French in Springfield: A Variationist Analysis of the Translation of First-Person Singular Future Actions in the Quebec and French Dubbings of The Simpsons

Abstract

This article follows on from Plourde’s work to the extent that it uses the French and Quebec dubbings of The Simpsons as a springboard to address a broader question. However, unlike Plourde’s study, which is only translation studies-oriented, our analysis combines sociolinguistic (variationist), discursive, grammatical, and translation studies approaches. Furthermore, rather than focusing on the adaptation of cultural elements in both dubbings, it looks at one particular linguistic constituent which is omnipresent in all the episodes of its corpus, namely the translation of first-person singular future actions. Building on variationist sociolinguistics, it seeks to uncover the patterns underlying the various translation solutions retained by translators from Quebec and France. The article begins with a presentation of the theoretical framework underpinning the study. It then highlights the relationship between dubbing and translation before examining the linguistic means used to express first-person singular future actions in English, French from France, and Quebec French. It continues with a description of the corpus used and the discussion of findings. The conclusion dwells on the theoretical and practical implications of the results