Audiovisual translation is a type of translation that includes both sound and image to fully convey the content. It covers all translations of films, TV programs, series and games.
Have you ever watched a movie or series and thought about how that scene was translated? In many European countries like Germany, Italy, France or Spain it is common to see films with dubbing or subtitles.
Legal aid translation refers to the transfer of verbal components of audiovisual works from one language to another. Because this content is meant to be seen and heard at the same time, its translation differs from the printed translation.
Written documents are primarily intended for reading, while audiovisual works are usually seen and heard. Audiovisual products are often, but not always, produced using technical devices, and their translations are also produced and retrieved through one or more electronic means. The main forms of film translation are dubbing and subtitling.
1. Audiovisual translation types
What is special about audiovisual translation (AVÜ) is that when translating a specific material, the cultural characteristics, both in the texts and in the recordings, must be taken into account. Audiovisual translation involves interpretation while preserving the original tone and adapting it to the target culture. This means that the audiovisual translator, in addition to knowledge of a specific language (grammar, vocabulary), also has an in-depth knowledge of the slang and slang of a specific language.
In principle, three types of audiovisual translation are currently popular, which legal translation agency manchester will examine in more detail below.
2. Sync
Dubbing is the replacement of the voices and sound effects of an audiovisual content with other voices and sounds in a different language than the original. An audiovisual translator who specializes in dubbed translation must undergo extensive training in the field, taking into account aspects such as lip-synching. In addition, he must be prepared to work in a multidisciplinary team of translators, editors, voice actors, as there are many different categories of voice translation. For example, unlike the dubbing of movies, TV shows, and series, voice-over doesn’t require lip-synching.
The dubbing is intended to create an illusion, as the translated dialogue replaces the words spoken by the actors in the original version of the film, series or cartoon. The translator must retain the spirit, register and tone of the original version. The translator must respect the limits of dubbing, but also the drama and naturalness of the language.
3. Subtitling
The translation will appear as text, usually at the bottom of the screen. Therefore, viewers can hear the original character’s voice while reading the translated subtitles to understand the message being conveyed. In order to achieve a quality result, a thorough knowledge of the culture of both languages is required so that the translation perfectly reflects the expressions and idioms of the original statements. It is also important to remember that the translator must reduce the length of the sentences so that the viewers have enough time to read them.
4. Voice over
In this variant, the dialogues of the actors are repeated by a speaker. Unlike dubbing, neither lip sync nor acting is considered here. This type of audiovisual translation is often found in documentaries and reality shows .
The world of AVÜ will certainly bring higher demand in the near future and translators need to be well equipped and familiar with the requirements of AVÜ. These challenges include not only technical knowledge, but also cultural awareness and in-depth knowledge of different subject areas in order to create the professional simultaneous translation as accurately as possible.
