Here are the readings for the week beginning January 22nd.
1) Dubbing The Simpsons: Or How Groundskeeper Willie Lost His Kilt in Sardinia
http://www.jstor.org/stable/20688622
2 What global language?
http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/2000/11/wallraff.htm
3) How Media Destroy Activism
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9tKhDO0adInWU9HYjZTb2liOVE/edit
Callahan: For Tues Jan. 22, please read the first two articles. What do you think are some difficulties in creating a global media system? What are some of the consequences? What types of things work, what types of things don't?
Have a great week!
Living in a foreign country both before and during my mission, I saw that American Media dominated much of the entertainment industry. As I have watched foreign films, and translated versions of American films, I am constantly intrigued with the noticeable differences in content. At first I thought it was a translation problem, but I came to realize that each global media product must be carefully adapted to the culture. This is one of the reasons why McDonalds is so popular. It is American, but has also been carefully adapted to other cultures. This is necessary for global success in global media systems as well. Without carefully considering each regions understanding, culture, and likes, a global system will not see much success.
ReplyDeleteThese adaptions can cause misconceptions about other cultures. Another potential problem is with overrunning less developed cultures with western thought and eliminating their unique cultures.
I think that the biggest problem or challenge in creating a global media system lies in the fact that different regions of the world still adhere to strict cultural norms that don’t translate very well to other entirely unique cultures. In reading the Simpsons chapter, Fox was only able to successfully market the Simpsons in other non-American cultures after extensive work was done to alter names, accents, billboards, signage, episode names, and a myriad of other critical episode elements. Even then, it only translated over with large success in certain cultures, while others didn’t follow suit.
ReplyDeleteOne of the largest consequences in creating a global media system, as is evidenced by the Simpsons example, is that the original product needs to be tailored for a specific audience. Every episode’s jokes are altered dramatically to adhere to an Italian audience. Poring over every detail to “Italianize” the jokes worked. If Fox attempted to introduce the Simpson’s to a culture without completely tearing it apart and localizing it, it wouldn’t work. The chapter referenced one specific episode where the translation didn’t work because the episode was based on Groundskeeper Willie visiting Scotland. In the Italian version, Fox had changed Scotland to Sardidnia, which is more recognizable to Italians. In most episodes, the translation worked, but in this instance, it didn’t, and the episode was very confusing to Italians.
The second article makes the point that while English is becoming the normative Global language in certain aspects, predominantly though technological advances, native English speakers are decreasing. It doesn’t change the fact that English is being learned more by more and more people as technology advances.
Cultural differences and traditions lead to some of the greatest difficulties in creating a global media system. The example of the Simpsons and its transition to appeal towards an Italian audience demonstrates the possibility of successfully adapting to these differences but shows the challenging process it requires. The show has succeeded because it is more than a mere translation but an adaptation to fit the Italian culture. A possibly dispute that could arise is the debate of the source of the media system that is being spread worldwide. The risk of losing unique pieces of other cultures arises when core countries look to push their influence and agenda. I think that certain aspects of media can appeal towards all audiences worldwide, such as images of the family, by effectively using a variety of cultural features. The challenging part is understanding certain dynamics of a particular country and tailoring content to match that culture, which can only be done to a certain degree.
ReplyDeleteBased on the readings it is clear that we want to enjoy things in our own languages with references that are familiar to us. In the Simpsons article the most successful versions of this American show are the ones that take the original episodes and change them so they are more relevant to the viewers in different countries. Without these changes it is doubtful that the show would succeed outside of the U.S. Likewise, as more of the world becomes active participants on the Internet we will see a trend in different language websites as many people resent having to learn English to be online. While some claim that the English language is on an inevitable track to globalization, this is only the case in very small areas of the world, like the elite in India or South Africa.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Riggs
Creating a global media system would mean the ability for people to all over the world to communicate messages, however even if a message is ability to be exchanged it may not be understood. Culture is a major issue for creating a global media system. This is shown through "Arabizing" The Simpsons to appeal to those of the Islam belief. Although people from all over the world recognize TV stars and characters from the US, they may not understand or enjoy our show the way it is. Producers had to adapt the show to fit a different audience.
