Audio description as audio drama – a practitioner's point of view

Abstract

In discussing audio description (AD) as a form of translation, there is a tendency to focus on AD as a written text. A key element, easy to overlook, is that AD is always received aurally, together with the existing dialogue and soundscape. AD therefore translates a film or play into a form of audio drama. Insights from the field of Radio Studies reveal the ways in which sound works to produce more vivid mental imagery. A better understanding of the interaction between sound effects and audio description can help improve access to audiovisual media for people who are dependent solely on auditory information. Drawing on practical examples, this article suggests that sound, as much as vision, influences choices in AD.

Keywords:

• applied translation
• content
• audio description
• audiovisual translation
• sound
• screen translation