Csatár Réka

Dubbed Films are damaging to Language Learning

In Hungary, it is quite common for cinemas to distribute dubbed films instead of subtitled ones. Unfortunately, there is a greater demand for the first one; however, it can be said that a lot of people are still interested in films with the original soundtrack for various reasons, for example, language learning and distrust in the Hungarian voicing actors. Cinemagoers frequently voice their opinions about this always relevant topic. It can be said, that it is not only about one’s comfort; dubbing films can also be damaging to language learning.

Firstly, it can be said that all successful language learners must have some kind of motivation to help them reach their goal. However, dubbed films do not motivate people to learn foreign languages. If the translation is already given, almost forced on them, people will not feel the need to think, but if they watch subtitled films, they might hear differences between the subtitle and the speech, for example, puns. These things can trigger their curiosity and motivate them to look up these differences and learn even more about the language. According to statistics about language knowledge in the European Union, only 12.43% of the adults in Hungary speak English, the lingua franca, which is also usually the original language of the films distributed in Hungary. The webpage using the survey of the European Commission lists Hungary among the countries that do not use sub-titling in the media. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, a country listed among the users of sub-titling, not only in cinemas, but also on television, the percentage of English-speaking adults is 38.46%. (Language knowledge in the European Union. 2012.)

Secondly, a great problem with dubbed films is that often they do not sound authentic; dubbing can take away a certain cultural side of the film. For example, there might be differences in the dialects or accents used by the actors in the film. This can even be an important part of the story; the way they speak can show a lot about a character: where they come from, how educated they are, and various other important aspects. The 2012 film adaptation of David Mitchell’s successful novel, Cloud Atlas could be mentioned as a great example. Cloud Atlas was available both in subtitled and dubbed forms, which is very rare in Hungary. Here, each actor played several characters, differing in their race, nationality or even the period of time they come from. The acting was crucial in this film, and the voice of the actors is an important part of their acting, just like the accent, dialect, slang words or tone were an important part of the story. The makers of the dubbed version often do not even realize this and neglect it, while the viewers might miss an important element of the story, or the possibility of hearing the rich variety of accents is taken away from them. If they would hear the original voices, for example, in a period drama, like the frequent and beloved film adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels, viewers and language learners could even connect it with their historical knowledge of this certain period, and would feel more involved in the film.

Finally, it must be said that even if the viewers of dubbed films are dedicated learners of that foreign language, they are missing one of the greatest opportunities to improve their skills. They can improve their listening skills in an entertaining way, but they also have the chance to get to know the different accents, learn the right pronunciation of words, and all in all, to feel closer to the language they are trying to earn. In education, students usually only have the chance to learn the formal use of the language, which can be very useful when writing academic essays, but it is not quite enough when one wants to have a light conversation. While watching modern films, they can also get acquainted with everyday language and slang, and in the case of the English language, even note the differences between the vocabulary of British and American English.

In conclusion, one can state that these arguments can be useful in the battle against dubbed films. Language learners should all have the chance to compare the translation to the original, to learn about the culture, while watching the film, and to acquire better language skills in an entertaining way.

Works cited

“Percentage of adults in Hungary who can speak the languages below as a native or learned language” and ”Percentage of adults in the Netherlands who can speak the languages below as a native or learned language.”. Language knowledge in the European Union. n.p., Web. 2012.