ReplyDeleteAnother instrumental part of culture is language. As ignorant Americans we often see statistics about how English is spreading around the world. However, the author explained that English is not going to overrule the use of other languages in the near future. The amount of native speakers is decreasing, the versions of English that are spoken are increasing, and the use of technology for interlanguage communication is not adequate for comprehension. Using English as the only language for a global media system will not work. It is unlikely that the whole world will never communicate in one language, which is a barrier for communication and comprehension. The more complex a topic, the less likely that it can be expressed and understood through a global media system.
American media, culture, and language are not readily accepted by the rest of the world, which is one of the greatest difficulties in creating a global media system.
There are many problems in creating a global media system and one of the main problems is that while the English language and American culture are spreading around the world, there are aspects of each culture that will remain in place despite increased globalization. Many of these small aspects of a country's culture do not mesh well with the American culture that is becoming more prominent internationally. As evidenced in the article about The Simpsons, some aspects of American media may carry a different meaning in different cultures and this can often be negative. After editing the original content for such problems, the result is a different product from the original, not the original American content at all. Most American culture and media works well in countries similar to the U.S., however, when it comes to countries such as Sardinia, Egypt, etc., the problems are much more pronounced and the differences more obvious.
ReplyDeleteIn reference to the Simpson's article, it focussed a lot on how the "dubbing" of the american cartoon not only translates the words, but it sometimes also gives other countries leeway in order to make the show more culturally acceptable and appropriate in their countries. With that, I think that there lies one of the biggest issues in creating a global media system. Our world is full of tens of thousands of different cultures, and what seems funny and humorous here in the U.S. can seem rude and disrespectful in other countries. Asia was one of the big examples of this in terms of the Simpsons. The article goes more into detail saying that "the translation of The Simpsons modify(s) the characters and re-contextualize(s) its archetypical and stereotypical features within a national framework of reference." The second article then talked about English and how it is on its way to becoming a global normative language. However, the author goes on to explain that "ten years ago about one in seven people in this country spoke a language other than English at home." Now since then, the number of immigrants coming to America has only increased, adding to the number of other languages in the U.S. spoken more often than English at home. So with this knowledge, how can English be an ever increasing global language, when it is having a hard time holding its own in places where English is traditionally spoken?
ReplyDeleteBoth of these articles help to illustrate the difficulties of trying to create a global media system. After reading them, it became apparent to me that the root or theme of the issue is cultural differences all around the world. America is so different from China, which is so different from Denmark, which is so different from Russia and it can be hard to create a system that will work universally. The main consequences in my mind of attempting to create a global media system, is that it is almost impossible; alterations must be made to each region's culture. The Simpsons example is evident of this for Italy, as well as the many examples given in the second article about English becoming the global language. Because of the vast difference, communication systems/languages/tv/etc are forced to adapt to whatever their environment is for them to successfully flourish.
ReplyDeleteChandler Anderson
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think are some difficulties in creating a global media system? What are some of the consequences? What types of things work, what types of things don't?
America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. As Americans, we celebrate American traditions, cultures, holidays, and catch-phrases. Television shows produced in America incorporate these very things, so when they are transferred and played in various countries, it could be confusing for other views. Communication barriers among cultures and languages typically cause false translations. This could cause sentences, ideas, or whole story lines not to make sense when translated. I visited Paris this summer and when i went to the cinema and saw an American movie, with French subtitles, I was able to piece together certain words or sentences that werent correctly translated. In the Simpson's article, the new show's name, various foods and objects on set, and the language all needed to be changed in order for the people to get the same entertainment as Americans enjoy.
English is a global language, but like all other languages, it has its faults. Certain words dont translate into other languages so translators must find substitutes which usually accounts for a different meaning or idea. The english language is being learned and studied abroad more than any other language. As an avid traveler, I have learned that regardless of what country or even continent I visit, Im almost always guaranteed to come in contact with English speakers that can help with translations or directions. While most of the English known consists of general words or phrases, it shows that the world is not flat and the language and impact of Americans is extremely widespread.
When talking about the basics of creating a global media system, it sounds like a great idea. Once you start actually thinking about all the difficulties, it becomes something else. Countries all over the world not only speak different languages, we have completely different cultures. A great way of showing this was in The Simpsons article. When the show was introduced into the Arab world, the names of the characters had to change as well as many of the other aspects of the show. Sometimes we as Americans expect everyone else to do things our way. This is not the case.
