Transletters. International Journal of Translation and Interpreting, 9(2025), pp. 1-19 ISSN 2605-2954

Taboo language translation in the Lithuanian voice-

over of the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

Neilina Veitaitė

University of Vilnius

Danguolė Satkauskaitė

University of Vilnius

Received: 20/11/2024

Accepted: 28/11/2024

Abstract

This study examined the translation of taboo words in the Lithuanian voice-over of

Judd Apatow’s American romantic comedy film The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005). The

objectives were to categorize taboo words, determine their functions, and analyze the

translation strategies used in the Lithuanian version 40-ties ir vis dar skaistus. Employing

qualitative and quantitative methods, this study followed Swan’s (2015) classification of

taboo words and their functions, and Pavesi and Formentelli’s (2023) translation

strategies. The results indicated that the dominant category was sexual activity, with

insults and exclamations expressing annoyance as prominent functions. Most taboo

words were mitigated or omitted in the translation.

Keywords

Lithuanian, taboo words, translation strategies, voice-over.

Neilina Veitaitė, Danguolė Satkauskaitė

INTRODUCTION

In translation studies, the translation of swear words and taboo words poses

significant challenges. According to Guillot (2023, p. 42), there are at least two

primary reasons for this difficulty. First, there is “no one-to-one semantic-

pragmatic mapping of swear word units or expressions across languages.”

Second, although the main semantic categories of taboo words are generally

similar, their distribution across these categories varies from language to

language.

Different terms such as bad language, taboo words, cursing, offensive

language, and swear words are used to indicate that such expressions are context-

specific, speaker-dependent, and potentially offensive (Valdeón, 2015). In casual

conversation or informal writing, these terms are often used interchangeably;

however, they carry distinct connotations and serve different communicative

functions. Swear words typically involve offensive or vulgar language used to

express strong emotions such as anger, frustration, or emphasis (Jay, 1999).

These words often carry cultural or societal taboos, but their primary function

is to convey heightened emotions rather than explicitly violating social norms.

In contrast, taboo speech covers a wider array of words or topics deemed

socially unacceptable or forbidden in specific contexts for cultural, religious, or

moral reasons (Allan & Burridge, 2006). While some swear words fall under the

category of taboo words, not all taboo words necessarily consist of swear words.

Despite the differences between these terms, both involve the prohibition of

certain words within specific contexts, times, and places (Allan & Burridge, 2006;

Swan, 2005) and can provoke strong reactions from listeners or readers. Since

both swear words and taboo words convey emotional attitudes (Dewaele, 2004),

they are categorized together under the broader term taboo language.

This study investigated the translation of taboo words in the Lithuanian

voice-over of the American romantic comedy film The 40-Year-Old Virgin,

directed by Judd Apatow (2005). The hypothesis proposed in this research was

that certain taboo words would either be omitted or mitigated in the Lithuanian

translation. The main objectives were (1) to identify the categories of taboo

words, (2) to determine their main functions, and (3) to analyse the translation

strategies applied in the Lithuanian voice-over version of the film, titled 40-ties ir

vis dar skaistus. This single-case study employed a combination of qualitative and

quantitative research methods. The quantitative aspect involved counting and

categorising instances of taboo language, their functions, and translation

strategies, while the qualitative aspect consisted of in-depth contextual analysis

Taboo language translation in the Lithuanian voice-over of the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

of selected examples to understand the translation choices and their effects. The

methodology was primarily based on the classification of taboo words and their

functions, as presented by Swan (2015), and the translation strategies of swear

words identified by Pavesi and Formentelli (2023).

1. PREVIOUS RESEARCH

The translation of taboo language, including taboo words and swear words,

posed a significant challenge in the field of translation and attracted considerable

scholarly interest. The special issue of the Journal of Pragmatics, which delved into

the translation of swear words from a pragmatic perspective, underscored the

academic significance and relevance of this subject. Research on swearing and

taboo in audiovisual translation (AVT) has predominantly focused on the

translation of English audiovisual content into various target languages and AVT

modes. These include Arabic subtitling (Abu-Rayyash, Haider, & Al-Adwan,

2023; Ben Slamia, 2020), Arabic fansubbing (Al-Yasin & Rabab’ah, 2019),

Spanish subtitling (Ávila-Cabrera, 2023), Spanish dubbing (Valdeón, 2015),

Italian fansubbing (Beseghi, 2016; Magazzù, 2018), Italian dubbing (Pavesi &

Formentelli, 2023), and Persian fansubbing (Khoshsaligheh et al., 2018), among

others. Guillot (2023) adopted a comparative approach by analysing the

subtitling of swear words in the same film across French, German, Italian, and

Spanish.

