Cultural adaptation in Arabic dubbing: a case study of <i>Al Shamshoon</i> , MBC’s Arabic version of <i>The Simpsons</i>

The global appeal of The Simpsons stems from its dense use of cultural references and satirical portrayals of social life, yet little attention has been paid to how this content is reshaped in Arabic dubbing. This study examines the translation of cultural expressions in Al Shamshoon, the Arabic adaptation of The Simpsons produced and broadcast by MBC Group, focusing on selected early episodes. Using a qualitative-dominant textual analysis supported by descriptive quantitative frequency counts, the study analyses a corpus of 100 cultural expressions to identify translation techniques and interpret their ideological orientation, with particular emphasis on value-based and cultural constraints shaping the adaptation process. The analysis explores how cultural expressions – including names, idiomatic expressions, social practices, and institutional references – are adapted for Arab audiences and how these adaptations reveal underlying ideological value systems. The findings show that social and material expressions occur most frequently and are predominantly domesticated to ensure value conformity and audience acceptability, while ecological expressions appear less often and are more likely to be preserved. Although domestication enhances accessibility and alignment with dominant normative frameworks, extensive modification may alter character identities and attenuate the series’ satirical force. These results highlight the ideological consequences of audiovisual dubbing practices and demonstrate that prioritizing acceptability does not necessarily ensure successful adaptation.