Discover now the best type of audiovisual translation for you

Audiovisual translation is a world full of possibilities. Depending on the type of work and its aim, we will choose one type of translation or another. Regarding the audiovisual aspect of translation, there are several services. However, today we will focus on the purely translation-related ones.

Dubbing

Dubbing consists of translations that are adapted to the people speaking on screen. Therefore, one must keep in mind certain issues that might be inapreciable for the standard spectator (actually, that is what the translator aims for). It has to sound like an oral conversation, so discourse connectors are preserved (“you know”, “yeah”, “right”…).

For dubbing, in order for the text to sound natural to the spectator, one must try to get as near as possible to mouth movements made in the original. Also, one has to translate not only the interactions of the characters, but also the background sounds (ad libs).

Subtitling

When a translator produces a translation for subtitles, the content is essential, while respecting the norms the client establishes. 

Spoken language is understood much faster than written language, due to the fact that, when reading, more time is required to process the same message. That is why connectors and some information is sacrificed, as long as it is not necessary for the text to be understood. This happens because the characters per line and second are not infinite, there are some regulations so that the reader can acquire the information. If what we read and what is said is different, that means that a translator has struggled in order to make it fit but it didn’t. 

Subtitling for the deaf and hard-of-hearing

Subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing is a different type of translation than the subtitles for people without difficulties. This is called closed captions.

When producing a translation especialized for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, one must keep in mind more than the conversation of the characters. There are other auditory elements, such as a phone ringing outside the scene, songs… Of course, elements that even though being resounding can be perceived by other senses will not be translated. That way, a phone that rings on scene will not be subtitled. Color coding and showing characters’ names are also included to facilitate comprehension. The restrictions marked by the client will be respected, the same as a subtitled translation for people with no hearing impairments. 

Audiodescription

Audiodescription consists of describing orally the actions that each character performs, as well as the scene and the characters themselves. The objective of this type of translation is that the people with difficulties of sight are able to understand the audiovisual work the same way a person without any difficulties does. In movies, TV shows and other audiovisual work, audiodescriptors will fill silences with essential information that cannot be perceived through hearing.

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