Abstract
Research on audiovisual translation in the Arab world is encouraged to discuss local examples, case studies, and issues because they shape the landscape of audiovisual translation. It is needed as the Holy Quran holds great value in its words and the interpretation of the verse’s meanings for Muslims. This case study compares the narration of the story of prophet Yusuf (Joseph) between the source text – the Holy Quran – and three series that tell the story in Arabic. Intersemiotic transcreation is the main lens to investigate the scenes, while Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis forms the theoretical framework. The three chosen series vary between animation, claymation, and live action. With each series having its unique characteristics, analyzing eight scenes adds insight into film productions, along with interpretations from Muslim scholars, from the Sunni and Shia sects. The analysis finds that some scenes based on verses from Surat Yusuf were deleted or omitted. There was inadequate integration of intersemiotic units to account for the deletion of these parts, which may affect the audience who wishes to link all the events of the story in the Holy Quran, with the series. Some scenes depended on verses interpretations, uncommon among Muslim scholars, which affects the audience, especially those who learn better watching these series. Furthermore, scenes that are not related to verses from Surat Yusuf may not serve the purpose of teaching prophet Yusuf story because they do not have credible source of interpretation from Muslim scholars, or are very weak narratives.
Presenters
Yasmeen AboujabalAssistant Producer, Al Jazeera English Digital Division - Planning, Al Jazeera Media Network, Ad Dawhah, Qatar
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Commonalities and Differences
KEYWORDS
Intersemiotic transcreation, Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis, Prophet stories, Holy Quran
