Ewa Zawada

Strategies for translation of swearwords in audiovisual

material and how they influence the viewers’ perception
On the example of the Polish version of Dexter

Audiovisual translation often calls for reduction of words, which are not crucial to the
overall message. In translations for Polish television, among words that are usually omitted,
are swearwords – even in programmes broadcast late and rated for persons over 18 years of
age. The omission of taboo words, when they are excessive and do not affect the meaning,
seems perfectly appropriate. There are cases, however, in which the deletion of swearwords
may influence the way the audience perception of the programme, e.g. swearing may be a
feature of a character’s idiolect. This paper will be focused on the official television and DVD
translation of the TV series Dexter (as the translation produced for TVN was later released as
the DVD version). The television translation of the programme was heavily toned down, as
compared to the strength of the language of the original.

1. Background for the study

1.1. Swearwords on Polish television
It is a common practice in audiovisual translation in Poland to omit or soften taboo words.
The phenomenon has been observed also by people not dealing with translation
professionally. An article in a 2009 issue of Polish cinematographic magazine Film was
dedicated to this question. As the author says:

But why do most of the channels censor their programmes? They do it, because of
regulations and potential punishment. Because of “their respect for the viewer”. Also
because, as we were told in TVP, Poles - even if they accept swearwords in the mouths
of actors – are shocked by taboo words are read out from a dialogue list by a voice-
artist. Moreover, for economical reasons, only one devulgarized version of a film or
series is produced, so it can be broadcast at all hours – before and after 11 PM. It is
simply not cost-effective to record another stronger version for late evening hours.
(my translation).

Another point worth commenting on is the way Poles perceive swearwords spoken by voice-
artists. As Hjort (2009) claims, guidebooks for Finnish audiovisual translators give the advice
to avoid using taboo language as ”written swearwords are harsher than spoken swearwords” and
Finland is a subtitling country. Is it then really the question of the medium? Or maybe Poles
perceive swearwords differently, and the medium is of no importance? Unfortunately, this
paper is too constrained in space to analyse this problem further, but it might be carried out
by another study.

What is interesting, many viewers are critical towards those translators, who mollify or skip
taboo language. Obviously, most viewers do not realise the time constraints translators are

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faced with while translating. Still, time limitations cannot explain all the omissions effected
in audiovisual translations of swearwords.

1.2. Material and method

The focus of the analysis will be placed on the original version, as well as the official Polish
translation of the first half of Season 1 of Showtime’s series Dexter (i.e. 6 episodes), with
special attention paid to the rendition of swearwords. As such are understood, for the
purpose of this study, words relating to sex (e.g. fuck, dick), blasphemies (e.g. God, hell, damn),
derogatory names (e.g. bitch, asshole), or excrement (e.g. shit, crap).

Subtitling templates of the episodes were used as transcriptions of the original soundtrack
(as no official template was available, those used were downloaded from the Internet). The
translation was transcribed in the process of analysis from the Polish version of the episodes
in question.

1.3. Dexter’s swearwords in numbers

As part of this analysis, taboo words were counted in both versions of the programme. The
results showed clearly that a great majority (over 82%) of the original swearwords were
omitted by the translator. The exact numbers are shown in Table 1.

Episode English Polish

1x01 46 10
1x02 54 11
1x03 65 8
1x04 49 11
1x05 43 7
1x06 26 3
In total 283 50
Table 1.

1.4. Strategies for translating swearwords

According to a research carried out by Hjort (2009), it is a common opinion among
translators that the translation of audiovisual material should contain less swearwords and
that those used should be milder than their source language counterparts. Interestingly,
literary translators find it vital to preserve the original strength of words. Moreover,
translators should apply the kind of language that would suit the context and the character
speaking. It should also sound natural in the target language.

Translators often find swearwords redundant, as - in many cases - they do not carry meaning
significant to the plot and the information they convey can be inferred from the visual – e.g.
from face expressions or tone of voice. Hence, they usually are the first items to be deleted
from the translation. Another reason for omitting swearwords in the translation is the fact
that there are some easily recognizable ones – especially in the case of translation from
English.

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 2. Swearwords in the Polish translation of Dexter
2.1. Swearwords as interjections
Multiple times throughout the series, the characters of Dexter react strongly to various
events, often expressing their emotions with four-letter-words. The strategy applied by the
Polish translator in those cases is quite consistently omission.

It seems that the translator assumed that the swearwords will either be recognizable to the
viewers, or that it can be easily deduced that the characters use taboo words.

E.g.:

(1) Dexter: Oh, fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

(Episode 1x03)

In this case, it is quite clear from the context, what the character means, as he is running from
an alligator encountered in a marsh.