ReplyDeleteSome of the consequences of making a global media system are the different countries around the world would lose their originality. They would lose what connects them to their history. I am afraid that if the world truly created a global media system, all the countries would become similar. There would still be small differences, but the world benefits more from the countries holding onto what makes them different.
At the end of the day, I think a global media system is a good idea on the surface. However, we need to realize that all people do things different ways and originality is an important part of the human experience.
In today’s world, it seems to be extremely difficult to have a total global culture. We see influences of global culture in companies like McDonalds and Coca-Cola, whose products are seen throughout the world, but it is difficult for some products and companies to transfer abroad. The differences in the cultures of the world make it difficult for there to ever be a sound global media system. When I watch news or television programming from other places or cultures, I often have a tough time understanding much of the thoughts they express or their humor. That is not to say that they are not saying things that are interesting, insightful, or funny, it is just that the things expressed are not what I am used to. Although the English language and American media influences have become dominate in global media, it may not always transfer into different cultures.
ReplyDeleteI think the real problem and difficulty of having a global media system is similar to what we mentioned last time in class-most nations will not be represented well or properly. I would imagine in a global media system, the world powers would be represented well and dominate media, but developing nations would lack such representation. The second article mentioned statistics of media users worldwide. Perhaps outdated, it mentioned that 13% of internet users speak an Asian language. A solid percentage (probably more now) but they receive little media attention. It also mentions that in recent times it is found that there are, “1,113 million people speak Chinese as their mother tongue… about 372 million speak English. And yet English is still the world's second most common native language, though it is likely to cede second place within fifty years to the South Asian linguistic group whose leading members are Hindi and Urdu.” Chinese media and other large linguistic groups such as Hindi, Urdu, Spanish, and Arabic should have much more power than they do. I see that the biggest challenge in a global media system is equality between different nations
For the most part, every one prefers their own language. As it mentions in the book, people prefer to use their native language in their homes or outside business settings. In the conclusion of the atlantic article, it says people will learn english if, and only if, it is easy to do so. However, offering English courses for free gets expensive, and technology can only do so much linguistics-wise right now. But in the near future computers may be able to do more for the proper transmission of the english language. But there will always be sarcasm and acronyms that are hard to communicate through text on a screen and depend instead on context clues, tone of voice and facial expressions.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the biggest difficulties in creating a global media system is the vast differences in cultures around the world. As evidenced in the Simpsons article, one television show needs to be altered in script, behavior of characters and props in order to be applicable in different countries. The Simpsons is marketable as an international show because it does so well in the US but only makes money after it adheres to cultural norms in those countries. I think these are some of the consequences. The Simpsons loses its original content, creative content, in order to reach a broader audience and make more money. A global media system does not exist because content would not be applicable to every culture. And as mentioned in the second article, we do not have a global language. So not only would the content of a global media system not apply to every culture, there wouldn't even be a total universal language to present that content in. Based on this, I do not think media such as television, movies, advertising, or books work in a global media system successfully.
ReplyDeleteSince I am little, I have always heard if you know English you can communicate with people all over the world. Where I am from Dominican Republic, almost everyone that is middle class+ knows English, and every professional. So I believe it is true that English is known as an important language to know. However, as the article talks about the world has been changing specially in the United States. Every time I travel the announces, and signs are in Spanish, and English. Moreover, in states like Florida Spanish is more spoken that English. So this increasing force of other languages has been making chances in the United States imagine outside. I think in the future maybe any language or at least more languages like Spanish, Chinese etc would work too as a global language with English.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading about the changes that the Simpsons writers had to make for their show to work in other countries. I grew up watching the Simpsons because it was my Dad and Uncle's favorite show. As a child most of the jokes went over my head and I just took the funny voices for granted. However, now that i am learning about and making media my career, I realized the very narrow audience that the Simpsons appeals to in a worldwide perspective. Some of the difficulties and consequences in global media are the fact that different countries have different cultures and not all jokes will work in one culture even though they work in another.
