The choice of what to subtitle—and how—carries significant weight.
In the world of Dune , language is not a monolith. The English subtitles function as a tool for "Neo-Chakobsa," a language created by linguists David and Jessie Peterson for the film. By subtitling the Fremen speech in English, Villeneuve emphasizes their status as "other" and native to Arrakis, contrasting their ancient, rooted culture against the colonial imposition of the Great Houses who speak the "standard" tongue. The Complexity of Translation Dune subtitles English
: Some lines, like the Sardaukar chants, are occasionally left without subtitles or with minimal ones to maintain a sense of alien dread. contrasting their ancient