Publication Title
Institutional audiovisual translation. A (shop) window on the world
Publication Type
Book chapter
Editor(s)
Title of edited book
Audiovisual Translation in a Global Context: Mapping an Ever-changing Landscape
Year of publication
2015
Pages
13-27
Publisher
City
Language(s)
English
Modalities
Source
BITRA
Abstract
While audiovisual translation (AVT) has flourished in recent years, both in technological and academic circles, to date the focus has mainly been on the use, analysis, development and translation of commercial products, namely films, television series, documentaries, video games and, to a lesser extent, advertising and promotional material. Official institutions and non-profit organizations have also realized the need to use multimedia and audiovisual technologies as an effective public relations and image-building tool. This is at a time of international crisis and economic downturn (which is said to have started around 2008) when social, economic, environmental and human affairs have generated interest worldwide.
In some contexts, however, the importance of high-quality AVT seems still to be underestimated. As Adrián Fuentes Luque's contribution shows, this seems to be the case with some official institutions and non-profit organizations. Having identified the power of audiovisual and multimedia content as an effective communications and public relations tool, some of these institutions seem to be more concerned to assert their multimedia presence than about the appropriateness of their audiovisual programmes. Yet, as Fuentes Luque argues, international institutions using audiovisual material to communicate and increase their visibility should not be satisfied with being a virtual shop window on the world, and should instead adopt a diverse and integrating approach. The author discusses how ‘institutional audiovisual translation' differs from traditional AVT and traditional institutional translation and offers a descriptive overview of its characteristics through a wide range of interesting case studies of prominent institutions worldwide. Drawing on examples from the European Commission webcast portal and the United Nations webcast, among others, the paper outlines potential areas for improvement and identifies the need to establish adequate quality standards, appropriate linguistic conventions and consistent accessibility policies as far as audiovisual content is concerned.
In some contexts, however, the importance of high-quality AVT seems still to be underestimated. As Adrián Fuentes Luque's contribution shows, this seems to be the case with some official institutions and non-profit organizations. Having identified the power of audiovisual and multimedia content as an effective communications and public relations tool, some of these institutions seem to be more concerned to assert their multimedia presence than about the appropriateness of their audiovisual programmes. Yet, as Fuentes Luque argues, international institutions using audiovisual material to communicate and increase their visibility should not be satisfied with being a virtual shop window on the world, and should instead adopt a diverse and integrating approach. The author discusses how ‘institutional audiovisual translation' differs from traditional AVT and traditional institutional translation and offers a descriptive overview of its characteristics through a wide range of interesting case studies of prominent institutions worldwide. Drawing on examples from the European Commission webcast portal and the United Nations webcast, among others, the paper outlines potential areas for improvement and identifies the need to establish adequate quality standards, appropriate linguistic conventions and consistent accessibility policies as far as audiovisual content is concerned.