ReplyDeleteThe Simpsons is very very Americanized so in order for the show to make it globally, the writers had to sacrifice some of their plot choices to appeal to a wider demographic. Changing character names and activities are one way to work for a global advantage. However, I doubt people in Korea or the Middle East believe that the show was entirely made for their culture and yet they still enjoy it. It makes me wonder if perhaps playing off of the idea that the Simpsons IS absolutely about American people would make other countries embrace it and enjoy learning about our American culture even if they don't get a few jokes.
After all, BBC doesn't try to 'Americanize' their shows like Doctor Who or Monty Python for us and we still enjoy watching them to get a taste of that 'British humor'.
One of the difficulties in creating a global media system is the cultures in the different countries are too different for a one size fits all media system. The article about The Simpsons showed that even while many of the characters from the American show could be transferred over to an Italian version of the show, some had to be transformed. Jokes and context had to be changed in order for it to make sense. I also saw this with the movie Shrek. When I got home from my mission, there was a short time where I enjoyed watching movies in Spanish. Most movies just translated what was being said in the original English script. The types of movies that worked were ones that weren't about a certain culture, they were just stories. But Shrek, with its American roots in jokes and culture, had to completely changed the story. The jokes were different, the lines were different. They even used a Mexican comedy group as the voices of Shrek and Donkey so that the Mexican culture would be able to relate better to the movie. This shows that we can’t simply transfer our American and English media system into the rest of the world and make it global. I think cultural differences are what make the many countries unique, and while a global media system may help unite countries in some ways, it could also cause those countries to lose that uniqueness.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the biggest issues in creating a global media system is the fact that each country has specific cultural and social differences that affect the successfulness of international media between cultures. The article on The Simpsons was a great demonstration of the amount of effort it took to market the show to different cultures. The Arabic version of the show changed hot dogs to Egyptian beef sausages, and donuts to special Arab cookies. I think both of those small adjustments are great examples that there are many small cultural differences that needed to be taken into consideration when introducing shows that were initially intended for the American culture.
ReplyDeleteOne of the consequences of a global media system is the adapting of American shows into something other cultures with enjoy. A successful global media system in not just about everyone being able to speak the same language, and while the English language is becoming the global language, less people are speaking it as their native language. The article goes into detail on the extensive efforts invested to refocus The Simpsons cultural based jokes, destinations, and even focus of the character’s roles. For example, the article discusses Bart’s disrespectful attitude in the Japanese culture where respect is a highly emphasized cultural tradition. So the Asian version of The Simpsons instead focused on Lisa’s intellectual character, which helped to make the show a success in the Asian markets.
After the reading, it was clear for me why a global media system is so difficult. Yes, American culture is very globalized, and we can fin "I love New York" t-shirts in many countries, but the depth of a country's culture goes beyond a t-shirt. I lived in Honduras my whole life, and yes, I was able to enjoy many of the great American TV shows, and American news, nevertheless, it was sometimes a struggle for people who weren't very familiar with the English language, or with the American culture to really relate to such media. That's why I'm not surprised to find out that when dubbing for the Simpsons, a cultural approach and change is also made in order to appeal to the public.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the English language is a global language, I agree with the fact that culture is a big challenge for media to become globalized.
The struggle with a global media system is mixing cultures when going from one country to another. I liked the article about the Simpsons and the examples it gave about the differences in sarcasm and language that caused problems for the success of the show in other areas. I went to London on a study abroad. London has many cultures infused together in a big city, and though it was very different, there was lots of American culture to be seen in the city. But their perception of Americans wasn't quite right. I got asked all the time about New York. They think NYC is like the rest of the US. And they wear touristy items from the US thinking that they represent American culture to be different from those in London. But from an American standpoint they just look and act like tourists. So though our culture is "globalized", other people across the world don't understand the depth of the American culture. This can happen with any one of us about a culture in another country that we think we understand but we really don't. A global media system requires this greater understanding.
ReplyDeleteBy trying to create a global media systems, some things may get lost in translation. Different phrases or words or slang means different things around the world. The example I think of was the Simpson's and when Bart is writing on the chalkboard. In the rgininal U.S. version he is just getting punished for wasting chalk, but in the Italian version he is getting in trouble for drawing nude women. It creates misconception of the original country the show was made in. In some cases culture can be lost. Global media systems work only if they are willing to put out the effort and adapt some content to specific areas. If they do not try to adapt to the culture then the content can be misunderstood. Although I said earlier culture could get loss it seems to contradict what the English article says. That article talks about how many places still talk in their native language which seems to imply they don't want their culture or language to get lost either.
