ROYAL DIALOGUES IN THE CROWN: A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF FORMS OF ADDRESS IN ITALIAN DUBBING

This thesis explores address forms in audiovisual (AV) translation, focusing on the transition from English to Italian dubbing in the TV series The Crown. Forms of address play a crucial role in establishing and maintaining social relationships and their choice is influenced by various factors, including social context and the personal dynamics between interlocutors. This research builds upon the foundational work of Brown and Gilman (1960s), who explored the distinctions in address pronouns across languages. The primary aim of this thesis is to investigate how these differences in address forms are handled in the dubbing process, focusing on the factors that influence translation choices. It explores the possible discrepancies between the original English version and the dubbed Italian version, analyzing whether these differences align with the linguistic norms of contemporary Italian. The research also examines the functions of shifts in modes of address. These shifts, whether occurring over time or within the same conversation, serve as key indicators of the evolution of interpersonal dynamics between characters. The thesis is organized into five chapters. The first chapter introduces the foundational concepts of address forms across languages, highlighting the distinction between the Italian system, which differentiates the informal tu and formal lei to convey different levels of familiarity and respect, and the English system, which lacks a clear distinction between address pronouns and relies on lexical elements. Chapter two explores the field of AV translation and provides a detailed observation on the dubbing process. The third chapter presents an overview of The Crown, which includes a brief synopsis of the plot and the main characters, and offers contextualization for the analysis. Chapter four outlines the research methodology and presents the analysis, identifying and discussing dubbing translation choices. The last chapter summarizes findings and reflects on the relevance of forms of address in AV translation. This work aims to emphasize the importance of accurately translating address forms in dubbing, in order to maintain the authenticity of dialogues while adhering linguistic norms.