What are audiovisual translation services?
In order to define audiovisual translation, it is first necessary to know its origin. The origin of audiovisual translation dates back to silent movies. White subtitles were inserted on a black background to explain the images. Over the years, the need to dub films in other languages arose due to the appearance of television.
Audiovisual translation does not only involve translating words on a document. Dialogue is transmitted through two channels of communication: visual and auditory. Apart from these information channels, the means of transmission of the work must be taken into account. The type of language used varies depending on whether it is for television, the press, the Internet, etc.
Types of audiovisual translation services
Audiovisual translation services cover various types of translation in this area:
- Subtitling. It consists of translating the original version of a film by inserting subtitles. This insertion must only reach a minimum of two sentences on the screen. There is also subtitling for the deaf and blind.
- Real-time subtitling. The film is translated first and then the subtitles are inserted at the same time as the broadcast.
- Voice-over. The original and the translated version are superimposed. The volume of the original is lowered by raising the volume of the translated version.
- Synchronised voice-over narration. It consists of narrating what is happening in the audiovisual work by completely suppressing the original version.
- Simultaneous interpretation. An interpreter physically translates the dialogues of the film. This technique is the least used.
- Dubbing. Substitute the original dialogues for the translated ones with dubbing actors who give voice to the characters.
- Free commentary. Instead of translating, the commentator creates and gives his or her opinion freely. It is mainly used for humorous videos.
The most common audiovisual translation services are dubbing and subtitling. This is due to the fact that the majority of the population consumes movies.
Audiovisual translation services and the market in Spain
The audiovisual translation services market will never decline as may happen with other fields. Since the appearance of television, audiovisual translation has increased to great levels. In addition, the emergence of platforms such as Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime and others have only boosted the industry further. On the other hand, with the rise of video games, the need to adapt them – that is, to translate them into the target language – has also increased.
Spain is among the countries which most consume dubbed movies due to a high number of consumers. This is because Spanish consumers prefer to watch the movie in their own language rather than in the original version. However, in order to adapt the film, it is necessary to resort to audiovisual translation services such as those available at Translinguo Global®. Unlike in Spain, this does not happen so much in other countries as they usually watch it with the original version. Many times, movies are accompanied by subtitles in their native language.
