TRAINING, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

With the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, viewers now have greater access to language and accessibility features. Audio description (AD) translates visual information into spoken language, enabling access for viewers with visual impairments. To match the experience of sighted audiences, AD must convey all visual cues, including physical appearances. Despite its importance, this area – where accessibility and inclusivity intersect – remains understudied. This paper investigates how Netflix’s AD represents different body types, physiques, and visible disabilities among able-bodied and disabled individuals. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the study analyses AD in two series, one film, and one documentary to assess clarity, accuracy, consistency, and implications of these descriptions. Findings reveal inconsistencies in describing body shape and size, with such references being rare and often contingent on plot relevance. Descriptions typically appear in contexts tied to body image or physical performance, especially relating to athleticism and (dis)ability. In cases involving disability, AD often describes mobility aids rather than the individuals themselves – an approach that avoids potentially offensive terms but risks reinforcing the taboo around discussing disability. The study suggests that these inconsistencies stem from both linguistic limitations and a reliance on perceived relevance. It concludes that prevailing discourse and stigma around describing human bodies complicate AD practices. Further research is needed to refine AD guidelines, ensuring they reflect the perspectives of both those being described and those who rely on AD.

This study investigates the translation of shared culture-bound expressions in the English version of the Arabic novel The Yacoubian Building and its subtitled film adaptation. A total of 50 expressions found in both the written text (RT) and the cinematic text (CT) are identified and classified into four thematic categories: swearing, idiomatic/proverbial, religious, and address expressions. The analysis examines the use of three translation strategies across these genres: cultural substitution, paraphrase, and literal translation. Cultural substitution is the most frequently used strategy overall and is consistently applied across both genres (RT 32% and CT 30%) and across thematic categories. Literal translation is more frequent in the RT (20%) than in the CT (14%), indicating a greater tolerance for cultural retention in written discourse. Paraphrase, by contrast, is employed more often in the CT (44%) than in the RT (22%), reflecting its practicality in subtitling, where spatial and temporal constraints limit the use of literal or culturally anchored renderings. The findings also reveal that swearing and religious expressions are most often translated using cultural substitution due to their cross-culturally familiar nature, while idiomatic and proverbial expressions are primarily paraphrased because of their deeply embedded linguistic and cultural features. While the translations in both genres are largely successful in conveying meaning, the study recommends expanding the use of cultural substitution in audiovisual contexts to maintain viewer engagement and preserve discursive impact.