1. Audio-visual Translation:
Subtitling & Dubbing
Kara Rader
COM 329

2. AVT
Audio-visual translation describes the process of translating products like tv shows and films
Two most popular forms are subtitling and dubbing
Preferences vary by country and language

3. General Problems Cultural references
E.g.: references to celebrities, government leaders, historical events, etc.
See: Lincoln
Made up words in science fiction/fantasy
wookie, ewok, tauntaun, stargate, mind meld, tribble, muggles, Ravenclaw, etc.
Dialects and accents
How would you translate what an accent/dialect entails (e.g. stereotypes, misconceptions, origin [Boston, Alaska, Texas] etc.)?
Lost: Hurley has no accent, so we can tell he was born and raised in the US, but his father’s accent shows he is an immigrant (a fact that isn’t outwardly stated in the series, but is supposed to be inferred)
Comedy
physical comedy is universal, but puns and word play are not and are difficult to translate
Example: so depressing in another language won’t sound similar to “soda
pressing” so this would be confusing to foreign audiences if we try
to translate it
Music
Bollywood films sometimes translate lyrics, sometimes not and sometimes only translates half a song
This song is dedicated to Phoenix: Shava Shava

4. Subtitling
How: scripts are translated and then the translation is superimposed onto the film (or overlaid using digital software)
General translation policy:
3 seconds of screen time per line
No more than two lines at once
One line should not exceed 37 characters

5. Subtitling

6. Subtitling Pros Cons Does not need to match lip movements
Enables viewer to hear original voice track
Original acting
Helps foreign language learners
Cheaper
Limited amount of room
Distracts from image
Harder to pick up on non-visual cues
Words blend into image
Exhausts viewer*
Bi-modal translation: language to language and spoken to written
Requires more attention
Harder for children
*some research has shown that reading subtitles is an automatic reaction, and thus not as exhausting as some claim (D’Ydewalle, et al.)

7. Dubbing
How: using a script, translations are performed and then voice actors read the translations
General translation policy:
Match lip movements (as best as possible)

8. Dubbing Pros Cons No need to read Nothing covering the original image
Closer to actually spoken language
Less active
Requires less attention
Mis-matched lip movements
Words chosen to match lip movements/dialog length
Bad voice actors
Not the original performances
More expensive

9. Which is better?
Wissmath et al. studied the two and found that there were no differences in audiences’ enjoyment of the two
BUT study conducted in Switzerland where there are 4 official languages and AVT is commonplace
Varies from person to person, country to country and language to language
Up to YOU and what is available

10. Which is better? YOU decide: Life is Beautiful: Subtitled
Life is Beautiful: Dubbed

11. Selected bibliography
Antonini, R. (2005). The perception of subtitled humor in Italy. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, 18(2), doi: /humr
Caffery, C. (2008). Viewer perception of visual nonverbal cues in subtitled TV Anime. European Journal of English Studies, 12(2), doi: /
Caron, C. (2003). Translating trek: Rewriting an American icon in a Francophone context. Journal of American Culture, 26(3), doi: / X.00095
Diaz-Cintas, J. (1999). Dubbing or subtitling: The eternal dilemma. Perspectives: Studies in Transatology, 7(1),
D’Ydewalle, G., Praet, C., Verfaillie, K., & VanRensbergen, J. (1991). Watching subtitled television: Automatic reading behavior. Communication Research, 18(5),
González-Iglesias, J. D., & Toda, F.(2011). Dubbing or subtitling interculturalism: Choices and constraints. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 27, 2.
Koolstra, C. M., Peeters, A. L., & Spinhof, H.(2002). The pros and cons of dubbing and subtitling. European Journal of Communication, 17(3),
Pavesi, M. (2009). Pronouns in film dubbing and the dynamics of audiovisual communication. Vigo International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 6,
Pedersen, J. (2007). Cultural interchangeability: The effects of substituting cultural references in subtitling. Perspectives: Studies in Translatology, 15(1),
Taivalkoski-Shilov, K.(2008). Subtitling 8 Mile in three languages: Translation problems and translator licence. Target: International Journal on Translation Studies, 20(2),
Vanderschelden, I.(2002). Subtitling wit: The case of ridicule. Studies in French Cinema, 2(2), 109.
Wissmath, B., Weibel, D., & Groner, R.(2009). Dubbing or subtitling? Effects on spatial presence, transportation, flow, and enjoyment. Journal of Media Psychology, 21(3), doi: /