Greek Timed Text Style Guide

Greek Timed Text Style Guide

*This document covers the language specific requirements for Greek. Please make sure to also review the General Requirements Section for comprehensive guidelines surrounding Timed Text deliveries to Netflix.   

1. Abbreviations

• Mr / Mr. - κύριος / κος / κ. (the use of κος is preferred to the use of κ.)
• Mrs / Mrs. - κυρία / κα (the use of κ. is to be avoided)
• Miss - δεσποινίς / δις (the use of μις is to be avoided)
• Dr / Dr. - δρ / Δρ (without a full-stop) (ο δρ, του δρα, τον δρα, δρ)
• etc. - κλπ.
• i.e. - δηλαδή 
• e.g. - π.χ.
• a.m. - π.μ. / το πρωί
• p.m. - μ.μ. / το απόγευμα / το βράδυ
• BC - π.Χ.
• AD - μ.Χ.
• & - και (the symbol can be used only if it is part of a foreign brand name: J&B, Smith & 
  Wesson)
• The use of abbreviations should be avoided unless there are space or time limitations.
• Abbreviations should also be avoided at the start of a sentence.
• When an abbreviated word – ending in a period – happens to be the very last word of the subtitle, only one period should be used. Commas, question marks and exclamation marks can succeed the full stop.

2. Acronyms

• Acronyms should be written without periods between letters: ΗΠΑ, BBC, CIA.

3. Character Limitation

• 42 characters per line

4. Character Names

• Proper names should be transliterated. Do not translate unless approved translations are provided by Netflix.
• Nicknames should be transliterated. Only translate if the nickname conveys a specific meaning relevant to viewers.
• Use phonological rather than the graphological transliteration:
• Johnny - Τζόνι and NOT Τζώννυ, Patty - Πάτι and NOT Πάττυ
• Some exceptions: Anna/Anne - Άννα/Ανν, Mary - Μαίρη, Stella - Στέλλα, Eva - Εύα (but Eve would be Ιβ)
• Whichever option is chosen, it must be applied consistently throughout the translation.
• Use language-specific translations for historical/mythical characters.

5. Continuity

• Do not use ellipsis when a sentence is split between two continuous subtitles.

Subtitle 1 Όταν ήμουν μικρή
Subtitle 2 κανείς δεν με ήθελε για παρέα,

• If a sentence continues from one subtitle to the next, place the appropriate punctuation, or no punctuation, at the end of the first subtitle.

Subtitle 1 Είναι απίστευτο,
Subtitle 2 αλλά πάντα ήθελα να μένω εδώ.

• Use ellipsis to indicate a pause or an abrupt interruption:

-Τι κάνεις...

-Μη μιλάς!

• In the case of a pause, if the sentence continues in the next subtitle, DO NOT use an ellipsis at the beginning of the second subtitle.  

Subtitle 1  Αν το ήξερα...
Subtitle 2  δεν θα σου τηλεφωνούσα.

• Use ellipsis without a space to indicate that a subtitle is starting mid-sentence:

...έχουν υπογράψει μια συμφωνία.

6. Documentary

• Only translate a speaker’s title once, the first time the speaker appears in the documentary.
• When ongoing dialogue is interrupted by a speaker’s title, use ellipses at the end of the sentence in the subtitle that precedes it and no ellipses at the beginning of the sentence in the subtitle that follows it.

Subtitle 1 Δούλεψα πάνω στην ταινία…
Subtitle 2 (FN) ΣΚΗΝΟΘΕΤΗΣ
Subtitle 3  έξι μήνες συνολικά. 

• Dialogue in TV/Movie clips should only be subtitled if plot-pertinent and if the rights have been granted.
• News tickers/banners from archive clips do not require subtitles unless plot-pertinent.
• Avoid going back and forth between italicized and non-italicized subtitles when the speaker is on and off screen in a documentary. If the speaker is on-camera for at least part of the scene, do not italicize. Leave italics for off-screen narrators.

7. Dual Speakers

• Use a hyphen without a space to indicate two speakers in one subtitle, with a maximum of one character speaking per line.

-Θα μας λείψετε.
-Γεια.