Voice-over is a widely used AVT mode in Lithuania, particularly for

fictional films broadcast on television. However, the research on translation of

taboo language in this mode has remained relatively rare. This may be attributed

to the fact that voice-over is still predominantly employed in non-fictional genres

such as documentaries, news, and political debates, where taboo language and

swearing are generally absent. In contrast, Poland, where voice-over remains a

predominant AVT mode for both documentaries and fictional films, has seen

research focusing on the translation of swearing and taboo language (Rędzioch-

Korkuz, 2020). While previous studies have addressed specific aspects of

Lithuanian voice-over, such as the translation of culture-specific elements

(Šiukštaitė, 2022) and medical terminology (Nushtaeva & Kasperė, 2021), no

prior research, to the authors’ knowledge, had examined the translation of taboo

language in Lithuanian voice-over. This study therefore aimed to fill that gap.

Neilina Veitaitė, Danguolė Satkauskaitė

2. VOICE-OVER AND ITS TECHNICAL CONSTRAINTS

The term voice-over, originally borrowed from Film Studies, refers to an

audiovisual translation mode in which a translation is read over the source

language voice, which remains silent in the background. It is customary to allow

the audience to initially hear the original speech in a foreign language before

gradually reducing its volume to accommodate the translated speech. Usually,

the translation concludes several seconds before the foreign language speech, at

which point the volume of the original is restored to its normal level, allowing

the audience to once again hear the original speech (Díaz-Cintas & Orero, 2006).

In discussions of audiovisual translation, the original version is commonly

referred to as the Source Text (ST) and the translated version as the Target Text

(TT). From now on, these abbreviations will be used throughout the entire work

where appropriate. Where applicable, BT is used to indicate a back-translation

into English for illustrative purposes.

Orero (2006), Franco et al. (2010), and Matamala (2019, 2020) identified the

following key features and constraints of voice-over:

- Voice-over isochrony: This pertains to time and space limitations and

ensures that the length of the translated text does not exceed that of the

ST. This is crucial, as translation typically begins and ends a few seconds

or words apart from the original text. Consequently, certain features

characteristic of spontaneous speech, such as false starts, repetitions,

hesitations, and syntactic anomalies, are usually omitted.

- Literal synchrony: Words from the ST at the beginning and end that do

not overlap with the translated text should be translated literally. This

requirement maintains the objectivity of translation, particularly in

factual genres. Nevertheless, achieving a literal translation is not always

possible and can lead to an unnatural-sounding TT.

- Action synchrony: This entails ensuring that the translation aligns with

the visual content presented on the screen. For example, altering the

syntactic structures of the ST or omitting certain textual elements in

voice-over translations may result in visual-verbal incoherence.

- Kinetic synchrony: This type of synchrony pertains to the alignment

between the voice-over translation and gestures of the characters on the

screen. For instance, verbal references to deictic or iconic gestures

should be synchronized with their corresponding images.

Taboo language translation in the Lithuanian voice-over of the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

It is important to note that the relevance of these four types of synchrony

varies when considering voice-over translations of swear words in feature films.

In fictional contexts, literal synchrony is less significant than in factual genres.

Additionally, voice-over isochrony is generally more crucial and upheld in factual

genres than in fiction. Fictional dialogue often occurs at a rapid pace, potentially

resulting in translated dialogue finishing either simultaneously with or slightly

after the original (Matamala, 2019). However, even in such cases, translation may

require condensation. Swear words, which serve primarily emotive rather than

semantic purposes, are frequently omitted to achieve voice-over isochrony.