ReplyDeleteCreating a global media system is difficult because there is only so much of the message that can be controlled. You can attempt to create a message that will be well received but it may backfire. In order to have an effective global media system, it has to go both ways. One of the largest difficulties with creating these system is diversity. Our world is so diverse. Within Provo alone there are countless people from different ethnic, social, economical and physical backgrounds. We are all different. How can you make a universal system that will relate to all? In the case of globalizing The Simpsons, Countless changes had to be made when it aired in Italy. Names, accents and references were modified to fit the Italian demographic. Countless hours and money went into the selection process of particular dialects that would be used to promote a particular stereotype. If the distribution company would have used a direct translation, the cultural references would be lost. I disagree with the Atlantic article that English will be lost only because a lot has changed since the article was written 12 years ago. With the rise of social media and access to Internet, English continues to be a dominate force in online conversation, business negotiations and communication in general. Although it is not the number one spoken language in the world, whenever two different countries unite, English is the common ground. Just watch any soccer game and you will notice the players cuss at each other in English. I do believe English is becoming simplified with online conversations such as Twitter and Facebook but I do not believe it is going away. English is essential to the conversation when discussing global media systems. It is the language of global communication.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that there is a lot of work that goes into creating a global media system, which can't be an easy task. I never realized just how difficult it would be so share an American TV show, movie, book, etc. with a different cultural audience. I was fascinated when reading about how much effort goes into making The Simpsons a world-wide TV show. I always thought that there were just translators that changed the words from English to Italian, or whatever other language it needed to be translated into. It is difficult because humor is not universal. As pointed out in the reading, Italians have a different sense of humor than Americans do. Some of the ironies that we understand in the US don't translate well into other cultures. The reading used the example of Bart writing on the chalk board in the opening sequence of the show. It was also interesting that in other cultures Lisa became a much more prominent character than Bart because his disrespectful tendencies didn't transfer well to Asian cultures. "The translation of The Simpsons for Italian audiences not only maintains the global appeal of these ironic portrayals, but also localizes them, transferring the humor to a new national context."
ReplyDeleteThe difficulties in creating a global media system involve language and culture. Even when translated correctly, not all ideas translate or resonate with people of different cultures. TV shows, marketing plans and countless other things are specifically changed to appeal to other cultures. Language is a whole different story. Phrases, accents and manners are not always common, even when speaking the same language. We might think english is the future, but it probably won't be the way we picture it.
ReplyDeleteA consequence in the short term of globalized communication might be offending people of other cultures. Over time, I think we will learn more and offend less. I think a far reaching consequence is a loss of multicultural thinking. When we are connected long enough, we will grow more similar. This will cause our media, mannerisms and ideas to merge together. This is a good thing in some ways, as it will initially expand our range of thinking. However, it may narrow our possibilities over time.
Shows can work in other areas if it focuses on more than "local irony." It needs to be humorous in more of a broad manner. If you make jokes about Jimmer to someone in China it would mean nothing and have no appeal.
Taking thousands of cultures and languages and creating a global media system and fits for all of them definitely comes with difficulties. First of all, there is the language barrier. It’s true that two thirds of the world population speaks two languages, and for many, one of those languages is English, but according to these articles, there are different types of English (i.e. Scottish English vs. American English). Second, our perception of the world and our inherent cultures are very different, like the example of the Simpsons in the Middle East. Just because we eat hot dogs doesn’t mean the rest of the world identifies with them and the attachment Americans feel to them. The main consequence I see with creating a global media system is uniformity. Cultures will naturally disappear as they move closer toward that central language and central way of life they see in the media. Also, languages will disappear as we try to convert everyone to English, and languages are an inherent part of a group of people. As far as what things work and what don’t, I’m skeptical of the entire idea of creating a global media system. Why do we need it? What purpose does this accomplish? Do we want everyone to be just like us? That’s basically what we’re saying here, and I think we have more important things to figure out than how to spread our media all over the world, especially to places that are a long way away from our technological discoveries and way of life.
