Un reality para los que entienden y los que no: el programa RuPaul’s Drag Race y su contexto lingüístico: la dificultad de traducir el vocabulario drag y los juegos de palabras

Abstract

This project aims to show different aspects that should be taken into account when translating a TV show like RuPaul’s Drag Race, a show because of the specific vocabulary of a subculture inside the LGBT minority, and because of its use of puns and sense of humour. As an introduction, a small explanation of what the program is about, its context in the USA society and its current fame are given, as well as a consideration about key aspects to be taken into account before getting into the translation. These include the thought process of deciding whether to use subtitles or dubbing, gender treatment of drag queen contestants, the presence of humour, and humour aspects behind what is said and how to make it possible for a Spanish-speaking person to understand them. After that, a small analysis of existing translations of the show into Spanish is presented. The most important aspect of this study is the translation we propose of different elements of the show. These translations are divided in three categories, including: typical slang used by drag queens on or off the show; specific phraseology that originated or has been popularised by the show; and puns extracted from the show. The translation options are followed by an explanation of the translation process, taking into account the fact that it should be as comprehensible as it is to an English viewer of the show but it also has to make a Spanish viewer laugh as much. It is important to highlight the fact that a translation of a complete episode or part of it will not be given, as the work that translating normal dialogue can mean could interfere in the efforts of translating slang and puns specifically.