SUBTITLING CHALLENGES IN KANNYWOOD MOVIES: PROS AND CONS

ABSTRACT

The study aims to draw attention to the need to have correct and appropriate subtitling in Kannywood movies, so as to elevate its status and promote better grasp of its aesthetics. To highlight the historical background of Kannywood movie industry. Researcher reaches that good and correct subtitling may futher enhance audienship of the esthetics quality of filming and boost communication.

 CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.0       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Kannywood is the title given to the film industries in the Northern part of Nigeria with Kano as its epicenter, hence named after Kano (Farouk, 2012). It suffices to note that the name “Kannywood” followed the styles of the American “Hollywood”, Indian “Bollywood” and similar other “woods” across the world (Farouk, 2012) Kannywood was created beside the national film industry called “Nollywood” where the films produced are in English, the actors mostly Christians from the Southern part of Nigeria (Lere, 2014).

Unlike Nollywood, the medium used in Kannywood is Hausa, which is the major language in the North and the most widely spoken indigenous language in Nigeria second only to Swahili in the whole of Africa (Musa, 2014).

With the world reducing into a global village day by day, and with markets shrinking and fast expanding, many have welcomed the idea of subtitling Hausa films as produced by film industries in the Kannywood (Musa, 2014). Some years ago films initially rendered in Hausa like “Wasila” directed by YakubuLere were re-filmed with new cast and, English was used as medium of communication. This apparently proved unviable due to limited sales which were due to the strong role of the Hausa Language among the majority of Kannywood viewers (Musa, 2014). This set back only helped to confirm the need to subtitle Hausa films to English language in order to ensure wide viewing among various audiences who are non-speaking Hausas in Nigeria and indeed beyond. In recent times, many Hausa films have been subtitled to English but Hausa and non-Hausa speaking viewers have increased their call for producers to do a better subtitling. It is against this background that this study seeks to examine: Subtitling Challenges in Kannywood movies.

1.1       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Kannywood has come to stay and waxing stronger as the day goes by to the extent that movie industries within and outside Nigeria want to associate with the industry.