Cultural Challenges in Audiovisual Translation-A case Study of Humour in Sitcoms

Abstract

Translating humor in sitcoms presents unique challenges due to the cultural, linguistic, and contextual layers that shape comedic meaning. In popular series like Friends, The Office, and How I Met Your Mother, jokes often rely on sarcasm, wordplay, or cultural references that do not easily transfer across languages. By comparing English dialogue with Arabic subtitles, this study investigates the strategies used to handle humor such as literal translation, adaptation, and omission and evaluates their effectiveness in retaining the comic effect. The analysis reveals that while simple phrases can survive translation, jokes grounded in cultural or tonal nuance often lose their impact. Subtitlers must navigate audience expectations, censorship limitations, and technical constraints while attempting to preserve both meaning and humor. These findings emphasize the translator’s role as a cultural mediator and underscore the need for creative flexibility and intercultural awareness in audiovisual translation.