Dubbing and Revoicing
Dubbing and revoicing replace or overlay a film's original speech with a target-language soundtrack, subject to demands of synchrony with the image.
Definition
Audiovisual translation modes in which a target-language voice track replaces or overlays the original speech, as in lip-sync dubbing and voice-over.
Scope
This topic covers the revoicing modes of audiovisual translation: lip-sync dubbing, voice-over (used for documentaries and, in some countries, all programming), and free commentary. It treats the types of synchrony—lip, kinesic, and isochrony—that constrain the translated dialogue, the dubbing workflow from rough translation to adaptation and recording, and the cultural and ideological dimensions of replacing original voices. The treatment is descriptive and grounded in audiovisual translation theory.
Core questions
- What kinds of synchrony constrain dubbing?
- How does the dubbing workflow turn a translation into a recorded soundtrack?
- How do dubbing and voice-over differ in their conventions?
- What cultural effects follow from replacing original voices?
Key theories
- Synchronization in dubbing
- Frederic Chaume's systematization of the synchronies that govern dubbing—lip synchrony, kinesic synchrony with body movement, and isochrony matching utterance length—each constraining how dialogue can be translated.
- Revoicing and audience experience
- Pérez-González's account of how revoicing modes shape immersion, identification, and the perceived authenticity of foreign content, situating dubbing within broader audiovisual translation theory.
History
Dubbing arose with sound film as an alternative to subtitling, becoming the dominant mode in large markets such as Germany, Italy, Spain, and France, partly for reasons of literacy, market size, and historical language policy. Fodor's 1976 study pioneered its analysis, and the field matured through Chaume's and others' systematic accounts of synchrony and workflow.
Debates
- Authenticity versus accessibility
- Dubbing is criticized for masking original performances and voices while praised for accessibility and immersion; the balance shifts with audience preferences, costs, and the multilingual catalogues of streaming platforms.
Key figures
- Frederic Chaume
- Luis Pérez-González
- István Fodor
Related topics
Seminal works
- fodor1976
- chaume2012
- perezgonzalez2014
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between dubbing and voice-over?
- Dubbing replaces the original dialogue with a synchronized target-language track, while voice-over overlays a translated narration over a lowered original soundtrack, common in documentaries and some national traditions.
- Why do some countries dub and others subtitle?
- Historical, economic, and policy factors—market size, literacy, and past language regulation—established national preferences, though streaming now offers both options for the same content.