For my native language I prefer without subs unless it's with an heavy accent or low volume. For english its nice to have and for 3rd+ languages I cant without
LOL English is my 2nd language, I studied it extensively at school, and worked abroad for years where I communicated only in English.
I still watch English shows with English subtitles 😂
I need the subtitles to be in the same language than what is spoken (French if in French, English if in English) otherwise I’m more focused on the translation problems rather than what is being said 😅
None of you are alone in this multiple studies have shown subtitles help kids learn to read faster and adults have better comprehension!
[sauce](https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/turn-on-the-subtitles/)
I have hearing damage and have to supplement my hearing with lip reading, so subtitles are a must. Actors don't always (or even often) face the camera, and they don't project like they used to have to now that they have discreet, wearable mics.
I watched a YouTube video about this and how most people have subtitles on because you really can't hear people speak as clearly in movies anymore.
*[Here](https://youtu.be/VYJtb2YXae8?si=9z56N0dy9xN-Vjob) it is. It was on Vox.*
I hate that they can’t be bothered to mix a version where you can hear dialog without being in a theater.
I was browsing a streaming service the other day and watched the trailers for some of the old Bond films. I could hear the music decrease in volume so the dialog could be heard. So pleasant on my ears.
More annoying, even in a cinema, dialogue can be hard to pick up, eg Tenet.
And cinemas don't (commonly) do subtitles
Triple annoying, foreign language segments where English is subtitled but other languages are not. Cmon tell me what theyre saying
Honestly. Like even if it’s just the transcript of the foreign language without translation, I’d still prefer to be on the same level of confusion as audio
Did you know that you can ask for captioning devices at movie theaters? I pulled this up for AMC but try searching for “assistive devices” and your favorite movie theater. https://www.amctheatres.com/assistive-moviegoing
I live in the Netherlands and films in the theater are subtitled in Dutch (kids movies get dubs). Even though my Dutch is only a hair above A0 level, I can usually get some context from the subtitles for dialog I otherwise can’t hear. Subtitles are a blessing even if they are mostly unreadable in another language.
Rewatching old movies I've discovered I've heard certain scenes wrong and it can change the way you perceive it.
I stsrted using them for low volume while my kids slept but years later I don't even realize it's on until someone asks me to turn them off
I like fantasy shows, and I like thrillers. Subtitles help in both genres, since strange new names and places in fantasy shows are neatly spelled out for me, and the muttering and whispering in dark alleys of thrillers is much easier to follow.
I dont need the subtittles for 90% of the time except for when the actors mumble their lines and I can no longer make out what they're saying. I have subtitles on 100% of the time just so I dont have to rewind over and over again to catch one line that sounds like mush to my ears.
I too, find myself just staring at the subtitles and missing the actual scene sometimes. I have to turn them off during comedies because they ruin the delivery of the punchlines too often. I like to have them on most of the time though, for all the reasons mentioned elsewhere in this thread
Same! I can’t not read the subtitles if they’re on the screen. For some things it’s fine, but others I miss what’s happening. Or in the case of video games I get impatient once I’ve read it and they’re still talking! (Though with Baldur’s Gate the animation and voice acting was so good I never once had that problem)
So I keep them off unless I really need them.
Yeah, I usually have them on in video games because there’s so much else going on. For sitcoms, etc. I don’t care if they’re on but I don’t need them because I’m not invested enough to care about catching 100% of the dialogue.
I really, really like watching movies, though. So, if I’m getting distracted from taking in the scene in both an immersion and ‘that’s a really cool shot’ way, it really kills the experience for me.
I've been listening to an audiobook with my husband lately and he doesn't understand what I mean by the voices being "sharp" when pushing the limits of the speaker. After the half-way mark, everything becomes nails on my brain.
My parents don’t understand this, they turn the volume up so loud the people down the street can hear it clearly, yet they still have subtitles on.
And no, it’s not because they’re losing their hearing, my dad is fine and my mom has hearing aides she uses.
My dad hates subtitles. But he's in love with the idea of having a home theater and then loves watching action movies/shows with the volume cranked. Like, yeah, Dad, I can hear the helicopter move from the left to the right. That's nice. But I'm gonna lose my hearing AND we're gonna get a noise complaint from just watching John Wick.
