description: the subtitler experience by introducing mobility (ergonomical element, physical health)
description: and variety (mental wellbeing) into the workflow. For this purpose a hybrid workflow was
description: created as a part of the ISV training and testing process that relies on already existing skills
description: utilised in underlying translation modalities, while taking advantage of technologies
description: emerging in both audiovisual (AVT) translation industry and academic research. Current
description: research related to SR usually focuses on respeaking in live subtitling for the purposes of
description: accessibility, primarily in major languages. Research about hybrid workflows is only now
description: emerging with the fast development of SR, MT and AI, but rarely doesit focus on subtitlers
description: and their experience and is usually more interested in the process and/or the final product.
description: ISV study tries to fill this gap by exploring introduction of SR into non-live environments
description: while enabling users to evaluate and shape future workflows and tools that can include
description: said additional technologies, which is also a rarity in both the AVT academia and industry.
description: Such technologies are often not as available or are underdeveloped for low-resourced
description: languages as opposed to major languages. For that reason and for the purposes of this
description: doctoral study, a specialised tool was devised specifically for the exploration of various
description: hybrid workflows in Croatian that improves on the underlying technologies and includes
description: a possibility of adding other low-resourced languages in the future, both for training and
description: research purposes. This tool, developed and explored as a part of this doctoral study, is
description: integrated with specialised software created primarily for the translation of prerecorded
description: subtitles for non-live broadcasts, streaming services and similar content (e.g. films,
description: documentaries and TV shows). The main objectives of the research are as follows: (1)
description: create a theoretical framework for the methodological portion of the study by exploring
description: the existing literature from traditional translation modes as well as emerging hybrid modes,
description: especially in AVT; (2) to present the technique; (3) to test whether and how SR technology
description: and specialised software could improve efficiency (referring to speed and translation
description: quality, i.e., accuracy in this research cycle) in the translation of subtitles from English into
description: Croatian; and (4) to explore the process workflow and gather data on subtitlers’ experience
description: through feedback on both the physical and virtual elements of the ISV technique. This
description: subtitler-centric research that relies on theoretical notions of action research (AR) and
description: translator experience (TX) explores various complementary aspects – related to both the
description: audiovisual translation industry and academia – of a multimodal and multidisciplinary
description: environment to create a customisable approach and personalised tool that strive to enhance
description: subtitlers’ workflows and work environments. This study and the technique are a
description: foundation based on existing translation modalities and drawing from existing academic
description: literature, while complementing it with knowledge from the most current technological
description: developments in the AVT industry. From this foundation, recommendations for workflow
description: variations and professional practice are offered alongside suggestions about further
description: technological integration and implications for researching and teaching these new hybrid
description: workflows