Community Contributions: Analysing The YouTube Subtitling Phenomenon

This dissertation aims at identifying the common characteristics and trends set by amateur subtitlers on YouTube. By introducing the Community Contributions feature, YouTube has invited viewers from all over the world to participate in the creative process of a video with their translations. Indeed, YouTube is characterised by a participatory culture where the viewer is at the centre of the choices made by the content creators. The subtitles created by the viewers reflect this participatory culture, as the subtitler’s presence is clearly visible. The first chapter introduces the YouTube platform and the world of YouTubers. The figure of the YouTuber shares some characteristics with celebrities, however, their most striking characteristics are authenticity and ordinariness. These are the elements that make YouTubers popular and loved by their audience. The second chapter deals with subtitling and its many forms: from professional subtitling standards to renditions of humour, to fansubbing. All these topics are crucial in the understanding of the YouTube subtitling phenomenon. The third and last chapter contains the analysis of the subtitles from seven selected videos. The analysis identifies the different characteristics and issues of the subtitles. Particular focus is given to the instances of spam and abuse, which led to the Community Contributions being discontinued on the platform.