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a corpus-based approach to the language of audio description

a corpus-based approach to the language of audio description

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enjoyment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> performance itself.<br />

As <strong>to</strong> soap operas, ITC (2000) suggests inserting a kind <strong>of</strong> reminder at<br />

<strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> programme, since <strong>the</strong>re is less need <strong>to</strong> repeat <strong>the</strong> cast<br />

that is actually always <strong>the</strong> same. In case a new character is introduced, it<br />

might be useful <strong>to</strong> insert a short <strong>description</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> character, <strong>to</strong> help visually<br />

impaired viewers familiarizing not only with his/her voice but also with<br />

his/her physical appearance and behaviour.<br />

In nature documentaries, although <strong>the</strong>re is already a commentary, it can<br />

be useful <strong>to</strong> insert <strong>audio</strong> <strong>description</strong> in <strong>the</strong> long pauses where only sound is<br />

heard. In addition, since part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> viewing impaired population is <strong>to</strong>tally<br />

blind and has no mental image <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> appearance <strong>of</strong> nature elements, whe<strong>the</strong>r<br />

it is vegetation or animals, <strong>audio</strong> <strong>description</strong> might intervene <strong>to</strong> explain how<br />

things look like, which is not usually provided by own commentary within a<br />

documentary. In current affairs documentaries, which traditionally need little<br />

or no <strong>description</strong> at all because <strong>the</strong>y are mostly spoken, sometimes it is<br />

useful <strong>to</strong> voice <strong>the</strong> on screen subtitles that are inaccessible <strong>to</strong> visually<br />

impaired people.<br />

Sport events are also quite difficult <strong>to</strong> <strong>audio</strong>describe. Indeed, a<br />

distinction should be made between live sports and pre-recorded sport<br />

performances. For <strong>the</strong> latter, although it is possible <strong>to</strong> insert some <strong>audio</strong><br />

<strong>description</strong> strings, putting this principle in<strong>to</strong> practice is somehow impossible<br />

because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> short time <strong>audio</strong> <strong>description</strong> should be delivered. This<br />

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