A Maltese student completing his M.A. in translation is adding Maltese subtitles to an Italian TV series, and it’s raised an interesting point within Gadgets’ halls. Though most Maltese understand at least two or three languages adequately, subtitles are also there for people with certain disabilities, so it’s well worth keeping them in mind when discussing this topic.
The next natural step
Adding subtitles should be the next natural step for equal communication opportunities for everyone. It’s something the Government could well make this a priority, starting with the national TV station, with other stations following suit.
Of course, it might be more difficult to get this added to streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, but there’s got to be a starting point. Apart from aiding people with audio impairments, subtitles in our native language will also be helpful to those for whom English or Italian is difficult to follow when spoken at length.
Also, we suggest you take the questionnaire. Not only does it take just 10 minutes to complete, but you also get to see how great Maltese subs look on an Italian show! Just follow this link, Click this link, https://malteseinclusivesubtitles.typeform.com/to/K5dG0gDc, access the questionnaire and help the student out!
It’s been a pretty good month or so for the Maltese language in general. We’ve seen the first software learning to transcribe Maltese, as well as a portal dedicated to the Maltese language and culture.
Would you like to see Maltese subtitles in more TV shows, local and international? Tell us in the comments!