Similarly, in this example:

(2) Doakes: Shit. Fuck.

(Episode 1x03)

The character was left stranded by his colleagues, convinced they have betrayed him. The
use of taboo language is understandable from the context.

There are, however, instances where the swearwords used in this way are translated.

E.g.:

In this scene, Debra talks to her prostitute contacts and tells them that a serial killer had
murdered their friend.

(3) Prostitute: Shit.

Prostytutka: Przerąbane. (That’s sick.)

(Episode 1x03)

The translation of this particular item is understandable, on the one hand, as it emphasizes
the prostitutes’ reaction, but it is as redundant as was the translation of the previous
examples, on the other.

Another instance of translating an interjection of this sort is in a scene from episode 6.

(4) Doakes: Shit. My sisters are here too.

Debra: Fucking family reunion.

Doakes: Cholera. Siostrzyczki też są. (Cholera. My sister’s are here too.)
Debra: Rodzinka w komplecie. (Whole family.)

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 (Episode 1x06)

Translating shit in this particular scene may be wise, as it is followed by a fragment in which
Doakes’s family discusses his foul mouth. But then, he usually uses stronger language than
shit, such as fuck, fucking or motherfucking, so the lexical choices influence the way the
character is perceived (see below).

2.2. Swearwords as intensifiers

The Polish translator of the series used by and large two techniques with regard to
swearwords used as intensifiers; they were either omitted or heavily toned down. Obviously,
many of those items had to be deleted due to time constraints.

E.g.:

In the following two examples from a conversation between Debra and Dexter, the
intensifiers are not essential, and are nothing more than idiosyncratic markers of Debra’s
speech. Omitting them is justifiable, because of time constraints – translating them would
make the voice-artist’s work more difficult.

(5) Debra: So how the hell was your date with Rita last night?

Debra: Jak się udała randka z Ritą? (How was your date with Rita?)

(6) Debra: Why the hell is that important?

Debra: Dlaczego to ważne? (Why is that important?)

(Episode 1x01)

The next examples are illustrations of mollification of taboo intensifiers.

(7) Debra: Pretty fucking please with cheese on top.

Dexter: That's my foul-mouthed foster sister, Debra.

Debra: Proszę, w mordę jeża. (Please, for crying out loud.)

Dexter: Moja przybrana siostra o niewyparzonym języku. (My foul-mouthed
foster sister.)

(Episode 1x01)

The phrase w mordę jeża might not be particularly polite, but is still not even remotely close in
strength to fucking. It would be much more adequate to translate Debra’s line as Ślicznie cię,
kurwa, proszę, as fuck and kurwa are usually used in a similar way. However, it should be
noted that despite approximately 53 appearances of fuck (either as an interjection or a verb),
as well as 50 instances of fucking, there is no place in which kurwa appears in the Polish
translation.

The rendition of Debra’s line seems especially ludicrous, when considered together with
Dexter’s comment, in which he calls her foul-mouthed; it is in perfect consonance with the

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English original, but the Polish version cannot be considered nearly as vulgar as to merit
calling Debra foul-mouthed.

(8) Debra: Holy shit, they’re fucking fingertips.

Debra: Jasny gwint, palce! (For goodness’ sake, fingers!)

(Episode 1x02)

Instead of two taboo items (holy shit and fucking), the translator settled for a euphemism,
changing the perception of the character (see below).

2.3. Swearwords as content words

If taboo language appears in the role of content words in the English original, the Polish
translation uses usually softer colloquial equivalents. There are also some instances, where
the swearwords are completely omitted.

Firstly, some illustrations of the latter will be given. E.g.:

(9) Debra: You are shitting me.

(Episode 1x04)

The omission can only be explained by time constraints. However, it is clear from the visual
that Debra responds to her boss in the scene, while the voice-artist reads just LaGuerta’s
lines, which might be slightly confusing.

(10) Batista: You'd have to be a lab rat just to mess around with that shit.

Batista: Trzeba mieć wiedzę, żeby się tym bawić. (You’ve got to have knowledge
to mess around with it.)

(Episode 1x03)

In this case, the deletion of the swearword does not influence the meaning, nor does it
confuse the viewer. Moreover, it does not affect the perception of Batista, as he uses a smaller
amount of taboo language than, for instance, Doakes. Another argument for the omission
are, once again, time limitations.

The following examples show the mollification of taboo language items as content words.

(11) Batista: She got a nice ass, too.

Batista: Ma ładny tyłek. (She’s got a nice butt.)

(Episode 1x01)

(12) Debra: Bullshit.

Debra: Bzdura. (Nonsense.)

