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Audiovisual Translation: Dubbing

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Frederic Chaume at Universitat Jaume I
Frederic Chaume
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Abstract

Audiovisual Translation: Dubbing is an introductory textbook that provides a solid overview of the world of dubbing and is fundamentally interactive in approach. A companion to Audiovisual Translation: Subtitling, it follows a similar structure and is accompanied by a DVD. Based on first-hand experience in the field, the book combines translation practice with other related tasks – usually commissioned to dialogue writers and dubbing assistants – thus offering a complete introduction to the field of dubbing. It develops diversified skills, presents a broad picture of the industry, engages with the various controversies in the field, and challenges prevailing stereotypes. The individual chapters cover the map of dubbing in the world, the dubbing market and professional environment, text segmentation into takes or loops, lip-syncing, the challenge of emulating oral discourse, the semiotic nature of audiovisual texts, and specific audiovisual translation issues. The book further raises a number of research questions and looks at some of the unresolved challenges of this very specific form of translation. It includes graded exercises covering core skills that can be practised in class or at home, individually or collectively. The accompanying DVD contains sample film material in Dutch, English, French, Italian and Spanish, as well as a range of useful material related to professional practice.
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Translation
Practices
Explained
AUDIOVISUAL
TRANSLATION:
DUBBING
Frederic
Chaume
Contents
▪
Acknowledgements
xi
▪
How
to
use
this
book
and
DVD
xiii
The
rationale
of
Audiovisual
Translation:
Dubbing
xiii
The
structure
of
Audiovisual
Translation:
Dubbing
xvi
The
Book
xvi
The
DVD
xviii
1.
›Translation
for
dubbing
1
1.0
Preliminary
discussion
1
1.1
Definition
1
1.2
Dubbing
as
a
type
of
Audiovisual
Translation
2
1.3
The
global
dubbing
nnap
6
1.3.1
Europe
6
1.3.2
Asia
7
1.3.3
America
9
1.3.4
Africa
10
1.3.5
Oceania
10
1.4
History
of
dubbing
10
1.5
Quality
standards
14
1.5.1
Acceptable
lip-sync
15
1.5.2
Credible
and
realisfic
dialogue
lines
15
1.5.3
Coherence
between
images
and
words
16
1.5.4
A
loyal
translation
17
1.5.5
Clear
sound
quality
18
1.5.6
Acfing
19
1.6
Exercises
20
2.
'The
professional
environment
22
2.0
Preliminary
discussion
22
2.1
The
market
23
2.1.1
How
to
get
a
foot
in
the
market
24
2.2
Rates
and
visibility
26
2.3
The
dubbing
process
and
professionals
29
2.6
Training
43
2.7
Exercises
44
Text
segmenting
and
dubbing
symbols
46
3.0
Preliminary
discussion
46
3.1
Dubbing
vs.
subtitling
in
the
global
world
46
3.2.
Text
segmentation:
Takes
or
loops
47
3.2.1
Text
segmentation
in
Spain
48
3.2.2
Text
segmentation
in
France
50
3.2.3
Text
segmentation
in
Germany
52
3.2.4
Text
segmentation
in
Italy
53
3.2.5
Text
segmentation
in
Poland
55
3.2.6
Text
segmentation
in
Argentina
57
3.2.7
Text
segmentation
in
the
United
States
of
America
57
3.3
Dubbing
symbols
58
3.3.1
Dubbing
symbols
in
Spain
59
3.3.2
Dubbing
symbols
in
France
60
3.3.3
Dubbing
symbols
in
Italy
60
3.3.4
Dubbing
symbols
in
Germany
61
3.3.5
Dubbing
symbols
in
Poland
61
3.4
Final
remarks
63
3.5
Exercises
64
Synchronization
or
lip-sync:
Read
my
lips
66
4.0
Preliminary
discussion
66
4.1
Synchronízation:
A
key
factor
in
dubbing
66
4.1.1
Denomination
67
4.1.2
Definifion
67
4.1.3
Types
of
synchronization
68
4.1.4
What
synchronization
is
not
69
4.2
Kinesic
synchrony
70
4.3
lsochrony
72
4.4
Lip-sync
73
4.5
Further
discussion
75
4.5.1
Considerations
on
genres
and
text
types
75
4.5.2
Considerations
on
language
contact
76
4.5.3
Considerations
on
the
translation
brief
77
5.