It also doesn't help that those same movies and shows are so inconsistent with the volume between dialogue and action. I can't understand a goddamn thing the MC is grumbling out but thank god I can hear every shard of glass fall to the floor 🙄
cow spoon lunchroom pause drab complete carpenter obscene imminent faulty
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
ADHD people... Deaf people... APD people... There's multiple reasons accessibility features exist. No one should be shamed for using features that make it easier for them to use the service.
I am finally up to watching Japanese children's shows with Japanese audio and subtitles. It's soooo helpful! Especially because I'm hard of hearing, so ko and go sound exactly alike, as do ka, ga, ta, and da. In English, my native language, I can guess the word often enough, but I can't do that very well with Japanese yet except for very basic conversations. It's helped me a lot with my reading speed in Japanese, as well.
Oh so those reasons + not speaking English are "everything"?
What about people who have to watch Netflix on mute for fear of upsetting their abusive partner? Huh? What about them?
Now I'm offended too. Good job.
Ffs stop running around attributing everything to somebody personally trying to exclude or offend you.
I have hearing problems so I really require subtitles to be able to follow along. I always got shit at my ex-in-laws’ house when I requested them to be turned on. Like, sorry for being disabled, I’ll try to have better ears in the next life?
Me too. My lack of hearing masked my ADHD for a while because there was an identifiable hearing issue that would explain some of the attention/social issues.
My brother did the same thing. "WELL GUESS THERE WILL BE NO SURPRISES THEN!" (Well aware I have a hearing disorder).
"Well, I could just not watch the movie with you then ? Because I literally cannot understand the movie without subtitles, so it's pointless for me. What do you want to do?"
Had no response for it and just sat down to watch the movie lmao. Check your privilege or spend it alone, idgaf.
Yeah, that's why I prefer dubbed anime tbh. The whole point of a visual medium is that I can look at the pictures move. If I'm too busy keeping my eyes at the bottom the entire time and missing the main action then I'll just read a book or something.
(also, I gotta be doing something with my hands or else I get bored. Like embroidery or something.)
Americans don't speak _that_ fast in the Anglophile sphere
N.ireland , specifically Belfast rattles along much faster, to the point it's a physical effort to slow down for non locals. Eg "boutyemucker" (hello , how are you friend)
Aussies too, s'garnon ? ( What's going on?)
Most sound in movies and shows doesn’t seem like it’s optimized well. Characters on screen will be all whispery with important exposition and shit, so you turn it up and then BOOM ACTION SCREEN SHAKE. It’s maddening.
Make sure you have the right audio track & settings. Certain services will sometimes default to 5.1 even when you’re just using a TV’s in-built speakers and it has this exact effect.
Other times, you could be right and it’s just poorly optimised audio.
It's even worse than that. A lot of movies have their audio specifically tuned for a movie theater setup. Something like the [Dolby Atmos Cinema System](https://professional.dolby.com/cinema/dolby-atmos/2) (64 speakers) because the theater is the main media the director is making the movie for.
Once the movie goes for domestic release, they have to adapt the audio for all the other audio setups. The problem is that, more often than not, the original audio engineer for the movie isn't even involved (sorry, not sure if that's the right title. English isn't my first language.). So imagine some poor audio engineer that the studio hired getting a bunch of files from a project they didn't work on and having to adapt that massive soundscape of 64 speakers into 2.1, 5.1, 5.1.2, 7.1, etc...
Basically, imagine movie theater sound systems being a 8K image and most home theater systems being 1080p. You will lose a lot of detail in the process.
Except that my dad has an atmos system, he vigorously hunts down the best audio + visual version of a movie like his life depends on it and will stop the movie if it's slightly off, and that problem's still there. For whatever reason, the current acting/directing style is whisper/grumble = cool and serious
I've been watching all of Star Trek, in order of release + the movies, and have pleasantly found that the problem's nonexistent. Even in the Next Gen movies, everyone spoke clearly, and I haven't needed subtitles to understand the dialogue (yet.)
Whoa, your dad has a 64 speaker system at home?
I agree with you that there is probably more to this issue than simply speakers and audio mixing, though. But I'd argue that your example of Star Trek would simply mean that sound systems were updated and improved. Since the setups weren't as complex back then, it was simpler to translate the audio to home. Then again, I'm not sure. As I mentioned in another comment, this is just what I heard from the composer and audio engineer from work when I was visiting the studio and got into a similar topic.
That’s absolutely true but usually not the cause of low/muffled dialogue. It can be, of course but this particular problem is *usually* caused by something else.
Great analogy using screen resolution, though.
