sound film: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Historical, Technical
Quick answer
What does “sound film” mean?
A motion picture that has a synchronized soundtrack, including spoken dialogue, music, and sound effects, as opposed to a silent film.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A motion picture that has a synchronized soundtrack, including spoken dialogue, music, and sound effects, as opposed to a silent film.
In a historical context, a film that was an early technological innovation where audio was recorded and played in sync with the moving image. The term is now mostly used to distinguish early 20th-century films from their silent predecessors.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is equally historical/technical in both varieties.
Connotations
Primarily evokes the era of early cinema (late 1920s-1930s) in both cultures.
Frequency
Very low frequency in contemporary use, appearing mainly in historical/academic texts. Slightly more common in film studies contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “sound film” in a Sentence
The [director] made several early sound films.The advent of [the] sound film revolutionized cinema.[Film title] is a landmark sound film from [year].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sound film” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The sound-film era began in the late 1920s.
- We studied sound-film technology in our media course.
American English
- The sound-film era began in the late 1920s.
- The museum has a collection of sound-film equipment.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare, unless in the context of a film studio's historical business model.
Academic
Common in film history, media studies, and cultural history courses and texts.
Everyday
Very rare. Might be used by film enthusiasts discussing early cinema.
Technical
Used in film preservation, restoration, and historical analysis to specify the technology used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sound film”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sound film”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sound film”
- Using 'sound film' to refer to a modern movie with good audio quality. It's a historical term, not a qualitative one.
- Confusing it with 'film score' (the music composed for a film).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically, yes, but the term is redundant now. It is only used to specifically contrast with 'silent film' in a historical or technical sense.
They are synonyms. 'Talkie' is a more informal, period-specific term that was popular when the technology was new. 'Sound film' is the more formal, technical term.
The transition happened rapidly between 1927 and the early 1930s. By the mid-1930s, silent film production had essentially ceased for major studios.
Because the feature of synchronized sound is now a universal, default characteristic of film. You only specify an attribute when it is not the default (e.g., 'silent film', '3D film').
A motion picture that has a synchronized soundtrack, including spoken dialogue, music, and sound effects, as opposed to a silent film.
Sound film is usually historical, technical in register.
Sound film: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsaʊnd fɪlm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsaʊnd fɪlm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The talkies (informal historical term encompassing sound films)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the SOUND you hear from the FILM. Before 1927, films were 'silent'—this one broke the silence.
Conceptual Metaphor
TECHNOLOGICAL EVOLUTION IS A JOURNEY (e.g., 'the transition to sound film', 'the dawn of sound film').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'sound film' most accurately used today?