Subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing. A corpus-based methodology for the analysis of subtitles with a focus on segmentation and deletion

Subtitling for the D/deaf and HoH (SDH) is an invaluable service to millions of D/deaf and HoH viewers providing them with access to audiovisual media broadcast on television and increasingly in cinemas, DVDs and on the Internet. It is also a clear example of an AVT activity where the requirement to know and understand the intended addressee, a requirement present in all types of translation, is all-important. Or is it? Subtitles today still purport to be suitable for all, when by all accounts not only are the D/deaf and HoH two different groups, but what is more important within each group members differ not only in outlook, but also in language and communication needs. The time now seems opportune to answer crucial questions and identify the addressees and their needs/preferences. In order to provide an adequate reply to such questions, a tripartite large-scale research plan is deemed essential. This would combine i) corpus-based research describing current subtitle output with ii) empirical research into the needs and preferences of D/deaf and HoH people and iii) compare both with existing guidelines and update them as necessary.