The Subtitling and Dubbing of Troy: A Comparative Study

Abstract

The processes for dubbing and subt i t l ing are acknowledged to be different approaches in audiovisual translat ion. They are different in nature, and given their strengths and l imi tat ions, the end resul ts are not expected to be completely simi lar. This study examines the subt i t l ing and dubbing of the movie Troy in Arabic, and compares between the two approaches used and that of the end resul ts wi th the original in terms of accuracy, the translat ion of idiomat ic expressions, names, honorif ics, and cul tural references. Some differences are expected in the end resul ts of both approaches, and based on the l i terature; the hypothesis is that the dubbed approach mirrors the original more than the subt i t led version. However, this study f inds that the subt i t l ing process is more successful in mir ror ing the original Engl ish script in the comparison of Troy.