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
5. I> The language of dubbing: A matter of compromise 81
2.7 Exercises 44
5.0 Preliminary discussion 81
Text segmenting and dubbing symbols 46 5.1 In search of oral discourse 81
5.1.1 A balance between planned and spontaneous speech 81
3.0 Preliminary discussion 46 5.1.2 The notion of prefabricated orality 82
3.1 Dubbing vs. subtitling in the global world 46 5.2 The language of dubbing: Linguistic and translation issues 83
3.2. Text segmentation: Takes or loops 47 5.3 An analytical model for the study of prefabricated orality 88
3.2.1 Text segmentation in Spain 48 5.4 A usual case study: Calques 92
3.2.2 Text segmentation in France 50 5.5 Exercises 94
3.2.3 Text segmentation in Germany 52
3.2.4 Text segmentation in Italy 53 6. The specific nature of AVT: Acoustic and visual dimensions 100
3.2.5 Text segmentation in Poland 55
6.0 Preliminary discussion 100
3.2.6 Text segmentation in Argentina 57
6.1 The acoustic dimension 100
3.2.7 Text segmentation in the United States of America 57
6.1.1 Translating paralinguistic features 101
3.3 Dubbing symbols 58
6.1.2 Translating songs 103
3.3.1 Dubbing symbols in Spain 59
6.1.3 Special effects and the soundtrack: Implications for
3.3.2 Dubbing symbols in France 60
translation 106
3.3.3 Dubbing symbols in Italy 60
6.1.4 Off- and 0n-screen sound 108
3.3.4 Dubbing symbols in Germany 61
6.2 The visual dimension 110
3.3.5 Dubbing symbols in Poland 61
6.2.1 The language of images: Icons, indices and symbols 110
3.4 Final remarks 63 6.2.2 The style of images: Photography and colour 112
3.5 Exercises 64 6.2.3 Types of shots and their incidence on translation
operations 113
Synchronization or lip-sync: Read my lips 66 6.2.4 Body language: Proxemics, kinesics and mouth
articulation 115
4.0 Preliminary discussion 66 6.2.5 The language we watch: Text on screen 117
4.1 Synchronízation: A key factor in dubbing 66 6.2.6 Editing: Implications for translation 117
4.1.1 Denomination 67 6.3 Exercises 119
4.1.2 Definifion 67
4.1.3 Types of synchronization 68 7. I> Translation Issues 120
4.1.4 What synchronization is not 69
4.2 Kinesic synchrony 70 7.0 Preliminary discussion 120
4.3 lsochrony 72 7.1 An initial look at original scripts 121
4.4 Lip-sync 73 7.1.1 Dialogue lists 121
4.5 Further discussion 75 7.1.2 Dubbing bibles 127
4.5.1 Considerations on genres and text types 75 7.2 Translating film titles 129
4.5.2 Considerations on language contact 76 7.2.1 Why are film titles translated? 129
4.5.3 Considerations on the translation brief 77 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 189

10.2 Filmography 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 ahl 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 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.

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.