Introduction
Welcome back to your course on Audiovisual Translation! In our first lesson, we established a clear definition of AVT as the translation of multimodal content (combining audio and visuals) for the screen. We also contrasted it with traditional print translation, highlighting AVT's unique spoken-language nature and its critical spatio-temporal constraints.
Today, we will build directly on that foundation. Our goal is to describe the main modes of AVT: subtitling, dubbing, and voice-over. While we briefly introduced these terms, this lesson will provide a detailed look into the characteristics, processes, and uses of each.
Understanding the distinctions between these modes is crucial. As an aspiring AVT professional, you will need to know which mode is appropriate for different types of content and what specific skills each one demands. This lesson will give you the formal vocabulary and conceptual framework you need to discuss and analyze AVT practices professionally.
The Two Main Categories of AVT
Most AVT practices can be organized into two broad categories: revoicing and subtitling.
- Revoicing involves replacing or adding a new audio track.
- Subtitling involves adding written text on the screen.
To get a formal overview of these categories and the different modes within them, we will turn to a key academic text.
[PDF] 16 Audiovisual translation: Subtitling and revoicing - UCL Discovery
The following excerpt from the chapter 'Audiovisual translation: subtitling and revoicing' provides a scholarly framework for classifying the different types of AVT. It clearly defines the main categories and the specific practices, or modes, that fall under each one.
Please read the following parts of the document: Start with the second paragraph of the introduction, which begins 'AVT is a professional activity...'. Read until the end of that paragraph, where 'subtitling' is defined. Next, read the bulleted lists under the headings 'Revoicing' and 'Subtitling'. As you read, focus on the core definition of each mode (e.g., what is lip-sync dubbing? what is interlingual subtitling?). This will give you a complete map of the AVT landscape.
This reading gives us a structured way to think about AVT. Let's now explore the most common modes from these categories in more detail.
Mode 1: Subtitling
As you read, subtitling involves adding written text to the screen that corresponds to the dialogue. The key feature is that the original audio track remains intact and fully audible.
The most common form for translation is interlingual subtitling, which is the focus of this course. This is when you translate dialogue from a source language (like English) into a written target language (like Arabic).
However, the reading also mentioned other types:
- Intralingual subtitling (or Captioning/SDH): This is subtitling in the same language as the audio. It's created for the deaf and hard-of-hearing (which is why it's also called SDH) and includes descriptions of important sounds, not just dialogue (e.g.,
[phone rings],[suspenseful music]). - Surtitling: These are subtitles projected above the stage during a live performance like an opera.
For a translator, the main challenge of subtitling is condensing the spoken dialogue into concise, readable text that respects the strict time and space limits of the screen, a topic we will explore in depth in Module 2.
Mode 2: Dubbing
Dubbing is a form of revoicing. Its defining characteristic is the complete replacement of the original dialogue track with a new one in the target language. The goal is to create the illusion that the on-screen characters are actually speaking the audience's language.
This requires a high degree of synchronisation. As we'll discuss later in the course, there are three key types:
- Lip synchrony (lip-sync): Matching the translated dialogue to the speaker's lip movements. This is the most challenging aspect of dubbing.
- Isochrony: Ensuring the translated utterance is the same length as the original.
- Kinetic synchrony: Matching the translation to the actor's body movements and gestures.
Because it involves translators, dialogue writers, voice actors, sound engineers, and expensive recording studios, dubbing is the most complex and costly mode of AVT. It is very common for children's programming and in major film markets like Germany, Spain, France, and Italy.
This chart provides a great visual comparison of subtitling and dubbing. In the last lesson, we saw a similar chart; this one offers a slightly different perspective on the same concepts, reinforcing the key differences.
Mode 3: Voice-over
Voice-over is another major form of revoicing, but it works very differently from dubbing. In a voice-over, the translated audio track is layered on top of the original audio, which remains audible in the background at a reduced volume.
Typically, the original speaker is heard for a few seconds, then the volume is "ducked" (lowered), and the translator's voice begins. There is no attempt to match the lip movements. The primary goal is to convey the information clearly and accurately.
This technique is common for content that is considered "factual," such as:
- Documentaries
- Interviews
- News reports
- Corporate videos
The key difference between voice-over and dubbing is the relationship with the original audio. Dubbing replaces it; voice-over accompanies it.
To solidify your understanding of these two revoicing techniques, let's return to our academic resource for a more detailed explanation.
[PDF] 16 Audiovisual translation: Subtitling and revoicing - UCL Discovery
This section of the same paper focuses specifically on revoicing. It provides a more in-depth description of the professional workflows for both voice-over and lip-sync dubbing.
Please read the section titled 'Revoicing'. Focus on: The description of the voice-over process (how the original and translated audio interact). The description of the dubbing process and the three types of synchronisation (lip synchrony, isochrony, and kinetic synchrony).
A Note on Accessibility Modes
As you're building your AVT vocabulary, it's also important to be aware of modes designed for accessibility. We already mentioned SDH (Subtitling for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing). Another key mode is Audio Description (AD).
Audio Description is a form of revoicing for the blind and visually impaired. It involves adding a separate narration track that describes key visual elements of a scene (actions, settings, character expressions) that are not evident from the dialogue alone.
Let's watch a short clip where professional translators discuss these accessibility services.
SPECIALISED: AUDIOVISUAL TRANSLATION (Freelance Subtitler)
In this clip from 'SPECIALISED: AUDIOVISUAL TRANSLATION', freelance translators discuss providing services for people with disabilities, specifically SDH and Audio Description.
Watch the video from 00:14:12 to 00:16:57. Notice how they describe the specific work involved in creating SDH (labeling sounds, identifying speakers) and what Audio Description entails.
Summary Comparison
You've now been introduced to the defining features of the main AVT modes. This table summarizes the key differences between the three we have focused on today. This will be a valuable reference as we move forward in the course.
| Feature | Interlingual Subtitling | Dubbing | Voice-over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Dialogue | Preserved and fully audible | Replaced and removed (or inaudible) | Preserved but volume is lowered ("ducked") |
| Translation Format | Written text on screen | Spoken audio | Spoken audio |
| Main Challenge | Condensing text to fit space and time constraints | Matching audio to on-screen lip movements (lip-sync) | Delivering a clear narration within time segments |
| Common Use Case | All genres in "subtitling countries" (e.g., Scandinavia, Netherlands, the Arab world) | Fiction, animation, children's shows | Documentaries, interviews, news reports |
| Audience Illusion | Hearing the original actors while reading a translation | Believing the on-screen characters speak the local language | Hearing a narrator explain what is being said |
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have moved from a general definition of AVT to a detailed description of its primary modes of practice.
Here are the key takeaways:
- Main Categories: AVT practices are broadly categorized into subtitling (adding text) and revoicing (altering audio).
- Subtitling: Preserves the original audio and adds a written translation. The main challenge is balancing meaning with space and time constraints.
- Dubbing: Replaces the original audio with a translated version, aiming for perfect synchrony with the on-screen actors' lip movements. It is complex and expensive.
- Voice-over: Overlays a translated narration on top of the original audio, which remains audible. It is used for informational content and does not require lip-sync.
You now have the vocabulary to identify and describe the fundamental techniques used in the AVT industry.
In our next lesson, we will dive deeper into the source material itself by analyzing how dialogue, visuals, and sound work together to convey meaning in an audiovisual text. Understanding this is the first step to making informed translation choices, no matter which AVT mode you are working in.