Language Mechanics
Language mechanics incorporate the proper use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and other factors deemed necessary for high-quality captioned media. Rules included in these guidelines are primarily those which are unique to captioning and speech-to-text.
Spelling and Capitalization
- To check spelling and capitalization, the DCMP uses Merriam-Webster Online as a primary source. The Gregg Reference Manual and The Chicago Manual of Style are secondary sources. Specialized and reputable resources may be used as necessary. (See Appendix 2.)
- Do not use British spellings or punctuation.
- Do not emphasize a word using all capital letters except to indicate screaming.
- Be consistent in the spelling of words throughout the media. This includes vocabulary that can be spelled either as one or two words or in hyphenated form.
- Capitalize proper nouns for speaker identification. All other speaker identification should be lowercased unless this identification is being used as a proper noun. Examples:
Inappropriate (bobby) (Male Narrator)Appropriate (Bobby) (male narrator)
- Lowercase sound effects, including both description and onomatopoeia, except when a proper noun is part of the description. Examples:
Inappropriate [Machine Gun Firing]
Rat-a-tat-tat [Plinky Squealing]Appropriate [machine gun firing]
rat-a-tat-tat [Plinky squealing]
Research
When performing DCMP captioning work, captioning vendors are expected to extensively research spelling, capitalization, and grammar. All research work should be recorded on the “Captioning Research Record.”
Punctuation
For other language mechanic features, the DCMP uses The Gregg Reference Manual as a primary source; The Chicago Manual of Style and others are used as secondary sources. If the media item is based on a book, the language mechanics used in the book should be followed.
As a general rule, written English language depends largely on word order to make the relationships between words clear. When word order alone is not sufficient to establish these relationships, the DCMP typically resorts to punctuation.
It is not easy to determine the appropriate punctuation for written or spoken language. Written language can sometimes be convoluted, and spoken language sometimes appears improperly constructed when put into written form, which can make it even more difficult to punctuate.
Acceptable and understandable speech may consist of broken sentences, incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, and other constructions normally considered not acceptable in written language. Transcription of these speech constructions into text sometimes requires use of punctuation that is unique to the captioning process.
Many rules here are from The Gregg Reference Manual, but it is essential that each vendor familiarizes itself with the style manual as a whole.
Hyphens and Dashes
- Nonessential information that needs special emphasis should be conveyed by double hyphens or a single long dash.
- When a speaker is interrupted and another speaker finishes the sentence, the interruption should be conveyed by double hyphens or a single long dash.
- When a speaker stutters, caption what is said.
Inappropriate bookAppropriate b-b-b-ook
- When captioning spelling (including fingerspelling), separate capital letters with hyphens. Example:
A-N-T-I-O-N-E-T-T-E
Ellipses
- Use an ellipsis when there is a significant pause within a caption.
- Do not use an ellipsis to indicate that the sentence continues into the next caption.
- Use an ellipsis to lead into or out of audio relating to an on-screen graphic unless there is a complete sentence in the graphic that is more appropriately introduced by a colon.
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Quotation Marks
- Use quotation marks for on-screen readings from a poem, book, play, journal, or letter. However, use quotation marks and italics for offscreen readings or voice-overs.
- Beginning quotation marks should be used for each caption of quoted material except for the last caption. The last caption should have only the ending quotation mark. Example:
Reading from a journal…Inappropriate “Mother knelt down
and began thoughtfully fitting”
“the ragged edges
of paper together.”
“The process was watched
with spellbound interest.”Appropriate “Mother knelt down
and began thoughtfully fitting
“the ragged edges
of paper together.
The process was watched
with spellbound interest.”
Spacing
- Spaces should not be inserted before ending punctuation, after opening and before closing parentheses and brackets, before and after double hyphens and dashes, or before/between/after the periods of an ellipsis. Examples:
Inappropriate ( narrator ) I am happy . . . thank you.Appropriate (narrator) I am happy…thank you.
- A space should be inserted after the beginning music icon (♪) and before the ending music icon(s). Example:
♪ There’s a bad moon rising ♪
Italics
Italics should be used to indicate the following:
- A voice-over reading of a poem, book, play, journal, letter, etc. (This is also quoted material, so quotation marks are also needed.)
- When a person is dreaming, thinking, or reminiscing.
- When there is background audio that is essential to the plot, such as a PA system or TV.
- The first time a new word is being defined, but do not italicize the word thereafter.
- Offscreen dialogue, narrator (see Exception 2 below), sound effects, or music (this includes background music).
- The offscreen narrator when there are multiple speakers on-screen or offscreen.
- Speaker identification when the dialogue is in italics and speaker identification is necessary.
- Foreign words and phrases, unless they are in an English dictionary.
- When a particular word is heavily emphasized in speech. Example:
You must go!
Exceptions to the use of italics include:
- When an entire caption is already in italicized format, use Roman type to set off a word that would normally be italicized.
- If there is only one person speaking and no other speakers, whether on- or offscreen, use Roman type with no italics.
- Do not italicize while translating for a person on-screen. Example:
Inappropriate (female interpreter)
I enjoyed New Mexico.Appropriate (female interpreter)
I enjoyed New Mexico.