As noted by Rędzioch-Korkuz (2020), unlike literary translation or dubbing,

where the original text is often inaccessible, recipients of voice-over translation

and subtitling can readily compare the source and target texts. This allows them

to detect whether swear words have been omitted or euphemised, particularly

when their knowledge of the source language is sufficient. However, the

omission or euphemisation of swear words in overt AVT modes, such as

subtitling and voice-over does not necessarily result in the loss of the original

message. Unlike swear word translation in written works, audiovisual content

offers viewers the opportunity to grasp the intended meaning not just verbally,

but also through the interaction of verbal, paraverbal, and visual elements. The

observation made by Lu (2024, p. 26) that “most communicative meanings of

swearing can be inferred from the complementary relation between the subtitles

and the elements in the spoken and mise-en-scène modes” is equally applicable

to voice-over translations.

3. CATEGORIES, FUNCTIONS, AND TRANSLATION STRATEGIES OF TABOO

LANGUAGE

In terms of the semantic categorization of taboo words and swear words,

scholars commonly identified categories such as body parts, sexual activity,

lavatory, and religious terms (Swan, 2005). Other classifications included

additional semantic fields. For example, Guillot (2023) extended these categories

to include ethnicity and race, as well as family and ancestry. Ávila-Cabrera (2023)

classified taboo words into four categories: drugs/excessive alcohol

consumption, filth/urination/scatology, profanity/blasphemy, and sex.

Although this author also made a distinction between taboo and offensive

language, his classification is relevant here, as it includes many swear words that

overlap with taboo categories and therefore supports the broader understanding

Neilina Veitaitė, Danguolė Satkauskaitė

applied in this study. Soler Pardo (2015) offered one of the most detailed

classifications, encompassing twelve categories: sex, excrement and human

waste, body parts, religion, incest, prostitution, racism, cross-categorized insults,

physical and mental disability, bodily functions, animals, and homophobia.

Although religious terms are frequently included in taxonomies of taboo

language, their offensiveness is highly context-dependent and culturally variable.

Swan (2005) identified religious expressions such as God or Jesus as examples of

taboo language in English. However, more recent studies (e.g., Ávila-Cabrera,

2020) have noted that subtitlers and translators often soften or omit such

references, particularly when they risk being perceived as blasphemous or

offensive by audiences with different religious sensitivities. Given the evolving

perception of religious terms and the potential for misinterpretation, this study

excluded expressions with strong religious connotations from its data set. This

methodological decision reflects the changing dynamics of taboo language and

follows previous research emphasizing the sensitivity required when translating

religious content (Allan & Burridge, 2006; Ávila-Cabrera, 2020).

Some categories naturally overlap. For example, incest and prostitution can

be subsumed under the broader category of sex. Taking into account such

overlaps, and considering the content and dialogue of the selected film, the study

focused on the four categories proposed by Swan (2005): body parts, sexual

activity, lavatory, and religion (though religious expressions were excluded from

the final analysis for the reasons outlined above).

Turning to the functions of taboo language, the study relied on the

classification proposed by Swan (2015), which includes the following nine

functions: exclamation of annoyance, exclamation of surprise, surprised

question, insult, insulting request to go away, expression of unconcern, violent

refusal/rejection/defiance, intensifying adjective/adverb used to emphasize an

emotion, and miscellaneous.

Both general and detailed classifications of translation strategies for swear

words have been proposed in the literature. Rędzioch-Korkuz (2020) identified

widely used strategies such as omission, euphemisms, descriptive equivalents,

paraphrase, neologisms, cultural equivalents, and compensation. Other scholars

proposed broader, functionally descriptive categories that can be applied across

different AVT modes. A comparison of commonly used terms is presented in

Table 1.

Taboo language translation in the Lithuanian voice-over of the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

Ávila-Cabrera (2023, p.

78)

Díaz Perez (2020, p.

404)

Pavesi and

Formentelli (2023,

p. 129)

load toned up

load maintained

pragmatic

correspondence

full translation

load toned down

softening

mitigation

load neutralised

de-swearing

deswearing

load omitted

omission

Table 1. Some strategies and techniques for the translation of swear words

For the analysis of the Lithuanian translation of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, the

study adopted the translation strategies and terminology proposed by Pavesi and

Formentelli (2023).

4. RESEARCH MATERIAL AND PROCEDURE

The present study selected a film that met the following criteria: it contained

natural daily conversations with frequent use of English swear words considered

taboo, it was professionally translated into Lithuanian using voice-over, and the

Lithuanian voice-over version was available on a legal platform. The selected

film was the romantic comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin, directed by Judd Apatow

and written by Judd Apatow and Steve Carell. The film was released in the

United States on 19 August 2005 and rated R by the Parents Guide on TMDb

(2024) for “pervasive sexual content, language and some drug use,” confirming

the presence of abundant taboo language and making it a suitable case for this

study.

