Graduate Researcher Series: an Interview with Juerong Qiu
Hangyu Zhang
Juerong Qiu is a doctoral candidate in the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne. She works on audiovisual translation and intercultural communication. Her PhD project is on the audience’s reception of subtitled television shows under the supervision of Professor Anthony Pym.
Hangyu interviewed Juerong about her PhD research and journey.
Hi Juerong, firstly thanks for your time talking to me! To start us off, could you please introduce your research project?
In my research, I’m looking into how people respond to two non-standard ways of subtitling: fansubs and raw machine-translated subtitles. I’m gathering data by recording screen-based activities like pausing, fast-forwarding, and skipping, as well as by doing comprehension tests and interviewing participants about their involvement.
That sounds interesting! So, how did you propose this research topic and what motivated you to explore it?
The inspiration for this research came after I began subtitling Chinese audiovisual shows on Viki in 2018. Viki is a video-streaming platform that targets fans of Asian TV shows. All translated subtitles on Viki are created by fans for free, so subtitlers on Viki are called fansubbers. My initial goal was to expand my vocabulary and apply the translation strategies I had learned in my master’s program. As I worked on subtitling, I paid attention to viewers’ comments, which mostly expressed thanks or complained about subtitle speed but didn’t provide much feedback on the translations.
In 2019, Viki introduced Vikibot to produce machine-translated subtitles for shows. The rollout of Vikibot upset many fansubbers because it overwrote existing subtitles we had created, and the machine translation outputs were often erroneous. Other fansubbers reciprocated complaints on Viki’s discussion boards. Consequently, Viki’s community team responded that the future use of Vikibot would be kept as minimal as possible. As you may notice, this was a debate that excluded the actual viewers of the subtitled shows.
So, I was curious about what viewers actually thought about the implementation of machine translation. Did they want to use automated subtitles for instant access to newly released episodes? This motivated me to investigate audiovisual translation from the audience’s perspective.
That’s a unique experience! I know that you are approaching the end of your PhD, are there any interesting findings that you would like to share with us so far?
Based on my research, machine-translated subtitles provide viewers with a good enough understanding of audiovisual content, and they might not even notice they’re watching machine-translated subtitles if they’re not told beforehand. This is a piece of good news for subtitlers out there! You can make minimal changes to the machine-translated subtitles without worrying too much about the quality of the subs.
Second, the role of subtitles in the audience’s reception of audiovisual products seems to be overestimated. Subtitles alone don’t necessarily create a complete viewing experience. Although subtitles do modify the original audiovisual text and shape the viewing experience for audiences, the messages that audiences take away from the text can vary and depend on individual interpretations and context.
Another interesting finding is that no significant difference was found between the effects of human-translated subtitles and machine-translated subtitles on vocabulary acquisition. This suggests that both types of subtitles can benefit language learners, regardless of the quality.
It seems that you have concluded meaningful findings in your research. What significance or contribution do they have?
My research shows that we need to help people understand how to use machine translation when it comes to subtitles. As technology advances, it’s essential for people to keep up with and learn how to use these tools effectively. But not everyone has access to such technology or knows how to use it properly. This is why we need to focus on promoting machine translation literacy.
Another takeaway from my research is that audience reception is no longer just a passive process but rather a dynamic and dialogic one that involves responses and participation. This means that we need to develop new methods to study audience reception in empirical research, and my use of think-aloud protocols (a research method used to gather data; for more information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_aloud_protocol) has shown to be an effective approach in this regard.
My research also indicates that the audience for subtitled shows is more diverse than we originally thought. Not only do people who speak the target language watch these shows, but people who speak other languages also enjoy them. This creates a really interesting and complex viewing process and opens up a whole new area of research.
Did you encounter any significant challenges during your PhD journey?
Yes, I did encounter some significant challenges during my PhD journey. One of the biggest challenges I faced was balancing my research with teaching. At times, it was difficult to manage my time effectively and ensure that I was progressing on my research while also fulfilling the tutoring obligations.
I also struggled with imposter syndrome, especially when it came to teaching subjects at Masters level. I sometimes felt like I wasn’t good enough to teach at that level, which made me quite unconfident. However, I was fortunate to have very supportive students. Additionally, my subject coordinators, who were also my two supervisors, offered me great help and encouragement. They provided me with useful feedback on my deliveries and helped me to develop my skills and knowledge in teaching.
Another challenge is concerned with data analysis. Since I had little experience with quantitative methods, I had to start from scratch, learning about statistical tests through online resources like YouTube videos. However, I quickly realised that this was not enough, and I needed expert guidance. Fortunately, our university has a fantastic Statistical Consulting team who is always ready to help. They patiently explained different statistical tests and helped me choose the appropriate ones for my research questions. I am immensely grateful for their assistance, which made the data analysis process much smoother.
It’s good to know that you have received practical support to overcome those challenges. Based on your experience, can you offer some advice for first-year and second-year PhD students?
One of the most important pieces of advice I would offer to first-year and second-year PhD students is to seek help when you need it. The PhD journey can be challenging, but you don’t have to go it alone. There are plenty of resources available to help you navigate the ups and downs of the journey.
First and foremost, your supervisors are an invaluable source of guidance and support. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them when you’re struggling or have questions. You may also want to seek advice from the Graduate Research team or other university support services. These resources can offer guidance on a wide range of topics, from academic writing, research methodology to mental health.
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of peer support. Talking to your cohort and officemates can be a great way to get inspired and stay motivated. Your fellow researchers are going through many of the same challenges as you, and they may have invaluable insights or advice to share. Plus, building relationships with your peers can make the PhD journey more fulfilling and enjoyable.
They are all valuable suggestions! I hope you succeed in your completion seminar and in your future career. Your words are pretty inspiring, just like your research. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Juerong!
Thank you, Hangyu.
Juerong Qiu invites those who are interested in her research to her PhD Completion Seminar:
Date and Time: Tuesday 23 May 2023, 1pm
Zoom link: https://unimelb.zoom.us/j/89595520887?pwd=U2ViYlh6Y3JJRjBrTGovWVgrQ1JnUT09
Password: 827121