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Volume 11, Issue 2, 2024
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Analyzing research trends in localization
Author(s): Xinyuan Liu, Weiqing Xiao and Kanglong Liupp.: 91–115 (25)More LessAbstractThis literature review paper examines articles on localization in translation studies published in English and Chinese journals from 2012 to 2023. We systematically reviewed a total of 147 publications consisting of 104 and 43 articles in English and Chinese respectively, integrating thematic analysis to examine their research types, areas, and methodologies. The findings reveal notable disparities between the English and Chinese journal papers regarding overall trends across these three dimensions. English papers are often characterized by preference for qualitative approaches and growing interest in multi-methods and mixed-methods designs, highlighting an increasing appreciation for unique elements in localized products. Chinese papers tend to be more general and place greater emphasis on localization training. Despite these variations, there has been a notable convergence towards descriptive approaches in recent studies regardless of the linguistic contexts, perhaps as a response to the evolving needs of the discipline as a whole. Our paper concludes by suggesting future directions for localization research, particularly in response to the dynamic landscape of game localization practices and the application of empirical methods.
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Exploring the official and unofficial paratexts of Chinese indie video games on Steam Pages
Author(s): Luis Damián Moreno Garcíapp.: 116–139 (24)More LessAbstractThe present study explores Chinese indie video game Steam Pages focusing on two types of complementary epitexts on the Steam platform: “official” paratexts, authored by game creators, and “unofficial” paratexts created by game players. The functions of such official and unofficial paratexts are probed by following Batchelor’s authorial classification (2018). The paper applies the concept of paratexts to discuss the empowerment of reviewers, curators and gamers and their texts (as paratexts) as essential components of the Pages, while attempting to cast light onto creator-gamer interactions. Tentative findings include both reinforcing and contradicting cross-interactions between official and unofficial paratexts, as well as differing functions that help shape Steam Pages into cohesive components inside Steam’s social ecosystem.
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Janky or non-fluent?
Author(s): Jemma Louise Staffordpp.: 140–161 (22)More LessAbstractAt a time when China is one of the world’s largest videogame markets, the English translation of some Chinese-developed videogames is still regarded by some players as inadequate, or “janky”, the term originally used to describe a technical glitch (Cooper 2018). This preliminary study surveyed localisation specialists active in Chinese into English (ZH-EN) videogame localisation to probe into their localisation methods and the reasons behind them, and determine whether localisers indeed used a “janky” translation as the result of lack of experience and training, or whether it was a deliberate translation decision, as in “non-fluent” translation (Brownlie 2010). The collected data was analysed to investigate the plausibility of the assumption that Chinese-developed videogames rendered into English sometimes employ marked English, as in China English, to intentionally identify them as Chinese-made. Results of the explorative small-scale survey of professionals were found to be largely in favour of optimal English fluency, including the omission of culturally locked elements such as idiomatic phrases, suggesting that “janky”, rather than “non-fluent”, translation resulted, most likely due to a limited experience and lapses in quality assurance.
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Review of Teng (2021): Language learning through captioned videos: Incidental vocabulary acquisition
Author(s): Saeed Ameripp.: 162–169 (8)More LessThis article reviews Language learning through captioned videos: Incidental vocabulary acquisition
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Review of Lacruz (2023): Translation in Transition: Human and Machine Intelligence
Author(s): Peng Wangpp.: 170–178 (9)More LessThis article reviews Translation in Transition: Human and Machine Intelligence
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