The plot follows Andy Stitzer, a middle-aged man who has never had sex,

as he embarks on a journey with his friends to lose his virginity, only to find love

with Trish, a single mother. Through a series of comedic misadventures, Andy

learns that there is more to life and relationships than just sex.

The Lithuanian voice-over version of the film, 40-ties ir vis dar skaistus (The

40-Year-Old Virgin), was downloaded from the website of the Lithuanian

National Broadcaster, lrt.ltmediateka. As the film was broadcast on national

television, it is likely that some content, including taboo expressions, was

softened to broaden its accessibility to a wider audience.

Neilina Veitaitė, Danguolė Satkauskaitė

All instances containing taboo language were manually collected from the

film. Although 108 instances of taboo expressions were initially identified, 8

examples involving religious references were excluded from the final dataset due

to methodological considerations. As a result, 100 instances were analysed in

terms of their semantic categories, communicative functions, and the translation

strategies applied.

Following the research objectives, this study first provided a quantitative

distribution of semantic categories. It then analysed the functions that taboo

words fulfilled in the selected film and examined the translation strategies used

in the Lithuanian voice-over. This investigation was guided by the following

research questions:

- What semantic categories of taboo words can be identified in the original

English dialogue of The 40-Year-Old Virgin?

- What communicative functions do these taboo words perform in the

ST?

- What translation strategies are used to render taboo expressions in the

Lithuanian voice-over (TT)?

- To what extent are the original meanings or functions preserved,

mitigated, or omitted in the TT?

The answers to these questions are presented and discussed in detail in the

following section, based on a comparative analysis of selected examples from

the ST and TT.

5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section presents the findings of the study based on a comparative analysis

of the original English dialogue and its Lithuanian voice-over translation. The

analysis is structured around three main aspects: the distribution of semantic

categories of taboo words, the communicative functions they perform in the ST,

and the translation strategies employed in the TT.

Taboo language translation in the Lithuanian voice-over of the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

5.1. Categories and functions of taboo words in The 40-Year-Old Virgin

The analysis begins with an examination of the semantic categories and

communicative functions of taboo expressions identified in the ST.

As depicted in Figure 1, over half of all instances of taboo language in the

analysed film pertained to sexual activities. This finding was unsurprising, given

that this category encompassed the taboo and swear words “fuck” and its

morphological variant “fucking.” Numerous studies (Jay, 1999; McEnery &

Xiao, 2004) affirmed that f-words were both the most frequently used and

universal in terms of their functions in spoken English. This prevalence was also

evident in films striving to mirror authentic everyday communication. Research

conducted by Soler Pardo (2015) on seven films, analysis performed by Lu

(2024) on six films, and the examination of film corpora by Pavesi and

Formentelli (2023) all corroborated that f-words far outweighed all other swear

words in terms of frequency of use. Consequently, our research aligned with

these findings: out of a total of 100 instances in the analysed film, 64% were

associated with sexual activity, with 42 of these cases involving f-words.

Figure 1. Distribution of categories of taboo language in The 40-Year-Old Virgin film (%)

Because all taboo words were used in swearing (Swan 2005: 575), it was

intriguing to investigate which functions of swear words were most prevalent in

character utterances. Swan (2005) categorised swear words into nine distinct

020 40 60 80 100

Sexual activity

Parts of the body

Lavatory

Neilina Veitaitė, Danguolė Satkauskaitė

functions. The research, illustrated in Figure 2, identified seven of these

functions within the characters’ discourse. The most prevalent functions

included the insult function, which accounted for 30% of the occurrences,

exemplified by phrases like “Fuck you” and “You fucker”, and the exclamation

of annoyance function, which made up 26% of the instances, with expressions

such as “Oh, Jesus” and “Fuck it.”

Figure 2. Functions of taboo language in The 40-Year-Old Virgin film (%)

5.2. Translation strategies of taboo words in The 40-Year-Old Virgin

After discussing the distribution of semantic categories and functions of taboo

words, the study turned to the translation strategies applied in the Lithuanian

voice-over. As shown in Figure 3, mitigation was the most dominantly applied

strategy in the translation of taboo words in The 40-Year-Old Virgin film.