(Episode 1x03)

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 (13) Debra: Fuck off.

Debra: Spadaj. (Get lost.)

(Episode 1x03)

In the Examples 10-12, there is no justification for omitting the swearwords, apart from
softening the language as such.

Nevertheless, in some other cases, the English swearwords are translated into Polish as taboo
language as well, though not of equal strength.

E.g.:

(14) Batista: This is so fucked-up, man. Going after a cop's family... Who would do such a
thing?
Dexter: That's why we're here.
Batista: But it’s still fucked up.

Batista: Co za bajzel. Kto morduje rodzinę gliniarza? (What a mess. Who would
murder a cop’s family?)
Dexter: Musimy się dowiedzieć. (We have to find out.)
Batista: Cholerny bajzel. (Screwed-up mess.)

(Episode 1x02)

(15) Doakes: Fuck the book.

Doakes: Chrzanię przepisy. (Screw the book.)

(Episode 1x02)

(16) Rita: Fuck her.

Rita: Chrzanić ją. (Screw her.)

(Episode 1x04)

Apart from the softened swearwords, there are a few cases, which should be mentioned, as
they retain a strength similar to that of the original.

E.g.:

(17) Dexter: She knows how to play the game. You should take a lesson.
Debra: In what, ass-kissing?

Dexter: Wie, co i jak. Naucz się. (She know how to do it. You should learn.)
Debra: Włazidupstwa? (Ass-kissing?)

(Episode 1x01)

(18) LaGuerta: What the fuck were you thinking?!

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 LaGuerta: Odwaliło ci?! (Are you fucking crazy?)

(Episode 1x02)

(19) Debra: I knew LaGuerta had her head up her ass on that one.

Debra: LaGuerta wyżej sra, niż dupę ma. (LaGuerta shits higher than her ass.)

(Episode 1x03)

(20) Mac: Bullshit.

Mac: Sranie w banię. (Bullshit.)

(Episode 1x04)

2.4. Derogatory terms

Many derogatory names appear throughout the series. The most common ones in the
episodes analysed were: bastard (8 times), bitch (8 times) and son of a bitch (7 times). The first
is usually skipped (as in Example 20) or replaced with a milder equivalent (Example 21).

(21) Dexter: I like your other outfit better.

Debra: You sick bastard.

Dexter: Tamten strój był ciekawszy. (The other outfit was more interesting.)
Debra: Zbok. (Deviant.)

(Episode 1x01)

(22) Debra: There's the bastard.

Debra: Mam drania. (I’ve got the scoundrel.)

(Episode 1x06)

In the case of bitch, the translator mollified the word (Example 22), or skipped it (Example
23), and in one instance, replaced it with another taboo word.

(23) Debra: I'm gonna shame this bitch.

Debra: Zawstydzę tę babę. (I’m going to shame this woman.)

(Episode 1x01)

(24) Cervantes: Maybe he tried to kill the bitch himself, and felt so bad about it, he
committed suicide.

Cervantes: Może chciał ją załatwić, ale sumienie gryzło i skoczył. (Maybe he

wanted to kill her, but he felt remorse and he jumped.)

(Episode 1x02)

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 (25) LaGuerta: Traffic at this hour's a bitch.
Debra: Speaking of bitch…

LaGuerta: Korki jak cholera.

Debra: O cholerze mowa.

(Episode 1x04)

The change of bitch into cholera is reasonable, as a literal rendition of the phrase would sound
highly artificial in Polish.

Son of a bitch is rendered as drań (3 times) or sukinsyn (once), and is skipped entirely 3 times.
The most common translation of any derogatory name for a male is drań – it appears as the
equivalent of son of a bitch, bastard and cocksucker. The literal equivalent of son of a bitch,
sukinsyn, appears 3 times – each time as a translation of a different derogatory term (son of a
whore, son of a bitch, cocksucker).

An interesting fact is the retention of a Spanish derogatory name, hijo de puta (son of a whore)
in episode 1. It serves as a means of showing that Angel Batista tends to put Spanish words
into English sentences. Another taboo word (coño – En. cunt) he uses in the same scene,
however, is skipped.

2.5. Swearing as an idiosyncratic feature

It can be readily noticed, while watching the original version of Dexter, that some of the
characters swear significantly more than others. Among the main characters of Dexter two
people use taboo language perceptibly more frequently: Debra and Doakes.

