Asst. Prof. Mehmet Erguvan on "Audiovisual Translation, Remakes, and Adaptations in TV Series"

On Friday, May 22, 2026, Izmir University of Economics, Department of English Translation and Interpreting, hosted a seminar titled "Is Audiovisual Translation Only About Subtitling and Dubbing? Remakes/Adaptations through the Eyes of Viewers." Assistant Professor Dr. Mehmet Erguvan from the Department of Translation Studies at Yıldız Technical University was welcomed as the guest speaker at the event.

The event opened with an introduction of the guest by Research Assistant Doğa Taşlı, followed by a brief opening speech by the Department Head, Prof. Dr. Nihal Yetkin Karakoç. Taking the floor next, Erguvan began his presentation by introducing his academic work on remakes and adaptations.

Dividing Turkish television history into three main periods within the context of translated series, Erguvan stated that television was actually established and sustained thanks to translations. According to Erguvan's analysis, these periods can be categorized as 1968–1985 (The TRT Period), the 1990s (Private Channels), and the 2000s to the Present (Remakes). Following the interesting and comprehensive information he provided on these periods, Erguvan shared the findings of his project, which he conducted as part of his post-doctoral research in London in 2024, investigating the cognitive, adaptive, and socio-cultural effects of Turkish adaptations of British TV series on viewers.

Erguvan explained that the theoretical framework of this qualitative study—conducted through mini-focus groups and face-to-face interviews with 20 highly educated participants over the age of 18 who are familiar with both cultures—is based on Joseph Straubhaar's "proximity" approach (proximities theory). He shared that viewers look for experiences that align closely with their own values, feelings, and environments when watching television. He also noted that the findings revealed that viewers focused most heavily on the themes of "value proximity" (ethical understandings, social taboos, religious views) and "cultural proximity" (daily habits, eating and drinking practices) in the adapted products.

Stating that dialogues, aesthetic perceptions, cultural values, and character constructions undergo deep changes during the remake process, Erguvan expressed that the question "Is a product that has been localized to this extent still a translation?" remains a highly current debate in the field of translation studies. Erguvan mentioned that today's viewers are no longer in a passive position but have transformed into an active and dynamic structure that engages in discussions on social media and generates content (such as GIFs, mashups, etc.). He added that changing streaming and digital platform habits have also accelerated this process.

The event concluded with a Q&A session, during which participants had the opportunity to discuss the details of the presentation.