Reel Labels: Perpetuating Arab Stereotypes Through Vernaculars in Dubbed Animation - The Case of Space Jam: A New Legacy

In an era defined by global connectivity, cross-cultural communication has become paramount. However, this communication is often distorted by ingrained stereotypes pertaining to gender, race, appearance, beliefs, personality traits, social class, and languages or dialects. This study probes the complex dynamics of stereotypes in the Arabic dubbed version of the American film "Space Jam: A New Legacy" (2021), focusing on its utilization of six language variants: Egyptian, Lebanese, Gulf, Iraqi, Tunisian Syrian, and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). Employing Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) as the principal framework, the study scrutinizes the linguistic nuances and semiotic elements to discern whether these dialects challenge or perpetuate existing stereotypes within the Arab World. The findings echo a predominantly problematic depiction of Arabs, wherein the selected dialects and MSA often perpetuate rather than dismantle stereotypes. These include the portrayal of Upper Egyptians as rash and unintelligent, foreigners as thieves, Gulf men as malevolent, Iraqis as irritated, and MSA as antiquated. Contrastingly, the Lebanese dialect emerges as a disruptor, presenting Lebanese women positively as successful, independent, and empowered, thus countering the prevailing stereotype. This research underscores language's potent role in shaping and reflecting cultural perceptions and biases.