Introduction to the Special Issue 2025 Looking Back and Looking Ahead

A Wide Angle Lens on Audiovisual Translation

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47476/jat.v8i2.2025.467

Abstract

This special issue provides a diachronic, critical examination of the accelerating challenges and transformations facing audiovisual translation (AVT)’s practice and research due to constant technological innovation. By tracing AVT's historical evolution, from silent film intertitles to modern AI-driven localization, this introduction to the special issue identifies precedents of adaptive practices and professional resilience. The transition from silent film to sound, which necessitated new workflows (dubbing/subtitling), is presented as a crucial historical analogue for interpreting the current AI upheaval. This analysis demonstrates that technological shifts invariably force the creation of new professional avenues and skills. The papers in this collection investigate the dynamic interplay between technology, evolving audience consumption (e.g., "Netflixication") and the expanding scope of AVT, particularly in accessibility modalities (audio description and SDH). The ultimate objective is to provide a nuanced perspective on how AVT can not only survive but also adapt and redefine the human factor within this rapidly evolving global media ecosystem, positioning the field at a critical juncture between automation and professional expertise.

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Author Biographies

Delia Chiaro, University of Bologna

Delia Chiaro is Professor Emerita at the University of Bologna, Italy. She has published widely on diverse aspects of translation and is especially well known for her work on how humour is translated in diverse audiovisual media. She has given keynotes at numerous conferences around the world including being invited speaker at the European Commission where she gave a lecture on the Italian dubbing industry.

Linda Rossato, Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Linda Rossato is an Associate Professor of English Language and Translation at Ca' Foscari University of Venice. Her main research interests centre on Audiovisual Translation and the Language of Food and Tourism Communication. She has been an active member of nationally funded (PRIN DIETALY) and competitive research projects (DAC, University of Bologna), focusing on the promotion of Italian tourism and the circulation of audiovisual content, respectively. Her most recent publications include the volume Food Television Discourse: A cross-cultural diachronic approach (2022), as well as several articles and book chapters on the language of tourism and food in translation.

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Published

2025-12-18

How to Cite

Chiaro, D., & Rossato, L. (2025). Introduction to the Special Issue 2025 Looking Back and Looking Ahead: A Wide Angle Lens on Audiovisual Translation. Journal of Audiovisual Translation, 8(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.47476/jat.v8i2.2025.467

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 2 (2025): Special Issue 2025: Looking back and looking ahead: A wide angle lens on audiovisual translation

Section

Introduction