ReplyDeleteI never would have thought that The Simpsons would be so successful in other countries. I assumed that the prevalence of racial stereotypes (Apu, Groundskeeper Willie, etc.) would offend viewers in other countries. I never realized that it was the idea of stereotypes in general that made it so successful. After all, if you take a step back, every country can relate to things like obnoxious bosses, corrupt politicians, hypocritical spiritual figures, downtrodden immigrants and unintelligent people. It merely takes a little bit of plot and character manipulation to make the ideas in The Simpsons universally applicable. That, in my opinion, is one of the great opportunities in creating a global media system. At some level, there are things that every human can relate to.
ReplyDeleteI think some of the key challenges are: 1) being aware of unique social and economic stereotypes in other countries. This was especially apparent in The Simpson’s initial failure in Asia and 2) Realizing that some messages don’t translate, even if it is going from one English-speaking audience to another (as discussed in “What Global Language?”).
A consequence of creating a global media systems is the tendency to become globally homogenized. As mentioned in the article, one of the reason The Simpsons translated so well into other countries was because the characters were racially and politically neutral. Their personality characteristics were adaptable because everything else about them was non-specific. The same consequence can come from the widespread use of English. Everything becomes a little diluted when we try to globalize it.
Both articles show how the world is widely converging. Language may not be exactly the same but there is a common culture being shared and that is because people are increasingly being informed by the same medium: the internet.However, the difficulty in creating a pure global media system is that people are still entertained and enticed by things of their culture. They want to watch their news, listen to people speaking their language, and cheer on their nation's sport teams. People may understand more about the world as a whole but that does not take away for the draw of local dealings. I believe this is a good thing because the consequences of a global media system is losing some of those cultures. We already see it happening around the world. Languages around the globe are disappearing and their specific innuendoes and expressions and disappearing with it. Life is great by variety. Advancement is made by looking outside of oneself and striving for something better. Difference spurs on development. However, the things that don't work are just sitting back and expecting everyone to learn English along with their own language. All citizens of the world should work to develop different languages while maintaining their own if they wish to be a global citizen.
ReplyDeleteHaving only watched The Simpsons in Spanish, this article was quite eye-opening on how the culture of the country/region plays an important role in the translations. Not only that but how they were able to reach such broad audiences with offending them. However, even though there were all these changes to help change the roots and background stories of each character and help the characters be connected to some cultural trait, I feel that there is still a lot of western ideals and sentimentality that were able to come through at least when translated to Spanish. This is a great example of the globalization effect of TV and how it helps to shape the world.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the globalization of English I also have a certain attachment to this topic and truly understand what the author was saying. In our household we speak a English mixed with Spanish which has become a language unto itself. Though we can all clearly differentiate between the two, there are certain subtleties to certain phrases or words that we prefer in one language than the other. I never really thought that what was happening in my home, the distortion of both English and Spanish, is something that is happening worldwide. Simply put: though we may all speak the same language, we wouldn't be speaking the same dialect. Just as accents differentiate where we come from, the cultural background of individuals, upon learning English, will add into the language and make their own cultural accent.
It is obvious that a global media system might not be ideal or even plausible. Difficulties in globalization arise from language problems to cultural differences. It is very prideful of Americans to think that some day everyone will speak English (even though that would be very nice). Language is central to culture, and other countries could not fully adapt our way of living. The way that translation, for shows like The Simpsons, is being conducted right now seems time consuming, but may be the most viable option. Different cultures need different content.
ReplyDeleteI think two of the greatest difficulties in creating global media systems are language and culture. Countries have their own languages and even if they have the same language, there can be different dialects. I think it is hard for global media to make sure that what they are working on is translated into other languages. Another thing is that all countries have their own culture and using the same media in all countries loses the culture. I went on a study abroad a few summers ago and one of my favorite parts was observing the culture. I never once turned on a television in the two months I was abroad. I feel that by trying to create a global media system, it is forcing one culture and one language on everyone. I think some global media is okay as long as it does not force a culture on everyone.
ReplyDeleteI think there are many difficulties in creating a global media systems, specifically miscommunication. Not even just language, but culture or meaning changes everything so quickly. Take the meaning of Bad for example- even in our own American culture the meaning of that one word has changed so many times. How would someone translate it to the correct word or meaning in 12 languages and a million different cultures. And because of this I believe the meaning of shows or jokes can be lost- or worst become offensive. But even with all of these problems the US is still developing a huge majority of the media.
