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New theatre subtitling device
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Thread poster: Wendy Leech

New theatre subtitling device

Wendy Leech

United Kingdom
Local time: 17:56

Member (2006)
Spanish to English
+ ...

Nov 26, 2009

http://showtranslations.com/

AirScript is a handheld subtitling device for translating shows/plays etc. It premiered last night at HairSpray in London - see what you think.

Wendy

PCovs
Denmark
Local time: 18:56

Member (2003)
English to Danish
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Fantastic!

Nov 26, 2009

It's a brilliant idea - wish I had thought of that! ;o)

Sergei Leshchinsky

Ukraine
Local time: 19:56

Member (2008)
English to Russian
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good thing

Nov 26, 2009

It should be built in into the back of the seat in front of you. Like in congress halls.
Support of Bluetooth hands-free units would also be appreciated.

[Редактировалось 2009-11-26 20:34 GMT]

Ioana Daia

Romania
Local time: 19:56

Member (2008)
Spanish to Romanian
+ ...

well...

Nov 27, 2009

I'm not sure I got it... So, you look either at your small (and ingenious, I must admit) screen, either at what's happening on the scene, the images etc. It's already complicated to adapt the text so the audience could see the movies, not only read the subtitles on the screen. If we should reduce even more the text, to compensate for the movement of the eye, not much would be left.

just my 2 cents

[Edited at 2009-11-27 11:46 GMT]

Gianni Pastore

Italy
Local time: 18:56

Member (2007)
English to Italian

I agree

Nov 27, 2009

Ioana Daia wrote:

I'm not sure I got it... So, you look either your small (and ingenious, I must admit) screen, either what's happening on the scene, the images etc. It's already complicated to adapt the text so the audience could see the movies, not only read the subtitles on the screen. If we should reduce even more the text, to compensate for the movement of the eye, not much would be left.

just my 2 cents

Even worse if you keep the thingy on your lap, because you are going to miss completely what's going on stage. I think we are going to have an increase of neck stiffness in the next years for theatre goers. Either that, or each seat should be fitted with a gooseneck holder to keep the device in line with the stage sight. Hey, anyone fancy starting an enterprise to build such holders?

[Edited at 2009-11-27 07:40 GMT]

nordiste

France
Local time: 18:56

Member (2005)
English to French
+ ...

Translations have been made by interpreters rather than software

Nov 27, 2009

The BBC also comments the new device.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8380266.stm

"The script appears in real time in a choice of English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese or Chinese. The translations have been made by interpreters rather than translation software."

Maybe I'd prefer "translations made by translators" rather than "interpreters"

but I suppose for the BBC it's more or less the same - the important point here is that translations are made by professionals.

Lawyer-Linguist

Portugal
Local time: 17:56

Member (2004)
Dutch to English

Deaf and hard of hearing

Nov 27, 2009

It will definitely improve the experience of my great-aunt, who is almost deaf and loves the theatre but understandably gets frustrated sometimes. And it's a nice gesture that people who are deaf or hard of hearing don't have to pay to use the device.

Haven't seen Hairspray yet but the theatre is only five minutes walk from the hotel I always stay at and my favourite Italian restaurant in London, so thanks Wendy, you've helped resolve the issue of what to do for my great-aunt's 80th birthday next year!

Wendy Leech

United Kingdom
Local time: 17:56

Member (2006)
Spanish to English
+ ...

TOPIC STARTER

don't knock it til you've tried i!

Nov 27, 2009

Ioana Daia wrote:

I'm not sure I got it... So, you look either your small (and ingenious, I must admit) screen, either what's happening on the scene, the images etc.

The screen is large enough to display about 6-8 lines of text at once (can't remember exactly how many), so its quite eay to look down, glance the context, and then back at the action on stage. And i don't suppose its meant for people with absoluley no command of English who would have to read every line, but for those who want to fill in the gaps they can't understand.

I used the English option for a while, and it was very useful on the odd occasion that an actor mumbled his lines.

The translations are all done by professional translators, and carefully adapted, a with TV subtitles, so that not every word has to appear on the screen, thereby reducing text length.