In the first 6 episodes of the series, 283 taboo words appear, and 110 of them are spoken by
either of the two characters – 56 and 54 by Debra and Doakes respectively. The number is
even more striking, when compared with the number of swearwords spoken by the main
character – 12 in the 6 episodes (which is as much as Doakes utters in episode 1). When
matched with the numbers of swearwords in the Polish translation, the discrepancy is great,
as well. Out of 50 taboo words in the Polish version, 9 were uttered by Debra, 8 by Doakes,
and only 1 by Dexter.

The deletion of Debra and Doakes’s swearwords is not particularly surprising, because of the
notion of redundancy and the fact that all characters’ profanities were in most cases omitted.
What is, however, interesting is that for a variety of English taboo words (fuck, fucking,
motherfucking, shit, damn, goddamn), just two Polish ones are chiefly used (cholera, cholerny).
Moreover, those used in the translation are significantly less powerful than three of those
used in the source text (i.e. fuck, fucking and motherfucking). The mollification of those
swearwords could be required by the television channel which ordered the translation or the
translator himself. It should be noted, though, that toning down Debra and Doakes’s
language influences the way they are perceived by the audience.

Debra is a very soft-hearted young woman, who tries to fit into the world of Miami Metro
Police Department by acting tough. She has been surrounded by police officers all her life,
which could have influenced the fact that she has used taboo language from a young age (as

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can be seen in the flashbacks in some of the episodes). Doakes is an ex-soldier, a robust man
and a determined police officer. He is very straightforward, and quite open in his dislike to
the forensics experts he works with, especially Dexter – which can often be seen in the way
he addresses him (e.g. fucking weirdo – in the Polish translation rendered as cudak; Episode
1x01).

Softening the language used by Debra and Doakes seems particularly ludicrous when
compared to a scene, in which Cody, Dexter’s girlfriend Rita’s 6-year-old son, uses the word
damn and is immediately told not to do it.

(26) Cody: It was that damn dog.

Cody: To ten cholerny pies. (It was that damn dog)

(Episode 1x04)

This rendition is accurate, literal, and logical in the context of the scene, but it sounds absurd
that both tough foul-mouthed cops use exactly the same kind of language as a 6-year-old.

(27) Debra: Fucking butcher.

Debra: Cholerny rzeźnik. (Damn butcher)

(Episode 1x02)

(28) Doakes: It’s a fucking travesty.

Doakes: Cholerna parodia. (Damn travesty.)

(Episode 1x03)

What is more, softening Debra’s idiolect makes it ridiculous for Dexter to call her foul-
mouthed (cf. Example 6). Especially in cases such as the one presented in Example 28.

(29) Debra: What the hell? What the fuck? Are you boning her?

Debra: Co jest? Ja cię kręcę. Bzykasz ją? (What? Oh my gosh. Are you boning
her?)

(Episode 1x01)

The taboo word fuck used by Debra is not only omitted, but also replaced with a colloquial,
though not vulgar phrase in the target language.

3. Conclusions
Swearwords as part of audiovisual material might pose a problem for the translator, because
of the viewers’ sense of appropriateness, or television/distributors regulations. It is then a
regular practice among translators in many countries to omit them or tone them down (cf.
Bucaria, 2009). Deletion of swearwords might occur as the result of reduction, since they are
often expressions irrelevant to the plot or retrievable from other sources.

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However, there are slight undertones of meaning to all taboo language items, and the
translator should probably try and preserve as much as possible, so as not to alter the
perception of the movie or series in question. Of course, other matters may come into play,
such as the distributor’s or TV channel’s policies, which have to be followed.

Moreover, mollifying all the swearwords that are not skipped makes it impossible to get an
undistorted image of the characters of the series. Of course, the translation was probably
produced with economical factors in mind, but it is highly unlikely for a TV series such as
Dexter to be broadcast in prime-time or day-time, with a rating different than “adults only”.
In this way, softening the language to this extent does not seem necessary.

References

Bucaria, C. 2009. “Translation and censorship on Italian IV: an inevitable love affair?” Vigo
International Journal of Applied Linguistics VIAL 6.13-32. Online:
http://webs.uvigo.es/vialjournal/pdf/Vial-2009-Article1.pdf

Hjort, M. 2009. ”Swearwords in subtitles. A balancing art” inTRAlinea. Special Issue: The
Translation of Dialects in Multimedia. Online:
http://www.intralinea.it/specials/dialectrans/eng_more.php?id=830_0_49_0_M

Łupak, S. 2009. “Współczesna cenzura w telewizji. Film. Online:

http://www.film.com.pl/?q=node/1421

Filmography

Dexter (2006-present)
USA, Showtime
Developed by James Manos, Jr.
Polish voice-over version: Dexter
Voice-over produced for TVN
Polish dialogues by Marek Ławacz
Voice-over performed by Maciej Gudowski

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