I>
The
language
of
dubbing:
A
matter
of
compromise
81
5.0
Preliminary
discussion
81
5.1
In
search
of
oral
discourse
81
5.1.1
A
balance
between
planned
and
spontaneous
speech
81
5.1.2
The
notion
of
prefabricated
orality
82
5.2
The
language
of
dubbing:
Linguistic
and
translation
issues
83
5.3
An
analytical
model
for
the
study
of
prefabricated
orality
88
5.4
A
usual
case
study:
Calques
92
5.5
Exercises
94
6.
The
specific
nature
of
AVT:
Acoustic
and
visual
dimensions
100
6.0
Preliminary
discussion
100
6.1
The
acoustic
dimension
100
6.1.1
Translating
paralinguistic
features
101
6.1.2
Translating
songs
103
6.1.3
Special
effects
and
the
soundtrack:
Implications
for
translation
106
6.1.4
Off-
and
0n-screen
sound
108
6.2
The
visual
dimension
110
6.2.1
The
language
of
images:
Icons,
indices
and
symbols
110
6.2.2
The
style
of
images:
Photography
and
colour
112
6.2.3
Types
of
shots
and
their
incidence
on
translation
operations
113
6.2.4
Body
language:
Proxemics,
kinesics
and
mouth
articulation
115
6.2.5
The
language
we
watch:
Text
on
screen
117
6.2.6
Editing:
Implications
for
translation
117
6.3
Exercises
119
7.
I>
Translation
Issues
120
7.0
Preliminary
discussion
120
7.1
An
initial
look
at
original
scripts
121
7.1.1
Dialogue
lists
121
7.1.2
Dubbing
bibles
127
7.2
Translating
fi
lm
titles
129
7.2.1
Why
are
fi
lm
titles
translated?
129
7.2.2
Retranslations
and
premieres
129
7.4.2
Dialects
(user-related
language
varieties)
136
7.4.2.1
Geographical
dialects
136
7.4.2.2
Temporal
dialects
138
7.4.2.3
Standard/non-standard
dialects
139
7.4.2.4
Social
dialects
or
jargons
139
7.4.2.5
Idiolects
142
7.4.3
Registers
(use-related
language
varieties)
143
7.5
Translating
cultural
and
intertextual
references
145
7.5.1
Cultural
references
145
7.5.2
Intertextual
references
147
7.6
Translating
humour
148
7.7
Translating
ideology
151
7.7.1
Censorship
151
7.7.2
Normalization
152
7.7.3
Gender
issues
153
7.7.4
Patronage
154
7.8
Exercises
154
8.
I>
Research
in
dubbing
158
8.0
Preliminary
discussion
158
8.1
State
of
the
ad
158
8.2
A
descriptive
and
semiotic
model
of
analysis
of
dubbed
texts
161
8.2.1
Rationale
161
8.2.2
AVT
models
of
analysis
162
8.2.3
An
integrated
model
of
analysis
165
8.2.3.1
The
external
level
of
the
model
166
8.2.3.2
The
internal
level
of
the
model
(I):
General
translation
problems
170
8.2.3.3
The
internal
level
of
the
model
(II):
Specific
problems
of
AVT
171
8.3
Exercises
177
9.
I>
A
glossary
of
terms
used
in
dubbing
and
AVT
180
10.
11>
References
189
10.1
Bibliography
10.2
Filmography
189
201
Translation
Practices
Explained
Series
Editors:
Sara
Laviosa,
Sharon
O'Brien
and
Kelly
Washbourne
ISSN
1470-966X
AUDIOVISUAL
TRANSLATION:
DUBBING
Frederic
Chaume
A
well-written,
engaging
and
anxiously
awaited
book
that
will
be
regarded
as
a
watershed
in
the
field
of
dubbing.
A
truly
multimedia
project,
this
is
a
major
contribution
to
both
media
studies
and
translation
studies
and
will
appeal
to
teachers
and
students,
researchers
and
practiticmers,
specialist
and
general
readers.
A
must-read,
must-have
book
that
unravels
ah
l
the
fascinating
tricks
behind
dubbing.
Jorge
Díaz
Cintas,
Imperial
College
London
Audiovisual
Translation:
Dubbing
is
an
introductory
textbook
that
provides
a
solid
overview
of
the
world
of
dubbing
and
is
fundamentally
interactive
in
approach.
A
companion
to
Audiovisual
Translation:
Subtitling,
it
follows
a
similar
structure
and
is
accompanied
by
a
DVD.
