(Re)Assessing the Adaptation of Audiovisual Taboo Content: The Role of Paratextual Information

Abstract

This paper focuses on a recent shift in the adaptation of taboo language and content that has been happening over the last few years in the dubbing and subtitling of audiovisual content for the entertainment industry. While previous research on the cross-cultural adaptation of taboo language and subjects has pointed out that blatant examples of manipulation and censorship often occurred in dubbed and subtitled dialogue, this paper argues that recent changes in the distribution of audiovisual content – such as the global presence of streaming and on-demand platforms and an increased awareness from audiences – now tend to make it less likely for major cases of cross-cultural taboo manipulation to happen without going unnoticed or generating pushback. By looking at the cases of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, the paper argues that the paratextual information available on the interfaces of streaming platforms – in the form of extra-textual tags and content advisories – reframes taboo content for global audiences in a less invasive way when compared to the heavy-handed, textual manipulation that was common in dubbing and subtitling in the age of (exclusively) linear TV. Examples from the Netflix and Amazon Prime Video English- and Italian-language interfaces are provided to support the idea that in these cases cultural and linguistic localization can play a crucial role in adapting taboo content for global audiences and in affecting their viewing choices.