The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
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thelinguist.uberflip.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016 The Linguist 23 FEATURES Many of the Chinese sites cater for volunteer translation communities, including the fan-sub movement and Yeeyan (译言网), a crowdsourced translation website publishing English-language news articles in Chinese. These may or may not provide platforms of resistance. Fansubbing (i.e. the voluntary subtitling of films), although informal, is a tightly organised activity, originally motivated by a love of films and a desire to improve language skills, along with a strong community spirit. 4 Fansubber groups often work with a leader, who requires adherence to deadlines and styles. The scope and impetus of fansub groups now rival official subtitling activity. Their subversive power lies in creative, unrestricted use of language, compared with the conventional practice of professionals. The fans are working illegally but they enjoy cultural status, and may even be employed as freelancers by the film companies. Established authorities and companies now use material created by fansubbers, whose dubious situation means they have no comeback. While intellectual property owners would regard fansubbing as illegal, the fansubbers themselves claim that they are not stealing material, only translating, which is derivative. Moreover, they have their own code of ethics. 5 There is no doubt that fansubbers are pushing the grassroots globalisation of culture and questioning the established model of global distribution. Their translation activities are undermining the power of the big film companies. 6 News from overseas Yeeyan relies on volunteers to translate major articles from international media. Set up in 2006, it now has around 570,000 registered users. Translating hundreds of news items and articles daily into Chinese, it aims to increase the "flow of information between cultures", according to Jonathan Stray. 7 He believes that, while Yeeyan is a Chinese phenomenon, it "is pioneering cost-effective solutions to a major global problem: the ghettoization of information by language". Its success is indicated by the fact that it was blocked, though briefly, by the Chinese government. Yeeyan appears to be a space for free exchange of information, but its organisers do select and edit, and now avoid contributions which might violate government taboos. Like the fansubbing community, Yeeyan may be legally dubious. It has, however, become sufficiently established and recognised to be granted rights for translation of certain publications. 8 The professed motivations for contributors are practising languages, knowledge sharing, intellectual stimulation, fun, gaining translation experience, and expressing gratitude. 9 Equally powerful among Chinese web users are the websites Douban, a book, film and media database, and Songshuhui, a site dedicated to popular science. Both, like Yeeyan, were born of the blocking of international sites. 10 Self-censorship and internal controls The power of these communities lies in volition and quantity: a company or a government would find it hard to match the variety and scope of opinion and social impact of fansubbers and Yeeyan contributors. While Yeeyan gives its translators 'badges' there are no monetary rewards; contributions are a mighty labour of love. It is important to note, however, that all these websites are BRAVE NEW WORLD Technology dominates the Shanghai skyline (below); and (inset) a sign reads 'Xiamen is my home; being civilised depends on everyone' © SHUTTERSTOCK