“You Jump, I Jump, Jack” - The Translation of Humour and Cultural References in the Dutch Subtitles of Gilmore Girls

Abstract

The dramedy Gilmore Girls is known for its references to popular culture. For subtitlers, it can be a difficult task to formulate fitting subtitles for these references, all the while adhering to the technical constraints of this particulier field of translation studies. This thesis will discuss the choices a subtitler has to make in the translation of cultural references, and the humour they contain, in the Dutch subtitles of Gilmore Girls. After a theoretical framework and a discussion of the broadcast subtitles of Gilmore Girls, several excerpts from an episode of the Netflix revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life will be subtitled, accompanied by footnotes. After that, the choices which have been made in the practical part of this research will be discussed.