Have you ever flicked on the latest critically acclaimed foreign show on Netflix or Amazon, only to be surprised that our Danish heroes or German villains are all speaking perfect English? Did that scenario then lead to the thought that, rather than helping us to learn more about new cultures, the rise of global streaming has meant the world has simply become a homogenised culture in which speaking English is the only way to cut through the noise?
Thankfully not. Netflix in particular has an interest, bordering on obsession, with what it calls "localisation" of content. This is what we used to call "dubbing". In practice this means that, by default, if your preferred language is set to English and you watch the Spanish crime drama Money Heist or the Arabic paranormal drama Jinn, or any other show on the platform that has an English version available, you will automatically be shown the English-language dubbed version. The same thing will happen if your account is set to any one of the 31 languages Netflix currently dubs content into. You can switch to the original language of the film or show and choose subtitles if you wish, but research carried out by the streaming platform last year suggested that most customers prefer to watch dubbed versions.
A history of dubbing
Dubbing used to be largely associated with low-budget martial arts films you'd find in the bargain bin of your local video shop – cheesy, badly put together and usually pretty terribly translated for good measure. These films, along with poorly dubbed spaghetti Westerns and South American soaps, gave rise to the term "too dubby", which quickly became a derogatory expression, and the practice fell out of favour in the 1990s.
The 31 languages Netflix now dubs into is an increase of about 30 per cent in only two years, while the streaming service says consumption of dubbed content on its platform is rising at a rate of 120 per cent annually
But with the rise of global streaming services, dubbing (or localisation as we now call it, to steer clear of those negative connotations) has been given a new lease of life. Netflix, Amazon and the rest want to captivate audiences all over the world and that's a lot easier if you speak to them in their native language.
The 31 languages Netflix now dubs into is an increase of about 30 per cent in only two years, while the streaming service says consumption of dubbed content on its platform is rising at a rate of 120 per cent annually.
Although the exact figures are not available, Amazon also provides specific instructions for producers on how to label and deliver audio files in alternative languages, and strongly encourages it.
Netflix's vice president for international originals, Kelly Luegenbiehl, said at the Berlin Film Festival in February that while most viewers say they prefer to watch shows in the original languages with subtitles, in reality, if they are given the choice they will choose to watch the dubbed versions. That is perhaps an indication that while we all like to talk about ourselves as cultured souls who watch films with subtitles, we really prefer the easy option.
That default language setting could account for some of this data – if we're offered the show or movie in our native language automatically, why would we seek to change it? But again, the research suggests there's more to it. Last year, Netflix streamed dubbed and subtitled versions of the French drama Marseilles to two controlled groups of viewers. The company said those who watched the dubbed version proved "far more likely" to finish the series.
It seems the all-powerful algorithms of the digital age know us better than we know ourselves, for all our protestations of loving subtitles. Globally, the German drama Dark was watched in its dubbed version by 81 per cent of audiences in English-speaking countries.
Of course, in the digital world, the process has become much more high tech and far less sloppy looking, and sounding, than the whoops and yelps of those martial arts films of old, fun though they were (and where would Wu-Tang Clan's sample library be without them?). While previously dubbing was simply a question of getting a voice actor into a studio for an afternoon and then overlaying the new soundtrack, modern dubbing is a different beast. The plan these days is to do it so that viewers don't even realise a show has been dubbed.
How dubbing actually works
Deeny Kaplan, executive vice president of Miami dubbing house The Kitchen, describes the process as painstaking work, going from breaking down the original script by syllable and delivering a translation in a metre and structure as close as possible to the original. Actors are used who have carefully studied the tone and tempo of the original speech, with intricate time coding also a feature of the process, while video is slowed down or sped up to correctly lip sync speech on occasions when an appropriate translation can't help by itself.
The key to a successful dub, she says, lies in "using native speakers, correct casting and proper adaption". "There's no room for mistakes today," she says. "You have several levels of quality checks, for everything from sound checks to music and mixing. All of it is scrutinised."
The resurgence of dubbing in prime time shows and movies has even led to a new category of localised celebrities – Isabelle Cunha, the Brazilian voice of Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven in Stranger Things, has amassed a YouTube following of 24,000 people who tune in to watch her talk about life as a dubbing artist.
Meanwhile, Tatyana Shitov, the Russian voice of Natasha Lyonne's character Nadia Vulvokov in Russian Doll, revealed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter this month that she sometimes gets more credit for her voice work than she does for her roles as a regular actor. "I was on stage performing, I was the lead. I went through every possible emotion. I took my bow," she said. "Then a young man gave me flowers and said: 'You voiced …' and named a part and a movie. I was baffled and shocked. I was recognised not for my talent on stage but for my talent in dubbing."
The trend seems unlikely to go away. Netflix currently works with about 125 facilities worldwide to meet the demand for localised content. Two years ago the company appointed a director of international dubbing, Debra Chinn, a move that seems likely to have led to the increase in languages made available on the platform over that period. In April, Netflix also created the position of creative manager for English dubbing. Similar positions for other languages seem sure to follow.
With the rise of global streaming, not only have audiences been offered a vastly increased selection of shows and movies to watch from every corner of the globe, but an entire industry has been given a shot in the arm that would have been unthinkable even a decade ago. And the best thing is, if it’s done well, we don’t even know it’s been done at all.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
Naga
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Manchester City 4
Otamendi (52) Sterling (59) Stones (67) Brahim Diaz (81)
Real Madrid 1
Oscar (90)
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
The specs
Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre
Power: 325hp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh189,700
On sale: now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE gold medallists:
Omar Al Suweidi (46kg), Khaled Al Shehhi (50kg), Khalifa Humaid Al Kaabi (60kg), Omar Al Fadhli (62kg), Mohammed Ali Al Suweidi (66kg), Omar Ahmed Al Hosani (73), all in the U18’s, and Khalid Eskandar Al Blooshi (56kg) in the U21s.
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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SERIES INFO
Schedule:
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
1st ODI, Wed Apr 10
2nd ODI, Fri Apr 12
3rd ODI, Sun Apr 14
4th ODI, Sun Apr 16
UAE squad
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Zimbabwe squad
Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
Results
Final: Iran beat Spain 6-3.
Play-off 3rd: UAE beat Russia 2-1 (in extra time).
Play-off 5th: Japan beat Egypt 7-2.
Play-off 7th: Italy beat Mexico 3-2.
