German and Spanish subtitle reading speeds for American films: a case study

  • José Luis Martí Ferriol Universitat Jaume I
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_ESTR.2012.v2.38977
Keywords: subtitling, reading speed, characters per second (CPS), words per minute (WPM), American films.

Abstract

This article presents results of German and Spanish subtitle reading speeds for three American films. Those results are expressed in the two most common parameters in this particular field: CPS (characters per second) and WPM (Words per minute), and they have been obtained by means of a software application designed to do so by the author and other researchers. This empirical and quantitative study has as an objective to try to prove that the former of the two above mentioned parameters (CPS) is more suited to express subtitle reading speed, since it should be language-independent. An initial hypothesis is formulated: the number of words in German subtitles should be lower, given the fact that German words are (in general terms) longer.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article download

Crossmark

Metrics

Published
2012-06-10
How to Cite
Martí Ferriol J. L. (2012). German and Spanish subtitle reading speeds for American films: a case study. Estudios de Traducción, 2, 47-60. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_ESTR.2012.v2.38977
Issue
Vol. 2 (2012)
Section
Articles

License

In order to support the global exchange of knowledge, the journal Estudios de Traducción is allowing unrestricted access to its content as from its publication in this electronic edition, and as such it is an open-access journal. The originals published in this journal are the property of the Complutense University of Madrid and any reproduction thereof in full or in part must cite the source. All content is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 use and distribution licence (CC BY 4.0). This circumstance must be expressly stated in these terms where necessary. You can view the summary and the complete legal text of the licence.