8. Font Information

• Font style: Arial as a generic placeholder for proportional SansSerif.
• Font size: relative to video resolution and ability to fit 42 characters across the screen.
• Font color: White.

9. Forced Narratives

• Forced narrative titles should only be included if plot-pertinent.
• When on-screen text and dialogue overlap, precedence should be given to the most plot-pertinent message. Avoid over truncating or severely reducing reading speed in order to include both dialogue and on-screen text.
• The duration of the FN subtitle should as much as possible mimic the duration of the on-screen text, except for cases where reading speed and/or surrounding dialogue takes precedence.
• Forced narratives that are redundant (e.g., identical to onscreen text or covered in the dialogue) must be deleted.
• Forced narratives should be in ALL CAPS, except for long passages of on screen text (e.g. prologue or epilogue), which should use sentence case to improve readability.
• Never combine a forced narrative with dialogue in the same subtitle.
• When a forced narrative interrupts dialogue, use an ellipsis at the end of the sentence in the subtitle that precedes it and no ellipsis at the beginning of the sentence in the subtitle that follows it.

Subtitle 1 -Λοιπόν, νομίζω πως…
Subtitle 2 - (FN) ΜΗΝ ΕΙΣΕΡΧΕΣΤΕ
Subtitle 3 - πως είναι η καλύτερη συμβουλή που μπορώ
                 να σου δώσω.

10. Foreign Dialogue

• Foreign dialogue should only be translated if the viewer was meant to understand it (i.e., if it was subtitled in the original version).
  
• Unfamiliar foreign words and phrases should be either translated (if meant to be understood) or left in the original language, depending on creative intent.
• For international entities known by their original names, please do not transliterate (e.g.  Google, Facebook, Rolling Stones etc.)

11. Italics

• Italicize the following:
• Album, book, newspaper, magazine, film and program titles (for song titles, use quotes instead)
• Dialogue that is heard through electronic media, such as a phone, television, or computer
• Only use italics when the speaker is not in the scene(s), not merely off screen or off camera
• Song lyrics (if rights have been granted)
• Voice-overs
• Do not use italics to indicate emphasis on specific words.

12. Line Treatment

• Maximum two lines.

13. Numbers

• From 1 to 10 written out: ένα, δύο, τρία etc.
• Above 10 written numerically: 11, 12, 13, etc.
• When a number begins a sentence, it should always be spelled out.
• Note that the above rules may be broken due to space limitations or reading speed concerns, as well as for consistency when listing multiple quantities, for example.
• The above rules might be broken due to space or time limitations.
• Round all figures to the closest 10 units, unless it is absolutely necessary to express the exact value.
• For abbreviated ordinal numbers, they should be used, with no space between the number and the abbreviation: 1ος – 1η – 1ο. The accents are retained in the abbreviation, if present in the full form (e.g. 20ός αιώνας, 30ού βαθμού, 60ής επετείου, etc.)
• To express decades, use the word "decade", followed by the apostrophe and the number: 20s - δεκαετία του '20
• For decimals, use the comma: 6,8
• For large numbers, use periods: 100.000
• Date must be expressed in the Greek format: 23 Απριλίου 2016
• For clock time, use the colon: 8:30
• If the style of the text and the referent itself allows you (e.g. it does not refer to a flight departure or a military schedule), you may use the 12-hour system, as the Greek audience is better acquainted with it: 8:30 π.μ. (or μ.μ.)
  
• For currency, use the word instead of a symbol. Full form of the word is preferred, but for time or space reasons, an abbreviation might be used: 10 δολάρια or 10 δολ.
• To express the percentage, both the symbol and the word are acceptable, but the full form is preferred: % or τοις εκατό
• Convert units to the metric system: kilometers (χλμ.), centimeters (εκ.), meters (μ.), kilograms (κιλά), unless explicit visual information, vital for the development of the plot, is constantly present. Ιn such rare cases, the measurement unit is retained: miles – μίλια
• Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit should be changed to Celsius unless otherwise instructed.
• For phone numbers, parentheses must be deleted while dashes may be used: 2124357724, 212-4357724

14. Punctuation

• Please note the Greek question mark is a semicolon - ;

15. Quotes

• Quotes should be used at the start and end of a sentence and not at the start of every subtitle.
• Use double quotation marks (" ") without spaces for regular quotations.
• Use single quotation marks (' ') for quotes within quotes.
• Direct speech can be introduced with or without a colon, but consistency in application is required. Commas should be avoided.
  

