ISSN: 1579-9794
Hikma 24 (Número especial II) (2025), 1 - 5
BAÑOS, ROCÍO. LA ORALIDAD PREFABRICADA EN LA FICCIÓN
AUDIOVISUAL ORIGINAL Y DOBLADA: SIETE VIDAS Y FRIENDS.
CASTELLÓ DE LA PLANA, PUBLICACIONS DE LA UNIVERSITAT JAUME
I, 2024, 250 PP., ISBN 978-84-19647-94-8
The number of publications on dubbing has increased significantly over
the past decade due to the growing demand for this audiovisual translation
(AVT) modality around the globe. The advent and widespread popularity of
streaming platforms have revolutionized the contemporary entertainment
landscape, not only by expanding the volume of content requiring translation
into multiple languages but also by bringing dubbing to the forefront even in
countries without a well-established dubbing tradition (Chaume, 2018;
Ranzato & Zanotti, 2019). Despite the emergence of several monographs
dedicated specifically to dubbing in the past ten years (e.g., Bosseaux, 2015;
Iaia, 2015; Pavesi et al., 2015; Cerezo Merchán et al., 2016; Montero
Domínguez, 2017; Ranzato & Zanotti, 2019; Spiteri Miggiani, 2019; Sánchez-
Mompeán, 2020; Mejías-Climent, 2021), scholarly output in this domain
remains comparatively limited. This is particularly evident when juxtaposed
with the significant expansion observed in other AVT modalities such as
subtitling, or in burgeoning fields like audio description for the blind and
partially sighted.
Against this backdrop, La oralidad prefabricada en la ficción audiovisual
original y doblada: Siete Vidas y Friends emerges as a timely and valuable
contribution that addresses a notable gap in the field of AVT, particularly within
the Spanish-speaking context. The book offers a nuanced exploration of
prefabricated orality, a core concept that highlights the scripted nature of
spoken language in audiovisual texts (Chaume, 2001, 2004). Far from being
a marginal phenomenon, prefabricated orality is central to understanding how
both original and dubbed speech construct authenticity, naturalness, and
viewer immersion (Baños & Chaume, 2009). This monograph not only sheds
light on an underexplored aspect of dubbing through two case studies but also
puts forward a theoretical and methodological framework for the systematic
analysis of prefabricated orality in audiovisual dialogue, offering an
illuminating discussion on the topic.
Across the six chapters that comprise the book, the author skilfully
guides the reader toward a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of
prefabricated orality in both original domestic productions and dubbed speech,
all within the context of the Spanish language. By employing an engaging and
accessible prose style, the author effectively brings intricate concepts closer
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to the reader, thus making the book suitable for both specialists in AVT and
lay readers interested in this intriguing field.
Chapter 1 lays the foundation for the notion of prefabricated orality,
which, as the author herself acknowledges, must necessarily begin with a
reflection on fundamental terms such as orality and oral language, as well as
writing and written language, while highlighting the intersections between
them. Following this theoretical grounding, the chapter outlines the defining
features of colloquial spontaneous conversation at the phonetic-prosodic,
morphological, syntactic, and lexical-semantic levels. The focus then shifts to
the manifestation of prefabricated orality in both original and dubbed
audiovisual productions. While original and translated telecinematic discourse
share several features, most notably their scripted nature and oral purpose,
they also exhibit key differences that position dubbed speech, or dubbese, as
a distinct form of dialogue. This uniqueness is evident in the constraints
imposed by synchronization requirements (i.e., phonetic synchrony,
isochrony, and kinetic synchrony) and in the tendency toward language
standardization and normative usage, where incongruities and linguistic errors
are generally out of the question.
Chapter 2 establishes the theoretical and methodological framework for
the study of prefabricated orality. Drawing on the principles of Descriptive
Translation Studies (DTS), the author adopts a descriptive approach to
investigate this phenomenon within the audiovisual context. Central to this
framework are the notions of norms (Toury, 2004), polysystem theory (Even-
Zohar, 1990), and patronage (Lefevere, 1992), all of which are widely
discussed to support the development of a solid analytical model and the
selection of an appropriate audiovisual corpus, one that comprises texts that
are not only comparable but also representative. Therefore, the study is
supported by a rigorous and well-articulated methodology that combines
qualitative and quantitative approaches, allowing for a comprehensive
analysis of prefabricated orality in original and dubbed dialogues. By
grounding its findings in two detailed case studies and systematically applying
a replicable analytical framework, the research achieves both depth and
reliability in its results.
The two case studies analysed in the book are introduced in Chapter 3.
The audiovisual corpus is divided into a main and a secondary corpus. The
main corpus consists of two subcorpora: one containing the dialogues from
the domestic Spanish sitcom Siete Vidas (currently available in Amazon Prime
Video and mitele.es), and the other comprising the Spanish dubbed version
of the U.S. sitcom Friends (currently available in HBO Max). The secondary
corpus, analysed when relevant, includes pre-production scripts from the
domestic series and the original English dialogues from the U.S. series. As
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the author explains, one of the main reasons for selecting sitcoms is that their
dialogues are specifically crafted to simulate credible oral conversations, thus
providing an ideal context for examining the features of prefabricated orality.
Furthermore, the two selected series occupy a comparable position within the
Spanish audiovisual polysystem and exhibit several linguistic and structural
similarities, making them particularly suitable for comparative analysis from
both linguistic and translational perspectives.