ReplyDeleteI think that because of the growth and change that is happening in global media, we are all looking for a way to make global media systems work. Not to be pessimistic, but I feel like it is impossible. There are so many difference between the cultures and societies throughout the world. I have lived in Asia for a good portion of my life and have been able to see many differences in culture. The article about The Simpsons talks about the many changes that need to be made to the show in order for it to appeal to the audiences in other countries. Global media is not simply about language translation. The basis of the show is centered around making fun of American society. People in other countries do not understand, or really care about, this satire and humor. My question is do people in other countries really want these American shows? A lot of effort is put into making changes. I know we talked about nationalism in class last week and I wonder if it applies here as well. The English language is clearly not going anywhere, but I do think it was interesting to see some of the stats about the languages spoken in the world. The comparison of English speakers to Chinese speakers is astounding. I think that we grow up thinking everyone can, or should, speak English and we have a skewed idea of the world.
ReplyDeleteCreating a global media system is difficult because each country in the globe is different, they have a different culture. Certain things are understood differently. Having served my mission in France and speaking fluent French, I have learned that different words have different meanings. Also, words are not translated in the same way. Even the church hymns have to be altered. They are not translated the same, some words cannot even be put in the hymn because they have to match the rhythm. My point is that in order to translate something that is popular in one language to another, is not an east task at all. Different cultures and languages cannot adapt to each other as easily as we might think. As seen in the Simpsons article, they changed so many different things for the Arabic version.
ReplyDeletePeople in different countries may be viewing the same media, but it means different things to different cultures. This is a consequence of global media. Cultures are losing their uniqueness as they take in the same things as other cultures. Except the French, they have an institution to keep their culture and language original and not integrate english words into their pure French language. That is definitely an exception. What I think really works is music. Their is never a translated song. People listen to it in its original language. This is possible because a beat is understood by anyone in any country. They may not understand the words, but most music isn't listened to for lyrics, at least not by me, so people can associate with it in any culture.
Preston Wittwer
ReplyDeleteThe biggest difficulty of a global media system is summed up in the "Simpsons" article where it mentioned that in order for a global media system to be effective it must translate culture, not just language. So, not only must there be special attention paid to the language used (and how it is used) when a media artifact is sent to a different country, but there must be considerations made for how it will be received by the importing culture. And so familiarity with both cultures becomes a necessity, which creates more work and responsibility for those involved.
The consequences of a global media system results in more work for all those involved and the need to change things to different culture. With that, some of the satire, comedy, relevance and clarity can become compromised. But what is possible is that it can keep small cultures alive and thriving thanks to smaller media systems that cater to that culture, or by translating foreign media to that specific culture. One of the biggest fallacies of the global media system is that it can teach the world simply by existing. This is true specifically of some attitudes towards the English language and the internet. But like the ideas of what the TV would do for education, so follows the internet. There is no denying the potential for educational purposes, the main effort for education must be placed on the student and not on the method of teaching.
A major theme in our reading pertaining to the difficulty of creating a global media system is the language barrier between all the different countries of the world. We read about the English language and how it develops and morphs in every country that it is spoken. The reading painting a sort of dark picture for the future of the English language and how even in the USA, languages like Spanish and Chinese are becoming increasingly popular. Even in other countries where people supposedly speak English, they may only speak enough to participate in certain types of conversations. Creating a global media system is hard when the people of the globe don’t have an effective way to communicate with one another.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting when the reading talked about our language is being adapted to computers and takes on different forms when we are using technology. It gave the example of how we can simplify our language when typing in a search on Amazon and the computer will still recognize our full message. It’s the same principle with the use of emoticons.
The Simpsons reading demonstrates how creating a global media system can really work well. The Simpsons, a classic American animated series, is changed to “domesticate the program” in Italy and in other countries, transcending both language and culture. The Simpsons shows how one country’s media can be made to work for the entire world. The television show has adapted to different global situation to make it more appropriate and relevant on an international scale.