Eίπε "Έλα εδώ". or Eίπε: "Έλα εδώ".

• The closing quotation mark is placed before all other punctuation, regardless of whether the quote spans two or more subtitles or includes more than one sentence.

"Δεν χρειάζεται να του τηλεφωνήσω", είπε ο Μάρτιν.
Είπα "Σταμάτα".
"Έλα εδώ, σε παρακαλώ".

• If the whole sentence including the quote is a question or an exclamation, then the question mark or exclamation point is placed after the closing quotation mark. However, if that question or exclamation belongs to the quote (i.e. if the person whose words are quoted asked the question or made the exclamation), the question mark or exclamation point is placed before the closing quotation mark.

16. Reading Speed

• Adult programs: 17 characters per second
• Children’s programs: 13 characters per second

17. Repetitions

• Do not translate words or phrases repeated more than once by the same speaker.
• If the repeated word or phrase is said twice in a row, time subtitle to the audio but translate only once.

18. Songs

• Only subtitle plot-pertinent songs if the rights have been granted.
• Opening and ending theme songs should only be subtitled if clearly plot-pertinent (e.g. for children’s content when the lyrics tell a story) or if instructed by Netflix. Normally, adult programs should not have the opening songs subtitled, except for SDH.
• Italicize lyrics.
• Use an uppercase letter at the beginning of each line.
• Use ellipses when a song continues in the background, but is no longer subtitled to give precedence to dialogue.
• Punctuation: only question marks and exclamation marks should be used at the end of a line – no commas or periods. Commas can be used within the lyric line, if necessary.

19. Titles

• Main titles: do not subtitle the on-screen main title card.
• Episode titles: do not subtitle episode titles if they do not appear on screen/are voiced-over. If on-screen (either as part of the principal photography or burned into video) or voiced-over, please reference the KNP tool for approved translations.
• Titles of published works, existing movies and TV shows: use official or well-known translations or transliterations. If none are available, please leave in the original language. 

20. Special Instructions

• Dialogue must never be censored. Expletives should be rendered as faithfully as possible.
• Plot-pertinent dialogue always takes precedence over background dialogue.
• Deliberate misspellings and mispronunciations should not be reproduced in the translation unless plot-pertinent.
• The Greek suffix “v” should be added when appropriate: 
  • The final “ν” is observed in the following words:
    • Ιn the indeclinable and “μην”
    • In the article “την”
    • In the third person of the personal pronoun “την” and “αυτήν”
      
      
    • Τhose words keep the final “v”, when the following word starts with a vowel or a brief consonant: κ, π, τ, μπ, ντ, γκ, or a double consonant: ξ, ψ.
      
      • For example: την είδα, την κοπέλα, την ντουλάπα, μην πας, αυτήν την ώρα.
        
        
    • However, in the above cases the final ν is dropped when the following word starts with the consonants: β, γ, δ, ζ, θ, λ, μ, ν, ρ, σ, φ, χ. For example, “τη διεύθυνση”, “τη λίστα”, “τη θεραπεία”, “μη μιλάς”.
      
      
  • The final “v” is always maintained, in written word, in the following words:
    
    • In the indeclinable “δεν” and “σαν”.
    • In the article “τον” and “των”
    • In the numeral and the indefinite article “έναν”
    • Ιn the third person of the personal pronoun “τον” and “αυτόν”
      • For example: "τον πατέρα", "των θαλασσών", "έναν χειμώνα", "αυτόν θέλει", "τον ρώτησε", "σαν ναυαγός", "δεν θέλει".

21. Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH) Guidelines

• Include as much of the original content as possible.
• Do not simplify or water down the original dialogue.
• Reading speed can be increased to:
  • Adult programs: 20 characters per second
  • Children’s programs: 17 characters per second
• Truncating the original dialogue should be limited to instances where reading speed and synchronicity to the audio are an issue.
• For TV/Movie clips, all audible lines should be transcribed, if possible. If the audio interferes with dialogue, please give precedence to most plot-pertinent content.
• All same-language audible songs that do not interfere with dialogue should be titled, if the rights have been granted.
• Use song title identifiers when applicable - song titles should be in quotes:
  ["Forever Your Girl" playing]
• Song lyrics should be enclosed with a music note (♪) at the beginning and the end of each subtitle.
• Use brackets [ ] to enclose speaker IDs or sound effects.
• Identifiers/sound effects should be all lowercase, except for proper nouns.
• Only use speaker IDs or sound effects when they cannot be visually identified.
• When a speaker ID is required for a character who has yet to be identified by name, use [man] or [woman], or [male voice] or [female voice], so as not to provide information that is not yet present in the narrative.
• Use a generic ID to indicate and describe ambient music (e.g., rock music playing over a stereo).
• Sound effects should be plot-pertinent.
• Sound effects that interrupt dialogue should be treated as follows:

         Subtitle 1: However, lately, I've been...
                         [coughs, sniffs]

         Subtitle 2:  ...seeing a lot more of this.

• Never italicize speaker IDs or sound effects, even when the spoken information is italicized, such as in a voice-over:

         [narrator]
         Once upon a time, there was…

• In instances of foreign dialogue being spoken:
  • If foreign dialogue is translated, use [in language], for example [in Spanish]
  • If foreign dialogue is not meant to be understood, use [speaking language], for example [speaking Spanish]
  • Always research the language being spoken – [speaking foreign language] should never be used 

22. Reference

• Babiniotis, G. 1998. Λεξικό της Νέας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας [Dictionary of Modern Greek]. Lexicology Centre. Athens
• Baker, Mona. 1992. In Other Words. Routledge. London & New York
• Karzis, Th. 1995. Τα Σωστά Ελληνικά [Proper Greek]. Philippoti. Athens
• Klairis Ch & Babiniotis G. 2005. Γραμματική της Νέας Ελληνικής [Modern Greek Grammar]. Ellinika Grammata. Athens
• Triantafyllides, Manolis. 1990. Αναπροσαρμογή της Μικρής Νεοελληνικής Γραμματικής [The Small Modern Greek Grammar Revisited]. Scholl Books Publications. Athens
  
• Online resources:
  • http://www.greek-language.gr/greekLang/modern_greek/tools/lexica/search.html?lq=&sin=all
  • http://ec.europa.eu/translation/greek/guidelines/documents/styleguide_greek_dgt_el.pdf

 

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Change Log:

2018-03-09

Revised section 6 Documentary – 4th, 5th and 6th  bullet points added
Revised section 9 Forced Narratives – 2nd and 3rd bullet points added, 5th bullet point revised
Revised section 13 Numbers – 4th bullet point revised
Revised section 17 Repetitions – 2nd bullet point added
Revised section 18 Songs – 2nd bullet point added
Revised section 19 Titles –2nd bullet point revised
Revised section 20 Special Instructions – 4th bullet point rewriten for clarity
Revised section 21 SDH Guidelines – expanded for clarity

 

2017-09-08 

Revised section 13 Numbers – 6th bullet updated for clarity
Revised section 16 Reading Speed – 1st & 2nd bullet updated 
Revised section 20 Special Instructions – 4th bullet updated

 

2017-08-06 

Revised section 1 Abbreviations – 4th & 6th bullet point updated, 15th added
Revised section 1 Acronyms – 1st bullet revised 
Revised section 1 Character Names – 3rd bullet point, examples updated
Revised section 5 Continuity -- 3rd, 4th & 5th bullet point updated
Revised section 6 Documentary – Example updated
Revised section 9 Forced Narratives – Example updated
Revised section 10 Foreign Dialogue – 2nd bullet removed, 3rd bullet updated
Revised section 13 Numbers -- 6th & 14th bullet updated
Revised section 15 Quotes-- 4th bullet updated
Revised section 18 Songs-- 5th bullet updated
Revised section 19 Titles-- 1st & 3rd bullet updated
Revised section 20 Special Instructions -- 4th bullet added
Revised section 21 SDH Guidelines -- Bullets 1-6 added; Section renamed
Revised section 22 Reference-- 6th bullet added

 

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