Visiting Fulbright Scholar

I was born in the suburbs of Tiznit City, Morocco, where I grew to love the warm weather, the sense of community, and the peacefulness and greenery of the surrounding landscape.

I was raised bilingual, speaking both Amazigh (the indigenous language of North Africans) and Moroccan Arabic. Later, I learned French and English. Thus, languages and translation have always been part of my life. In high school, I had a brief yet rewarding experience in documentary filmmaking as part of a wonderful team that produced an award-winning environmental TV series in Arabic called Environment Guardians. I received a BA in English Studies with a focus on Linguistics, followed by an MA in Translation and Cross-Cultural Communication, completing a thesis titled, “Audiovisual Translation: Subtitling and Voiceover as Linguistic and Cultural Transfer. The Case of Moroccan Documentary Films.” I am currently pursuing a PhD in Audiovisual Translation with a specialization in Moroccan documentary subtitling at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Morocco. I arrived at CSULB in mid-August.

As a U.S. Embassy alumnus, who received U.S. State Department funding through the Access micro-scholarship program, I've become familiar with various exchange programs over the years. I was initially interested in the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) during my BA, but at that time I didn’t feel quite ready to embrace the experience. However, as I began pursuing my PhD in an underexplored research area in Morocco, I felt that I needed to connect with specialists through the Fulbright program to broaden my horizons. The academic and cultural experiences that the Fulbright program offers are immensely valuable.

Southern California, with its wonderful weather and its position as a hub for media production, is the ideal place to conduct my research. The Clorinda Donato Center for Global Romance Languages and Translation Studies at CSULB was recommended to me by my mentor Jorge Díaz Cintas, as a potential host institution and my PhD advisor agreed. After the 3 months I’ve spent here, I confirm it was the perfect choice academically and personally. Thanks to everyone in the center for the smooth integration and the kindness they have shown me!

My area of specialization is at the intersection of film and translation, which can be called media localization. As a former award-winning documentary filmmaker (Team Award) and head of subtitling for an award-winning web documentary YouTube channel, I have a deep passion for films, specifically documentaries, and an innate love for language, culture, and translation.

I specialize in documentary subtitling and explore linguistic and cultural transfer, and the Moroccan audiovisual translation scene. Issues like media localization, linguacultural transfer, language variation, and subtitling quality are at the heart of what I do.

History shows us how translation has been one of the primary drivers of cross-cultural fertilization and communication in almost every civilization. Today, translation is part of our everyday lives as we get more attached to our screens. New areas of specialization in the translation industry have emerged like media localization. With the proliferation of video-on-demand platforms, media localization has become increasingly important.

I would say that a balance between theory and practice needs to be maintained to be a well-rounded translator. Also, find your passion and identify an area of specialization that interests you. If you have a background in fields like film, science, or law, that can be a significant advantage, as you can leverage that knowledge as a translator. Mastery of your language combinations—understanding the most common mistakes, translation nuances, and specialized vocabulary—is crucial for producing high-quality translations. Shoot for the moon. Making quality your top priority will pay dividends for you in both academic and professional contexts. If you’re just beginning to consider specializing in translation, remember it’s never too late to join a translation program. Lastly, embrace a purpose greater than yourself, take pride in what you know, and be humble to learn through personal learning and peer feedback.