AUDIOVISUAL SIGN LANGUAGE TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION IN BRAZIL: A RECEPTION STUDY ON REGARDING SCREEN INSET/INTERPRETER SPACE PLACEMENT AND SIZING IN DEAF COMMUNITY

Abstract

This article presents the results of a nationwide survey aimed at understanding the preferences of the Deaf regarding screen insets [interpreter spaces] for audiovisual translation and interpretation into Brazilian Sign Language. Data was collected through an online bilingual questionnaire that was circulated on social media and specifically addressed to the Brazilian Deaf community. It consisted of five screen-inset [interpreter-space] choices for three audiovisual genres: feature-length comedy film; TV journalism / news; and online education / virtual classroom. Respondents watched videos with placement and size variations of the Brazilian Sign Language screen inset [interpreter space] and rated each option on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). The data shows that preferences change according to genre. The same placement and size variations were scored quite differently for each of the three genres, showing there is a crucial need to address the underlying proposals and placement of screen insets [interpreter space] through a genre-based lens and to avoid imposing size and placement based on fixed standards, as well as the need for more reception studies with the deaf community about audiovisual Sign Language translation.

Keywords
audiovisual translation; acessible audiovisual translation; acessible media; Sign Language screen inset; reception study