Mitigation accounted for 39% of the strategies used, indicating its high

prevalence. This suggested that mitigation was a preferred and commonly used

strategy for translating taboo words in this film. Omission was the second most

frequently used strategy, accounting for 32% of the translations. The full

translation strategy was employed in 18% of the translations, followed by

deswearing, which was used 11% of the time.

020 40 60 80 100

Insult

Excla mation of

annoyanc e

Intesyfing adj. /

adv.

Miscellenous

Excla mation of

surprise

Insulting request to

go away

Surprised question

Taboo language translation in the Lithuanian voice-over of the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

Figure 3. Translation strategies of taboo language in The 40-Year-Old Virgin film (%)

While the most prevalent strategies had been discussed, it was also

important to mention the less frequently used ones. Less popular translation

strategies included partial omission at 5% and transformation at 6%, with

localization being used 15% of the time. Although mitigation was the dominant

strategy, variations in the use of other strategies demonstrated a flexible

approach in the translation process. The difference in the use of translation

strategies showed that translators often balanced mitigation and omission of

taboo words while seeking culturally appropriate or creative ways to convey the

original meaning.

The following sections delineated instances of specific translation strategies

undertaken by the translator in order to understand the rationale behind these

decisions.

Analyzing the Lithuanian voice-over translation of the film The 40-Year-Old

Virgin, Table 2 revealed that the translator employed a mitigation strategy when

translating English taboo language into the Lithuanian voice-over, particularly

notable in instances (1)–(3).

020 40 60 80 100

Mitigation

Omission

Full translation

Deswearing

Neilina Veitaitė, Danguolė Satkauskaitė

TCR

TT / Back translation

(1)

11:23:04-11:24:05

This is three

grown ass

men.

Čia sėdi trys suaugę diedai. /

Here sit three old men.

(2)

1:00:58-1:00:59

You ain’t my

bitch.

Tu ne mano merga. /

You are not my girl.

(3)

1:02:59-1:03:00

Go fuck a

goat.

Eik tu ožkų triosint. /

Go ask (beg) goats.

Table 2. The application of mitigation strategy

In example (1), the source phrase “This is three grown ass men” conveyed

a colloquial expression denoting mature individuals, albeit somewhat vulgar. The

Lithuanian translation, “Čia sėdi trys suaugę diedai,” deviated from a literal

rendering of “men” to incorporate the term “diedai,” which carried a derogatory

undertone akin to “old men.” This choice may have reflected the translator’s

attempt to soften the impact of the original phrase while still effectively

conveying the intended meaning to the Lithuanian audience. Additionally, the

use of “diedai” might have aligned with cultural norms and linguistic

preferences, ensuring that the humour and tone of the original dialogue were

preserved in a manner that resonated with the target audience.

Example (2) showed another instance of the mitigation strategy employed.

The Lithuanian voice-over translated the vulgar English phrase “You ain’t my

bitch” as “Tu ne mano merga,” achieving a similar effect of softening the

language as in the previous example. According to the Urban Dictionary (2024),

the term “hot-ass” refers to a person who is exceptionally attractive. In the

Lithuanian translation, the term “merga” was used to convey the concept of a

girl or woman. However, “merga” carried a historical connotation of an adult

unmarried woman, often associated with servitude or mercenary roles, prevalent

in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Despite its historical usage, “merga”

still retained a negative undertone in contemporary Lithuanian. Thus, while the

translator’s choice of “merga” represented a mitigated version of the original

phrase, it nonetheless retained a negative impact due to the lingering

connotations associated with the term.

In example (3), the phrase “Go fuck a goat” was translated into Lithuanian

as “Eik tu ožkų triosint,” which back-translates to “Go demand, ask, beg, or

trick goats.” This translation was particularly interesting because of its humorous

context. In the scene, the main character, Andy, shaved his chest at the urging

of his friends, experiencing considerable pain and profanely swearing for the

Taboo language translation in the Lithuanian voice-over of the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

first time, in contrast to his usual calm and cultured behaviour. The translator’s

choice of “Eik tu ožkų triosint” was noteworthy for its strong Lithuanian

flavour. The verb “triosinti,” according to Žodynas (2024), meant “to demand,

to ask, to beg, to trick,” though it lacked a direct English equivalent. This

translation preserved the humour and intensity of the original phrase while

adapting it to fit the cultural and linguistic context of the target audience. The

