Language Variation and Style in the Film Selina Tested: Implications for Translation

Abstract

This study explores the intersection of communication, language variation, and stylistic choices in the Nigerian action web series “Selina Tested”, with particular attention to the implications for translation and subtitling. The study is guided by four specific objectives: (a) to identify and categorise the different forms of language variation used in Selina Tested Season One; (b) to analyse the sociolinguistic functions of these variations in the film’s narrative and character development; (c) to examine how such variations challenge translation and subtitling; and (d) to propose translation strategies suitable for preserving linguistic authenticity and meaning in similar Nigerian films. The study adopts a qualitative descriptive research design, using textual and linguistic analysis. Data were collected through purposive sampling of key scenes from Episodes 1 to 12, transcription of dialogues, identification of language features (Pidgin, slang, idioms, code-switching), and comparison with existing subtitles to evaluate shifts in meaning. The analysis is anchored on Newmark’s Communicative Translation Theory, which prioritises conveying the original message's intended effect over literal accuracy. Findings reveal that the film’s dialogue is dominated by Nigerian Pidgin, code-mixing, dialectal variation, and character-specific idiolects, each performing sociolinguistic functions such as asserting masculinity, street identity, and resistance. These features, however, pose translation challenges like idiomatic loss, subtitle condensation, and cultural opacity. The study proposes creative translation strategies including situational equivalence, gloss subtitles, multilingual subtitle tracks, and collaborative subtitling. It concludes by advocating for culturally informed approaches that preserve the stylistic richness and communicative force of indigenous urban cinema.