Chapters 4 and 5 present the findings derived from the analysis of the
two case studies. Although the episodes examined were originally broadcast
in 2003 and 2004, and the data analysis itself was conducted in 2009, both
series are now available on streaming platforms and continue to be regarded
as key reference shows within the Spanish audiovisual landscape. This time
lapse, however, does not affect the validity and relevance of the study. The
features that characterise prefabricated orality in the Spanish dialogues of
both series are analysed across four linguistic levels: phonetic-prosodic,
morphological, lexical, and semantic. A wide array of examples is provided to
illustrate these features, highlighting the most recurrent patterns in the
characters’ speech. These examples are systematically presented in tables,
each accompanied by the necessary contextual information to ensure a
comprehensive understanding of the feature under analysis and the rationale
for its inclusion. With regard to the dubbed version, the book offers a
comparative analysis of the original and translated dialogues, shedding light
on how elements of prefabricated orality have been rendered to suit the new
linguistic and cultural environment. The findings of the study offer fresh and
thought-provoking insights into the linguistic and stylistic strategies used to
construct prefabricated orality in audiovisual fiction. By revealing subtle
differences and patterns between original and dubbed dialogues, the results
make a substantial contribution to our understanding of how dubbing mediates
linguistic authenticity and enhances the viewer's engagement with the
narrative.
A summary of the findings and the concluding remarks drawn from the
analysis are presented in Chapter 6. The results reveal that the domestic
sitcom employs a form of prefabricated speech enriched with numerous
features characteristic of spontaneous oral language. These features are not
only embedded in the original script by the screenwriters but are also
introduced by the actors during performance, thereby enhancing the
naturalness and colloquial tone of the dialogue. The dubbed version similarly
relies on prefabricated speech designed to emulate spontaneous discourse.
However, it ultimately exhibits a lower degree of orality than might initially be
perceived. It blends elements of both oral and written language, with the
lexical level particularly saturated with colloquial vocabulary and expressions
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in an effort to reproduce the informal register. In contrast, the other linguistic
levels tend to adhere more strictly to normative language use, thus leaving
less room for improvisation. Moreover, the comparison between the original
English version and the Spanish dubbed version reveals a notable influence
of the source text on the translation process, a phenomenon referred to as
“interference” (Toury, 2004, p. 344). This influence may diminish the
naturalness of the target text across all linguistic levels. The author concludes
this chapter by conceptualising prefabricated orality as a continuum, with one
end representing a more oral and spontaneous mode and the other a more
written and elaborated one. Within this framework, the domestic sitcom under
analysis occupies a position closer to the oral pole, while the dubbed version
situates itself somewhere in between, since the latter combines elements from
both oral and written modes of expression.
All in all, this work embodies all the essential qualities to establish itself
as a seminal contribution to the field of AVT, particularly in the domain of
Spanish dubbing. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the
foundations and mechanisms of prefabricated orality in audiovisual dialogue,
underpinned by the author’s meticulous and well-substantiated research. This
volume rightly deserves a place on the bookshelf of every scholar and
practitioner in the field, not only as a reference for regular consultation, but
also as a text to be revisited for deeper insight. Although fifteen years have
passed between the initial data collection and the publication of this book, the
final work has unquestionably been worth the wait. The author has
successfully delivered an updated, rigorous, and insightful study that enriches
the current landscape of AVT research and lays the foundation for further
scholarly output and critical reflection in the field of dubbing.
REFERENCES
Baños, R., & Chaume, F. (2009). Prefabricated orality: A challenge in
audiovisual translation. inTRAlinea. Special Issue: The Translation of
Dialects in Multimedia. https://www.intralinea.org/specials/article/1714
Bosseaux, C. (2015). Dubbing, film and performance: Uncanny encounters.
Peter Lang.
Cerezo Merchán, B., Chaume, F., Granell, X., Martí Ferriol, J. L., Martínez
Sierra, J. J., Marzà, A., Torralba Miralles, G. (2016). La traducción para
el doblaje en España. Mapa de convenciones. Publicacions de la
Universitat Jaume I.
Chaume, F. (2018). The retranslation and mediated translation of audiovisual
content in multilingual Spain: Reasons and market trends. Status
Quaestionis, 15, 12–27. https://doi.org/10.13133/2239-1983/14569
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Chaume, F. (2004). Cine y Traducción. Cátedra.
Chaume, F. (2001). La pretendida oralidad en los textos audiovisuales y sus
implicaciones en traducción. In R. Agost & F. Chaume (Eds.), La
traducción en los medios audiovisuales (pp. 77–88). Publicacions de la
Universitat Jaume I.
Even Zohar, I. (1990). Polysystem theory. Poetics today, 11(1), 9–94.
Iaia, P. L. (2015). The Dubbing Translation of Humorous Audiovisual Texts.
Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Lefevere, A. (1992). Translation, rewriting, and the manipulation of literary
fame. Routledge.
Mejías-Climent, L. (2021). Enhancing video game localization through
dubbing. Palgrave Macmillan.
Montero Domínguez, X. (Ed.) (2017). El doblaje. Nuevas vías de
investigación. Comares.
Pavesi, M., Formentelli, M., & Ghia, E. (2015) (Eds.). The languages of
dubbing: Mainstream audiovisual translation in Italy. Peter Lang.
Ranzato, I., & Zanotti, S. (2019). The dubbing revolution. In I. Ranzato & S.
Zanotti (Eds.), Reassessing dubbing: Historical approaches and current
trends (pp. 1–14). John Benjamins.
Sánchez-Mompeán, S. (2020). The prosody of dubbed speech. Beyond the
character’s words. Palgrave Macmillan.
Spiteri Miggiani, G. (2019). Dialogue writing for dubbing: An insider’s
perspective. Palgrave Macmillan.
Toury, G. (2004). Los estudios descriptivos de traducción y más allá. Cátedra.
[SOFÍA SÁNCHEZ-MOMPEÁN]