Creating a global media system’s biggest obstacle is the language/culture symbiotic relationship. One of the articles commented about which language should be the “global” language, and though many agree it would be English, there is some disputable points (population growth and future language projections). If a global media system was actually created with its accompanying language, itwould only disseminate amongst the higher echelons of business trade and communication. It is much too difficult to try and create a global understanding of idiomatic phrases, word connotations and speech construction that would satisfy all cultures. The world is too rooted in their language and too proud of their own respective culture as a foundation for a people’s identity and life decisions. For example the difference represented in the culture of respect in the east as opposed to the west.
ReplyDeleteI thought it interesting how The Simpson’s is dubbed in different countries in order to create a global community. I actually served in Italy so I can vouch for the articles validity when describing the process of translating cultural stereotypes. I can see the benefits of a global media system in satire but here again lies the problem of translating idiomatic jargon, cultural stereotypes, etc. It does pose a problem, as the article suggests, when we realize that America is one of the foremost suppliers of media content (entertainment or news based). All other countries are constantly funding translators and sociologist to create the right chemistry between characters instead of writers, producers and others needed native to the land.
What do you think are some difficulties in creating a global media system? What are some of the consequences? What types of things work, what types of things don't?
ReplyDeleteIt is very hard culturally to create a global media system. Because so many different countries are so different culturally, it is hard to have shared meaning. What means something in America means something totally different in England or China. This creates a huge issue in being able to share meaning quickly across the world. If the meaning is not translated correctly from nation to nation many issues can arise. Nations can be offended and close off communication if they are presented with the wrong translation of the message. If the wrong message is portrayed then understanding can't be accomplished globally. Generally it will be very difficult to communicate with other nations and eventually the communication bridges will fall apart and fail.
Although English is a growing language and seems to be the language of choice in businesses it is still far from being the dominant world language. But English has the advantage of being able to absorb words from other languages. This in a small way can help alleviate the problems of understanding between other languages. An obvious example is french. It is important to be very careful in translating between languages. This double check helps in understanding. It is also important to be mindful of other cultures and their understanding. Problems can be when we are close minded and don't even try to understand other cultures. This is why so many other cultures have issues with Americans. We don't try to understand others very often.
There are major problems when it comes to creating a global media system. When it comes to language there seem to be different global languages. The business language world wide seems to turn to Chinese while fashion can be English, Italian or French. There will always be these pockets of popular language across the world depending on the field. So to get everyone on the same page and to get these "pockets" to switch from something that's worked for them for years is difficult.
ReplyDeleteThe Simpsons get dubbed into other languages and even phrases and a lot of the text can change, but in music, lyrics stay the same when they are transferred over. Lady Gaga does worldwide tours. She doesn't change languages, she just sings in English and her fans have learned the meaning of the words. Even in Gangnam Style, English is used. The writer of that song didn't expect it to go viral in the US, but used English anyway because its so common. So who knows what will happen. I think English is incredibly popular because if countries want to attract our tourists (and more importantly their money) then they need to make their country English-friendly. However, go to just about any international business class in college and they will tell you to learn Chinese.
To create a global media systerm is a near impossible task. The world is large, there are so many differences that make it a tough ask for anyone to bring it all together. I have lived in many different countries and visited even more. People like what they are comfortable with. Of course there are always going to be exceptions to the rule, and this is why this discussion is even taking place.
ReplyDeleteIt is a struggle for many nations to allow for global media as it is difficult to translate correctly, and the question must be asked if it is worth the effort. Clearly for some nations, it is. It is hard to transition from one culture and language to another, nd often vital messages and concepts are lost.
I believe that the idea of a global media system sounds good in theory but due to almost innumerable intricacies of culture it is certainly a difficult task. With regards to the English language itself it seem that the article about global language found that although the numbers of english speakers in the world will grow the language itself will probably change and adapt to different cultures. I found the examples given of English being spoken in India with adopted Hindi works or sort of quasi hini-english was a good indication of what a global English could represent: a modified and culture specific version of the language.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking from personal experience I realize that interpretation is a hard thing to do. Meaning is sometimes lost or incorrectly conveyed as one attempts to translate. I realized early on while learning another language that language is much more than words but rather it is also the culture that gives them meaning.
So is a global media system worth it? I think so. It would definitely be nice if we could all understand and communicate to each other effectively. I still hold the idea that although ideal in all practicality there will always be a need for interpretation.