Foreign or Domestic: The Modes of Translating Films
Foreign films can either be subtitled (or “subbed”), with the translation shown on the screen, or dubbed, with voice actors speaking the foreign dialogue and attempting to match the mouth movements of the actors on screen. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and each approach to some extent alters the original text. An important difference between subbing and dubbing is whether the target audience is reminded of the film’s foreignness. With dubbing, the audience believes the illusion that the actors are speaking the domestic language. Subtitled films, on the other hand, remind the audience that the actors and language are foreign because the original dialogue and the actors’ voices are still heard. Even if the act of simultaneously reading the subtitles and watching the movie starts to feel natural, the viewer must constantly accept the foreignness of the film
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