use of a distinct Lithuanian expression may have reflected an effort to maintain

the scene’s comedic impact and emotional intensity, while avoiding direct

vulgarity. This choice likely aligned with cultural norms that may have found the

original phrase too offensive. Additionally, it showcased the translator’s

creativity in finding an idiomatic expression that conveyed a similar level of

absurdity and humour, preserving the spirit of the original dialogue while making

it accessible and relatable to Lithuanian viewers. This example illustrated the

complexities and nuances involved in translating taboo language, where direct

equivalence is often impossible, necessitating inventive solutions that resonated

with the target culture.

The Lithuanian voice-over translation of The 40-Year-Old Virgin relied

heavily on omitting taboo words. As discussed earlier, this strategy was likely

influenced by several factors, including voice-over isochrony constraints,

broadcasting conventions, and cultural sensitivities. Given that the original film

was rated R in the United States (TMDb, 2024), and that the Lithuanian version

was broadcast on national television, it is likely that certain content, including

taboo expressions, was softened to ensure wider accessibility. This rationale is

supported by scholars such as Soler Pardo (2015) and Rędzioch-Korkuz (2020),

who highlight the impact of cultural and institutional norms on the translation

of taboo language. Table 3 illustrates how the omission strategy was applied in

selected examples.

TCR

TT / BT

(4)

49:37:05-49:38:00

Get a real fucking

job.

Susirask normalų darbą. /

Get a normal job.

(5)

45:25:05-45:26:08

You’re ugly as shit.

Tu bjaurus. /

You are ugly.

Table 3. The application of omission strategy

For instance, in Example (4), the original line “Get a real fucking job” was

translated as “Susirask normalų darbą” (“Get a normal job”), omitting the

Neilina Veitaitė, Danguolė Satkauskaitė

intensifier “fucking.” This decision, while ensuring compliance with regulatory

standards, also aligned with Slamia’s (2020) observation that such omissions

often had a minimal impact on the overall dialogue’s meaning or fluency.

However, as noted by Ljung (2011), the omission of taboo language could lead

to an incomplete representation of the speaker’s intended message, as it carried

emotional weight and nuance. Similarly, in Example (5), where “You’re ugly as

shit” was rendered as “Tu bjaurus” (“You are ugly”), the exclusion of the phrase

“as shit” likely reflected adherence to both TV channel regulations and

censorship guidelines. This demonstrated how the strategy of omission in

translation was not solely driven by linguistic considerations but was also shaped

by external factors such as regulatory requirements and censorship norms.

It is important to note the specifics of voice-over translation. On the one

hand, the choice of translation strategies can be limited by isochrony, that is, the

duration of the voice-over, which additional taboo words might considerably

lengthen. On the other hand, unlike dubbing, the original dialogues remain,

meaning viewers hear English dialogues and their intonations, which are often

elevated and rough in the case of taboo words. Viewers also see characters’

gestures and facial expressions, which frequently signal their emotions.

Overall, the omission of taboo words in the Lithuanian voice-over for The

40-Year-Old Virgin highlighted the delicate balance between broadcast

regulations, the intended cinematic experience, and the specific constraints

inherent in voice-over translation.

The fact that full translation ranked third among the strategies confirmed

the general understanding of what translation was and what the main purpose

of translation involved. Translation, according to Bassnett (2002), entailed

rendering the ST into the TT to maintain the ST’s surface meaning as closely as

possible. The instances that clearly demonstrate how taboo language translation

retains the content and the form of the original as much as possible are shown

in Table 4.

TCR

TT / BT

(6)

29:34-29:35

You’re such a bitch.

Tu tokia kalė. /

You’re such a bitch.

(7)

58:01-58:02

You’re whore.

Tu kekšė. /

You’re whore.

Table 4. The application of full translation strategy

Taboo language translation in the Lithuanian voice-over of the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

As seen in examples (6)–(7), the translation of the taboo language retained

its original meaning and form, thereby fulfilling the primary objective of

translation. In example (6), the translation of “You’re such a bitch” to “Tu tokia

kalė” preserved the derogatory tone and meaning of the original phrase.

