Analysis of Translation Technique and Readability of Verbal Humor in The Subtitle of Deadpool and Wolverine (2024)

This study examines the quality of verbal humor translation in the Indonesian subtitles of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). Using a descriptive qualitative method, 112 humorous dialogue instances were analyzed from the official Disney+ Hotstar subtitles. The analysis draws on three frameworks: Long and Graesser’s (1988) humor typology, Molina and Albir’s (2002) translation techniques, and Nababan’s (2012) readability model. Findings show that sick humor (24.11%) and hostile humor (20.54%) dominate, reflecting Deadpool’s dark comedic tone. Sexual humor and demeaning to men humor each appear at 15.18%. Literal Translation (34%) and Reduction (18%) are the most used strategies, while Cultural Adaptation (10%) is applied to localize context-specific humor. Readability analysis shows 51% of the subtitles are considered Readable, while 42% are Less Readable due to source-language cultural complexity. The study highlights the need for translation strategies to preserve humor, especially in R-rated content. The research contributes to Audiovisual Translation (AVT) by offering practical insights for professionals handling transgressive humor in media.

Keywords: humor translation, film subtitles, translation quality, Deadpool & Wolverine, verbal humor.