This study investigates how profanity is translated in Swedish subtitles, using Die Hard (1988) and The Big Lebowski (1998) as comparative case studies. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, the analysis examines profane instances in Die Hard and in The Big Lebowski, categorized by taboo theme, intensity, and translation strategy. A five-point intensity scale for Swedish was developed based on sociolinguistic literature to evaluate the emotional strength of profanity in both source and target texts. Translation strategies were classified using a modified version of Venäläinen’s (1992) framework.

The findings show that Die Hard employs profanity more strategically, often tied to character defiance or narrative tension, while The Big Lebowski uses profanity rhythmically and habitually as part of character speech. In both movies, the Swedish subtitles reveal a consistent softening of profanity, with omissions and weakened translations especially frequent for sexually explicit or compound insults. These patterns are interpreted using Pedersen’s (2011) Extralinguistic Cultural Reference (ECR) model, which highlights how translators adapt language not just for space and timing constraints but to align with cultural expectations and regulatory norms.

The study concludes that the translation of profanity in subtitles is governed less by literal equivalence than by contextual function, audience perception, and cultural acceptability.