Based
on
fi
rst-hand
experience
in
the
fi
eld,
the
book
combines
translation
practice
with
other
related
tasks
—
usually
commissioned
to
dialogue
writers
and
dubbing
assistants
—
thus
offering
a
complete
introduction
to
the
fi
eld
of
dubbing.
It
develops
diversified
skills,
presents
a
broad
picture
of
the
industry,
engages
with
the
various
controversies
in
the
fi
eld,
and
challenges
prevailing
stereotypes.
The
individual
chapters
cover
the
map
of
dubbing
in
the
world,
the
dubbing
market
and
professional
environment,
text
segmentation
into
takes
or
loops,
lip-syncing,
the
challenge
of emulating
oral
discourse,
the
semiotic
nature
of
audiovisual
texts,
and
specific
audiovisual
translation
issues.
The
book
further
raises
a
number
of
research
questions
and
looks
at
some
of
the
unresolved
challenges
of
this
very
specific
form
of
translation.
It
includes
graded
exercises
covering
core
skills
that
can
be
practised
in
class
or
at
home,
individually
or
collectively.
The
accompanying
DVD
contains
sample
fi
lm
material
in
Dutch,
English,
French,
Italian
and
Spanish,
as
well
as
a
range
of
useful
material
related
to
professional
practice.
Frederic
Chaume
is
Professor
of
Audiovisual
Translation
at
the
Universitat
Jaume
I
(Castelló,
Spain),
and
Honorary
Professor
at
Imperial
College
London.
He
is
author
of
Doblatge
i
subtitulació
per
a
la
TV
(Eumo,
2003),
Cine
y
Traducción
(Cátedra,
2004),
and
co-author
of
Teories
Contemporánies
de
la
Traducció
(Bromera,
2010).
Por
the
past
24
years
he
has
also
been
working
as
a
professional
translator
for
TV
stations,
dubbing
and
subtitling
companies,
and
film
distributors
and
producers.
... Beyond some of the seminal AVT works (e.g. Chaume 2004Chaume , 2012Díaz-Cintas & Remael 2007, 2021, early French works related to dubbing or subtitling can be found in Lapierre (1932), Artaud (1933), Delisle (1934), Sadoul (1939, 1945), l'Anglais (1960, Cary (1960), or Caillé (1960), among others. Although some scholars have recently taken stock of AVT as a discipline (see Pérez-González, 2019;Bogucki & Deckert, 2020), or reviewed the status quo of dubbing or subtitling in specific countries (Sokoli, 2009;Lukić, 2016;Cerezo et al., 2016;Torralba et al., 2019), updated French practices are not always visible in the existing literature. ...
... The fourth chapter, Un modèle d'analyse des textes audiovisuels à des fins traductologiques ("An audiovisual text analysis model for translation purposes"), proposes a comprehensive model that categorises different factors of the translation process that affect transfer in an audiovisual text. The model is based on previous proposals by Chaume (2004;2012) and makes a distinction between both an external dimension (i.e. professional aspects, sociohistorical aspects, factors related to the communication process, and to the reception of audiovisual texts) and an internal dimension (i.e. ...
... In the same vein, the sixth chapter, Le canal visuel ("The visual channel"), tackles the visual information conveyed through the iconographic, photographic, mobility, shot, graphic and editing codes. These two chapters are perhaps the least innovative, since they draw on Chaume's (2004;2012) well-known contributions, so readers might already be familiar with these contents. The seventh and final chapter is called Récapitulation ("Summary"), and it briefly encapsulates the main aims and the contents addressed throughout the book: the audiovisual text, AVT in France, the analysis model, the visual and acoustic channels, meaning codes, among other elements. ...
View
... For dubbing to be considered adequate, it must meet three synchrony conditions (Chaume, 2004(Chaume, , 2012: lip sync, kinetic synchrony, and isochrony. Lip sync refers to the simultaneity of the sound emitted with the movement of an actor's mouth. ...
... 81). When the dubbing is made with humoristic purposes, it is referred to as 'fundubbing' (Chaume, 2012;Jüngst, 2013;Nord et al. 2015) or 'parodic dubbing' (Baños, 2019). Finally, according to Sánchez-Requena (2016), it is an activity that fosters students' autonomy and helps them organise their own learning processes, which is crucial for their success. ...
