OffStimme

OffStimme, often written Offstimme or Off-Stimme, is a German term used to describe a voice that is heard but not seen within audiovisual media or on stage. It typically refers to a narrator, commentator, or voice-over whose speech accompanies the action from off-screen, off-stage, or from a position outside the immediate on-screen world. In German-language contexts the term is used across film, television, radio, theatre, and documentary work.

In practice, OffStimme can function as a non-diegetic narrating voice—providing information, interpretation, or commentary that does not belong to the characters within the story. It can also be diegetic when a character speaks from an offstage location or when the voice exists within the world but is not visually present. This versatility allows OffStimme to shape audience perception, create irony, or offer insights that the on-screen dialogue does not express.

The concept is closely related to the broader idea of voice-over in media studies, but it emphasizes the off-screen origin of the voice rather than the exact medium. In theatre, literature, and radio, similar devices appear under different labels, yet the core function remains: to add a layer of narration, context, or commentary that complements the visible action.

Overall, OffStimme is a descriptive term for a voice heard without a corresponding visible performer, serving narrative, informational, or interpretive purposes in German-language media.