Similarly, in example (7), “You’re whore” was accurately rendered as “Tu kekšė,”

maintaining the intended insult. These instances demonstrated that, while

translating taboo language presented linguistic and cultural challenges, the full

translation strategy effectively navigated these obstacles to convey the intended

meaning to the target audience.

In the study of taboo language translation into the Lithuanian voice-over

for the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Table 5 illustrates the application of the

deswearing strategy, highlighting how this strategy altered the conveyed message.

TCR

Target language TT/ BT

(8)

1:04:19 - 1:04:20

He is such a

bad ass.

Koks aršus/

How fierce.

(9)

1:20:21-1:20:22

And that shit

is everywhere.

O tos bjaurasties visur pilna. /

And that ugliness is

everywhere.

Table 5. The application of deswearing strategy

In example (8), the original phrase “He is such a badass” was translated into

Lithuanian as “Koks aršus,” which back-translates to “How fierce.” This

translation altered the initial message. The English term “badass” carried

connotations of admiration and toughness with a rebellious edge, whereas

“aršus” (“fierce”) in Lithuanian implied aggression without the same positive,

rebellious undertone. This shift indicated the neutralization of the original

slang’s intensity, reflecting cultural or censorship-driven motivations to soften

the language.

Another example (9) was the phrase “And that shit is everywhere,” which

was translated as “O tos bjaurasties visur pilna,” back-translating to “And that

ugliness is everywhere.” Here, the vulgar term “shit” was replaced with

“bjaurasties” (“ugliness”), which neutralized the profanity and shifted the focus

from vulgarity to a more general sense of distaste. This transformation illustrated

a common technique in the deswearing strategy, in which explicit content was

Neilina Veitaitė, Danguolė Satkauskaitė

toned down, possibly to align with the cultural norms or broadcasting standards

in Lithuania.

CONCLUSIONS

This research investigated the translation of the taboo language in the Lithuanian

voice-over of the American romantic comedy film, The 40-Year-Old Virgin,

confirming the hypothesis that taboo words are significantly fewer in Lithuanian

translation than in the ST. This study aimed to categorize taboo words, analyze

their functions, and evaluate the translation strategies employed in the

Lithuanian version. Employing both qualitative and quantitative methods, the

findings provided valuable insights into the complexities and nuances of

translating taboo language in audiovisual media.

First, the categorization of taboo words revealed that sexual activity-related

terms predominated, which is consistent with their frequent use in the original

English dialogue. This category included expressions such as “fuck” and its

derivatives, reflecting their prominent role in conveying strong emotions and

humor within the film.

Second, the analysis of functions performed using the taboo language

identified insults and exclamations of annoyance as the most prevalent. These

functions underscored the emotive and expressive roles of taboo language in

emphasizing character dynamics and comedic elements in the analysed film.

Third, the examination of translation strategies highlighted mitigation and

omission as the primary approaches employed in the Lithuanian voice-over.

Mitigation strategies involved substituting or softening taboo words to align with

cultural sensitivities and broadcast standards, ensuring accessibility while

preserving the film’s intended humour and narrative flow. Omission strategies,

on the other hand, strategically removed taboo language to comply with

regulatory guidelines without compromising overall dialogue coherence.

Additionally, the necessity to maintain voice-over isochrony, ensuring that the

translated speech matched the original speech timing, played a crucial role in the

decision to use these strategies, as it helped preserve the synchronization

between the visual and auditory elements of the film.

In conclusion, this study sheds light on the intricate process of translating

taboo language in audiovisual media, offering insights for translators,

researchers, and practitioners. A more complete picture of the translation

Taboo language translation in the Lithuanian voice-over of the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

process could be gained from research by interviewing filmmakers and film

translators or distributors. Future research could also explore the translation of

taboo language across various language pairs. Additionally, comparing

translations using different AVT modes, such as voice-over versus subtitling or

subtitling versus dubbing, would yield interesting results. There is a particular

need for reception studies that not only consider the perspectives of individual

researchers but also focus on audience expectations, preferences and attitudes.

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WEBOGRAPHY

The Film Database (TMDb) (n.d.). The 40-Year-Old Virgin - Releases.

https://www.thefilmdb.org/film/6957-the-40-year-old-

virgin/releases?language=lt-LT

Urban Dictionary (2024). ‘Hot ass’. [online].

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hot%20ass

FILMOGRAPHY

The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005). Directed by J. Apatow [Online].