Chapter 9

Reception studies in audiovisual translation – interlingual subtitling

Interlingual subtitling is the principal way of translating audiovisual content in many countries. It has been descriptively studied by scholars in numerous books and articles. However, studies attempting to tackle this phenomenon empirically, such as reception studies, have been scarce until recently, and only over the last couple of years have such studies become more common. The reason for the relative scarcity of empirical research in interlingual subtitling is its complexity. Finding the right subjects, using the adequate technology and obtaining funding may be a complicated and lengthy process. For instance, eye tracking technology started to be used only recently in studies that offered scholars concrete findings about viewers’ reception. But is eye tracking the only valid research method? This chapter follows the developments in empirical research into interlingual subtitling, introducing the findings of such research and suggesting future directions.