Audio Description for the Arts : A Linguistic Perspective

This book traces the development of audio description (AD), a form of audiovisual translation delivered orally and consumed aurally that makes visual elements accessible primarily to people who are visually impaired, and in particular, art AD as an emergent sub-genre.

Perego reflects on the static arts and the role of modern museums as key sites for art AD and multisensory environments that create memorable experiences for visitors. Based on professional, pre-recorded British and American English AD scripts, this book outlines the textual and linguistic features of art AD and its most relevant textual patterns. It explores diverse AD practices across different contexts, including stand-alone ADs for specific paintings and sculptures that can be consumed independently to enhance the appeal and accessibility of cultural environments. Moreover, the book investigates AD tours, which provide descriptions of a selection of interconnected artworks while also assisting, through focused instructions, visually impaired individuals in navigating the museum space, as well as touch tours, which incorporate procedural instructions on how to experience three-dimensional art or reproductions through tactile senses.

Offering unique insights and future research directions for this growing area, this volume will be of interest to students and scholars in translation studies and media accessibility.

Elisa Perego is Associate Professor of English Language and Translation at the University of Trieste, Italy. She is co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Audio Description (with Christopher Taylor, 2022). She has published on audiovisual translation, language simplification, and media accessibility.