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Title:
OTP Learning Series 06: How to transcribe
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Description:
This video explains how to create transcripts (same-language subtitles) for TEDx talks in the Open Translation Project.
To access the full transcribing guide, go to http://translations.ted.org/wiki/How_to_Tackle_a_Transcript
This video has been created for the volunteers working in the TED Open Translation Project. The TED Open Translation Project brings TEDTalks, TED-Ed lessons and TEDxTalks beyond the English-speaking world by offering subtitles, interactive transcripts and the ability for any talk to be translated by volunteers worldwide.
Learn more at http://www.ted.com/participate/translate
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[How to transcribe]
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Transcribing means creating
same-language subtitles.
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OK, but what do we need transcripts for?
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Well, same-language subtitles
help in three ways.
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They allow
Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers
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to access the talk.
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They help to spread
the ideas in the talk online,
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because once a video has a transcript,
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it will show up in Google
when people search for related topics.
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And finally, once a talk has a transcript,
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it can be translated into other languages
and set free into the world.
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So, OK, what's transcribing like?
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Generally, while transcribing,
you'll type down what you hear
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and set up the time
when the subtitle shows up
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and when it disappears.
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However, there are a few
other simple rules
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to keep in mind while you're working
on your transcript.
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Don't transcribe slips of the tongue
and obvious mistakes,
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like when the speaker says
"we thinks" instead of "we think."
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Make every subtitle
a clean little bit of text,
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even if the speaker
changes their mind mid-sentence
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or is struggling with grammar
when giving a talk in a foreign language.
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Keep to the limits for line length,
subtitle length and reading speed.
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And remember that,
just like when you're translating,
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on rare occasions,
when adjusting the timing doesn't help,
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you will need to compress
the text in the subtitle
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to maintain the reading speed.
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Try to synchronize the subtitle
with what is being said.
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It's OK to have your subtitle run a little
into the time the next sentence is spoken,
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especially if you need that
for good reading speed.
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However, don't start your subtitle
more than about 100 milliseconds
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before the next sentence is spoken.
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Otherwise, you'll be giving the viewer
a weird sense of precognition
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when they see the speaker's body language
doesn't match the subtitle.
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And don't let the subtitle stay
on the screen longer than about 1 second
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after the speaker says
the equivalent bit of speech.
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Don't end the subtitle
with a bit of the next sentence.
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As much as possible, make your subtitles
full sentences or clauses.
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This will make them easier to follow,
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but it will also make them
easier to translate,
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since the grammar of the target language
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may make it impossible
to divide the sentence
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the way it's split up in the transcript.
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Include sound information
for Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers.
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Using parentheses,
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indicate where there's laughter,
music and applause,
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identify off-screen speaker changes
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and describe every other sound
essential to understanding the talk.
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Don't have any subtitle display
shorter than 1 second and longer than 7.
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For longer bits of music or applause,
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just let the sound information display
for the first 3 seconds,
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and then indicate when the sound ends.
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If there is on-screen text
in the language of the talk,
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like embedded subtitles
in a video played on the stage,
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transcribe this text if it's possible
without overlapping other subtitles.
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This will allow that on-screen text
to be translated into other languages.
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And to indicate that it's on-screen text
and not what the speaker is saying,
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use square brackets.
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Do some research to get the right spelling
of the proper names used in the talk.
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If you can't make out
what the speaker is saying,
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ask in the "I transcribe TEDx talks" group
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or in your language's group on Facebook.
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And most of all,
remember that by transcribing,
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you're doing the whole world
a great service,
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because you allow the ideas in the talk
to reach a wider, global audience.
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If you want to learn more
about transcribing,
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check out our more detailed guide,
"How to tackle a Transcript."
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And for now,
happy transcribing and translating!