Didactic Intralingual Dubbing of Vertical Videos for EFL Learners: A Didactic Proposal
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2024
This paper is focused on the development of a didactic proposal for English students in the Basque Country. Specifically for students in the 1st year of Bachillerato with Spanish and Basque as their L1 and English as their L2 which aims to improve their communication skills, especially oral abilities and pronunciation, through the use of didactic dubbing. This proposal is framed within a project-based learning (PBL), in which the final project is the creation of a vertical video dubbed in English. For this purpose, six sessions have been designed with different group activities that will culminate with the presentation of the video. This didactic unit revolves around social networks and seeks to meet the requirements of current regulations in terms of objectives, contents, competences and evaluation criteria. In addition, transversal elements such as the appropriate use of social networks, fears or interpersonal relationships are worked on. The use of videos in vertical format meets the increasing demand for creating content in this format that adapts to the new mobile devices.
View
... Guillory's (2000) dichotomy focused on reading, but it would make it reasonable to classify media interpreting audience similarly. The dichotomy can also be quite useful when considering audience design in reception research, as recommended by some scholars (e.g., Chaume, 2012). Therefore, the professional audience was called 'trainee interpreters', and the lay audience was called 'ordinary audience' in the current study. ...
View
... According to Chaume and De los Reyes Lozano (2021), cloud dubbing systems reunite all dubbing phases, from scripting to the recording of the dubbed audio track by the voice actors, thereby contributing to the delocalisation of dubbing tasks, which used to involve highly technical processes at dubbing studios (Chaume 2012). In the main interface of Zoo Digital's ZOOdubs platform (see Fig. 7), users can find a basic scripting tool to produce events (i.e., text segments that coincide with a given utterance from the video in time). ...
Cloud Technologies in Media Localisation (Subtitling and Revoicing)
Chapter
  • Jun 2024
The media localisation industry has experienced an increasing presence of cloud-based technologies, leading many stakeholders to embrace and incorporate them into their localisation workflows. Cloud solutions use the internet and off-site storage to operate, thereby enhancing the mobility and flexibility of the workforce. Large media producers also use cloud-based ecosystems to distribute localisation work among translation service providers, who often outsource work to linguists using proprietary cloud-based tools. Cloud technologies are more agile than legacy desktop programs, and software developers are keen to establish close collaborations with end users and academic institutions in their quest for feedback on user experience. This makes cloud-based solutions the perfect allies for fine-tuning technologies and customising the newest tools to the needs of audiovisual translators. The main aim of this chapter is to take stock of the far-reaching implications of cloud technologies in the industry and to investigate their potential in translation studies, particularly translator training environments. A discussion will be provided on how these tools operate and how workflows are (re-)shaped by these new tools. This chapter suggests ways to exploit them, from a pedagogical perspective, in the teaching and learning of media localisation (aka audiovisual translation), specifically subtitling and revoicing.
View
... Audiovisual translation (AVT) is a growing field of research and practice in translation studies, which plays a crucial role in making audiovisual content accessible and comprehensible to diverse audiences around the globe (Baños Piñero and Díaz-Cintas 2015). Among other modes of media accessibility, from the subtitling of films and series (Díaz-Cintas and Remael 2020) to dubbing (Chaume 2012), voice-over (Franco et al. 2010), and audio description (Taylor and Perego 2022), AVT encompasses a wide range of techniques and strategies to bridge linguistic and cultural gaps. ...
The Subtitling of Swearing: A Pilot Reception Study
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2024
Reception studies in audiovisual translation seek to explore how translation choices affect the audience’s comprehension, emotional engagement, enjoyment, and overall viewing experience of audiovisual materials. This study focuses on the subtitling product and analyzes the acceptability of swear words translated through different stimuli: subtitles with softened, maintained, and intensified swearing, along with standard Netflix subtitles (control). Employing a multi-method approach, the study collected data through a survey, using questionnaires with a Likert scale and interviews, following the user-centered translation model to understand how participants receive and perceive swear words in subtitling. The results indicate that the control group had the highest acceptability of the participants, while the group with softened swear words presented the lowest acceptability rate. The analysis shows that participants across all groups reported that discomfort does not arise from reading the swear word in the subtitle but from perceiving a deliberate change in its offensive load—usually softened. The findings demonstrate that this change can lead to a breach of the contract of illusion in subtitling, as participants are exposed to the original dialogue and the translated subtitle simultaneously. In conclusion, when perceived, the change in the offensive load can redirect the viewer’s focus from the video to the subtitles, negatively affecting the enjoyment of the audiovisual experience.
