Audiovisual Translation as a Cultural Counter-Hegemonic Device: A Case Study of English-Persian Dubbed Animations

Abstract

The investigation of ideology in audiovisual translation (AVT) has recently attracted a lot of attention from researchers in the field. The present study aimed to shed light on the impact of ideology on audiovisual translation with regard to Persian dubbing of three Hollywood animations. First, the concept of ideology and hegemony within Hollywood products were discussed. Then, the translations of culture-specific items (CSIs) and taboos were analytically examined and finally discussed according to Venuti’s (2008) theory. The results indicated that translators tried to produce highly domesticated versions of the originals. The findings showed that the status of cultures, minor or dominant, could play a key role in translators’ decisions. When translators translate from a dominant to a minor culture, some form of resistance may be born. The target community cultural institutions tend to use translation as their last cultural fortress.