This study examines how linguistic variety in Arabic dubbing-specifically the use of Egyptian Arabic (EA) and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA)-affects character construction, multimodal cohesion, and audience engagement in animated films. By comparing the English source text (ST) with its Arabic-dubbed versions, this research investigates the interplay between linguistic and non-linguistic elements, such as gestures, visual representation, and character behaviour, in shaping audience perception.
The study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative multimodal discourse analysis with quantitative corpus-based examination. Three Disney films-Cinderella (1950), The Lion King (1994), and Pocahontas (1995)-serve as the core corpus, providing a diachronic perspective on the shifts in dubbing strategies. A structured dataset documents character-specific linguistic varieties, intermodal relationships, and translation choices across the English, EA, and MSA versions. The analysis applies the framework of Ramos Pinto & Mubaraki (2020) to assess whether linguistic choices align with, contradict, or exist independently of non-linguistic elements.
Findings reveal that EA dubbing enhances character expressivity, humor, and audience relatability, particularly for comedic and emotionally driven roles. In contrast, MSA is often associated with formality and narrative authority but may create communicative distance, especially in character-driven interactions. The study also highlights how industry-driven language policies have shaped the transition between EA and MSA dubbing, reflecting broader ideological and sociopolitical considerations.
By bridging sociolinguistics, audiovisual translation, and multimodal analysis, this research contributes to the understanding of how language choice in dubbing influences character portrayal, cultural representation, and audience reception. The findings have broader implications for dubbing practices in Arabic media localization and global audiovisual translation strategies.