View
... On the other hand, the revoicing modes imply the provision of an oral translation via voice recording in the target language. The newly recorded tracks overlap the original voice tracks in the case of voice-over (Matamala, 2020), while they replace the original tracks in the case of narration or dubbing, the latter also ensuring lip-synching, that is, target language utterances that perfectly fit the lip movements visible on screen (Chaume, 2012; Spiteri Miggiani, 2019). The choice of mode depends on the type of product (whether it is fiction or non-fiction) and the customs of the country or territory. ...
The 3 S’s of FIFA – Soft Power, Sports washing, Sports Diplomacy: The BRICS and Qatar World Cups
Article
  • May 2024
This article analyzes how the BRICS countries and Qatar used sporting mega-events as a discourse to expand their political influence. To this end, the article discusses (a) the public sphere and its interfaces in sports and (b) the 2010 to 2022 World Cups as examples of Soft Power, Sportswashing, and Sports Diplomacy. As an analytical structure, we will make an interface between the studies that discussed the role of the Western media during the events and FIFA's 3 S's. The central argument resides in FIFA's role during the World Cup cycle in countries of the Global South and the existence of a FIFA modus operandi in the last four World Cups.
View
... On the other hand, the revoicing modes imply the provision of an oral translation via voice recording in the target language. The newly recorded tracks overlap the original voice tracks in the case of voice-over (Matamala, 2020), while they replace the original tracks in the case of narration or dubbing, the latter also ensuring lip-synching, that is, target language utterances that perfectly fit the lip movements visible on screen (Chaume, 2012; Spiteri Miggiani, 2019). The choice of mode depends on the type of product (whether it is fiction or non-fiction) and the customs of the country or territory. ...
View
... On the other hand, the revoicing modes imply the provision of an oral translation via voice recording in the target language. The newly recorded tracks overlap the original voice tracks in the case of voice-over (Matamala, 2020), while they replace the original tracks in the case of narration or dubbing, the latter also ensuring lip-synching, that is, target language utterances that perfectly fit the lip movements visible on screen (Chaume, 2012; Spiteri Miggiani, 2019). The choice of mode depends on the type of product (whether it is fiction or non-fiction) and the customs of the country or territory. ...
View
Peculiarities of Translating English Audiovisual Text: A Didactic Aspect
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2024
The study aimed to explore the peculiarities of audiovisual text translation into Ukrainian, with a focus on dubbing, and to determine the role of cross-linguistic and cross-cultural differences in audiovisual translation (herein – AVT) didactics. The research used a comparative analysis of the biographical drama “The Queen” (2006) and its dubbed version in Ukrainian to identify essential translation features. The study found that AVT involves the translator’s cognitive processing of textual matter, requiring linguistic competence in two languages and acquiring strategies linked to semantic analysis and synthesis. The study demonstrated that structural, semantic, and stylistic features are specific to the film genre and dictate the choice of translation transformations, which include contextual and synonymic substitutions, omission, amplification, permutation, antonymous, and descriptive translation. The comparative analysis of dubbed dialogues in “The Queen” (2006) can help students learn different translation techniques, improve their language skills, understand cultural differences, and identify improvement areas. The research emphasizes the need for additional investigation to provide better-quality Ukrainian subtitles and dubbed film versions.
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Traducción audiovisual y teleficción queer. Teoría y metodología
Book
Full-text available
  • May 2024
En este libro se explora el vínculo teórico entre los conceptos de género y traducción. Los estudios de género en la traductología pueden comprenderse como un trabajo investigativo y crítico frente a las estructuras de poder que subordinan las posiciones de género contranormativas. Las masculinidades gay, como una intersección entre posición de género e identidad sexual, guardan relación con las representaciones del deseo contranormativo y ocupan un espacio privilegiado en la representación mediática. Por ello, tomando en cuenta nociones básicas como la performatividad, el género como sistema y la masculinidad, la traducción audiovisual es un campo integrador y privilegiado para la exploración de estas formas de representar la sexualidad. Este libro busca recuperar la noción de complejidad semiótica del texto audiovisual. En ese sentido, a lo largo los capítulos se propone un enfoque multimodal para analizar la configuración narrativa de teleficción contemporánea. Este modelo analítico atiende a la dimensión discursiva de los textos audiovisuales que representan lo queer y las diversidades sexuales.
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