Online practice of fan-based subtitles

Abstract: This thesis is twofold in that it analyzes whether Turkish online volunteer translators are organized into an online community of practice, and if they fulfill the societal role of cultural remediators. The main characteristics of an online community of practice are: people, purposes, policies and computer technology. The concept of cultural remediator is based on the work of Bourdieu’s cultural intermediary, this concept is adapted according to the social shaping of technology which brought about user created content. The cultural remediator both literally adds value to a product, for example through UCC, and furthermore adds value by choosing a certain product and promoting this. The research showed a division between entertainment translators and atheist translators. It was found that the entertainment translators are in fact an online community of practice according to the four main characteristics. It is however also asserted that they are part of a larger online community consisting of reviewers, critics, admins and streamers. Though the translators make English-spoken media products accessible to the Turkish community, the role of cultural remediators is carried out by the whole community. The translators do add to the product by providing the subtitles, their choices are based on fandom, but they do not promote their work nor the product. The atheist translators form a subject-oriented community consisting of individuals promoting their work on personal web pages. They function as cultural remediators in that they make media products digitally and linguistically accessible, and promote and distribute these products.