Aloha! Domestication and foreignization in the Brazilian Portuguese dubbing of Lilo & Stitch

Abstract

Dubbing is the process of replacing the original voices of an audiovisual production with others in a foreign language. Typically, this is done to make the content accessible to those who are not proficient in the original language of the production and may not benefit from subtitles, such as children and individuals with limited literacy skills. The recreation aims not only to maintain the content but also the emotions, intonations, and nuances of the original performance, while synchronizing the sound with the lip movements of the characters on screen. Therefore, translation is just one requirement for the viability of dubbing. This study investigates the translation choices into Brazilian Portuguese of the final segment of the animation Lilo & Stitch and their potential impact on the target audience. Using pragmatic strategies of foreignization and domestication as an analytical framework for the songs, Hawaiian lexicon, and children's games present in the work, we conclude that there was inconsistency in the application of the strategies in the Brazilian version. Furthermore, some of the choices identified may lead to the erasure of cultural elements specific to Americans, particularly those of Native Hawaiian peoples.