Résumés
Abstract
Audio description is an intersemiotic translation modality used to make art museums accessible to visually impaired visitors. Existing audio description guidelines in various countries recommend describing only that which is seen, in other words, to avoid subjective interpretations of the visual message. However, there is evidence that some visually impaired people prefer more subjective audio descriptions. The controversy around this issue has generated reception- and product-oriented studies of audio description which demonstrate that not only is subjectivity present in existing audio descriptions, but also that it may benefit the construction of a more meaningful experience. A methodology which combines corpus and contextual analysis and draws on cognitive linguistics as well as art theories has been followed in this study to examine audio descriptive guides in art museums in four different countries. Results show considerable levels of subjectivity and offer a categorization of this element. Additionally, the level and type of subjectivity appear to be influenced by contextual factors, including the level of abstraction of the artwork and the audio describer’s degree of compliance with existing guidelines.
Keywords:
- audio description,
- museum,
- visual arts,
- subjectivity,
- cognitive linguistics
Résumé
L’audiodescription est une modalité de traduction intersémiotique utilisée pour rendre les musées d’art accessibles aux personnes handicapées visuelles. Les directives existantes dans différents pays recommandent de décrire uniquement ce que l’on voit, en évitant les interprétations subjectives du message visuel. Cependant, il apparaît que certaines personnes en situation de handicap visuel préfèrent les audiodescriptions plus subjectives. La polémique liée à cette question a donné lieu à études de l’audiodescription, centrées à la fois sur la réception et sur le produit. Celles-ci montrent que la subjectivité est non seulement présente dans les audiodescriptions existantes, mais aussi qu’elle pourrait contribuer à l’élaboration d’une expérience plus significative. Une méthodologie associant analyse de corpus et analyse contextuelle, s’appuyant sur la linguistique cognitive ainsi que sur les théories de l’art, a été utilisée ici afin d’étudier les guides audiodescriptifs disponibles dans certains musées d’art de quatre différents pays. Les résultats font état de niveaux considérables de subjectivité et proposent une catégorisation de cet élément. De plus, le niveau et type de subjectivité semblent influencés par des facteurs contextuels, dont le degré d’abstraction de l’oeuvre d’art et la mesure dans laquelle l’audiodescripteur s’est conformé aux directives existantes.
Mots-clés :
- audiodescription,
- musée,
- arts visuels,
- subjectivité,
- linguistique cognitive
Resumen
La audiodescripción es una modalidad de traducción intersemiótica utilizada para hacer los museos de arte accesibles para visitantes con una discapacidad visual. Las directrices de audiodescripción existentes en varios países recomiendan describir únicamente aquello que se ve, es decir, evitar las interpretaciones subjetivas del mensaje visual. Sin embargo, existen pruebas de que algunas personas con discapacidad visual prefieren audiodescripciones más subjetivas. La controversia en torno a esta cuestión ha llevado a la realización de estudios de recepción y estudios del producto en audiodescripción. Estos estudios demuestran no solo la presencia de subjetividad en audiodescripciones existentes, sino también que esta podría ayudar a la construcción de una experiencia más significativa. En el estudio que aquí se presenta se ha seguido una metodología que combina el análisis de corpus y del contexto comunicativo y se apoya en la lingüística cognitiva y teorías artísticas para estudiar guías audiodescriptivas en museos de arte en cuatro países diferentes. Los resultados muestran considerables niveles de subjetividad y ofrecen una categorización de este elemento. Asimismo, hay factores contextuales que parecen influir en el tipo y el nivel de subjetividad, como son el nivel de abstracción de la obra de arte y la medida en que el audiodescriptor siguió las directrices existentes.
Palabras clave:
- audiodescripción,
- museo,
- artes visuales,
- subjetividad,
- lingüística cognitiva
Parties annexes
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