Abstract
Contemporary subtitling requires multimodal, culturally responsive, and technologically adaptive judgement that extends beyond the linguistic and technical focus of existing competence models. This article reconceptualises subtitling as a multimodal literacy practice in which meaning is designed through the coordination of linguistic, visual, auditory, spatial, and cultural resources. Drawing on audiovisual translation research, multimodal discourse analysis, and multiliteracies theory, it introduces the multimodal subtitling competence model (MSCM), a five-domain framework encompassing multimodal sensitivity, intersemiotic awareness, technological literacy, cultural-semiotic literacy, and reflective production strategies. The MSCM provides a holistic account of subtitling competence suited to AI-assisted and platform-specific media ecologies, positioning subtitlers as semiotic designers who negotiate meaning across human-machine workflows. The model offers a conceptual basis for rethinking subtitler education, professional development, and assessment. The article concludes with key directions for empirical and interdisciplinary research to support the MSCM’s future refinement and application.