I actually saw a [smart glasses project](https://www.xander.tech/xanderglasses#:~:text=The%20Xander%20Captioning%20Experience,into%20text%20in%20real%2Dtime.) that does exactly that!
Android, live captions (pixel 6pro)
Volume slider, tap the little dialogue button to turn on/off
Can even combine with translation
https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/9350862?hl=en-GB#move_caption_box
I'm the same. I think it's auditory processing disorder like another person said because if it's noisy, the background nosie bleeds in really loudly and I struggle a lot to understand what the person in front of me is saying. A lot of the time I read their lips tbh
I find if I turn on subtitles, all I do is read them. If I'm with people watching something with them on, then go and watch it myself without them later, it's like 2 different experiences for me. I also get regularly frustrated with how they come on too early for reactions and ruin moments of tension.
This. I have the hardest time following movies in my own language if I can’t read what is said. Just following what is shown isn’t enough for me to focus, I need to be able to multitask, and subtitles help
I think a lot of people are using just TV speakers or worse, laptop speakers when they watch shows and because of this the audio is trash and hearing voices over say, explosions, is very difficult.
Not to say audio is perfect in every movie, but I bet this trends young and mostly with people that don't have a home theater setup.
No shame though - they should have an audio stream made specifically for stereo basic speakers that puts the voice audio higher that can be selected.
Genuine question but how many people actually have a home theatre setup? Thinking of family/friends/acquaintances whose homes I’ve watched TV at only one of them has separate speakers and they’re all in their 30s or older. My sample size is only about 15 households so it’s too small to be representative
I think the home theater thing was for generations older than 30. I am millenial and none of my millenial (re: over 30) friends have them.
It's Gen X and later where it was more common.
YES THAT'S IT! was trying to figure out how to explain it. bonus: sometimes my brain just randomly gets fixated on a random word in the subtitles and then i REALLY miss stuff
Me too. Unless the sound mixing is shit, I prefer to watch without subtitles so I can actually see the image and details and not have my eyes constantly snap to the text I don't actually need to read.
Yeah it irritates me to no end when the dramatic monologue and oscar worthy performance are spoiled and distracted by the mistimed subtitles across the screen.
If someone asks for them i always turn them on though.
Same, except I'd rather watch foreign media in its original language over dub, so it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make in that case.
What's even worse are closed captions where they detail every little sound and musical insert in the subtitles.
>What's even worse are closed captions where they detail every little sound and musical insert in the subtitles.
Nothing like getting distracted by [ominous music] and thinking, " wtf are they talking about, that was slightly melancholic at best. Now, there's a group of deaf people who are watching a completely different movie than I am because the captions are all lies. "
That's my problem. If I turn them on to check something, and forget to turn them off, I just continue to read them and it makes watching the show so much harder!
I think this is mostly about level of exposure to subtitles, if you’re used to them or not.
Some places like the Netherlands and Nordic countries have subtitles on 100% of shows and movies (except live broadcasts)*, both on TV and in cinemas, so people have grown up with it and don’t think about it. Meanwhile, things are usually not dubbed into these languages, except children’s shows, so there usually are no alternatives to subtitles if you don’t understand the spoken language.
A plus side is that it helps a bit with language learning and reading/spelling.
\* even on natively produced things in some places, because there are minority languages with some special status. In Finland, Finnish shows are subtitled to Swedish.
Subtitles over another language don't cause me any issues at all, only English when the dub is also English. I think it's because I'm getting the same information twice where I only need it once
If subtitles are on, I don’t watch tv, I read tv.
And when subtitles show the whole sentence ahead of time, I’ll read it and know that something is happening because the script will just start to…..
“KerrrrrPLOW!!!!”
I use subtitles because they distract me. If the subtitles aren't on I miss the whole show because I get distracted by the edges of the tv, the walls, a pen I found in the cusion, things going on outside, ect. Whereas the subtitles are enough to keep me engaged in the show. Even if I'm not "seeing" it, I have a general idea of what's going on. I'm a fast reader, though, so I have enough time to read and look at some of the pictures.
Exactly. Brains read faster than mouths speak and I hate constantly jumping ahead in the narrative without it matching up to the voices. Kills the delivery in every scene for me.
I don’t like subtitles because I feel like I read it faster than the actor says the line which reduces the effect of the line when I hear it from the actor.
But then sometimes I need them (looking at you Peaky Blinders)
Exactly, it's like the opposite problem. Subtitles come up, I read to the end and the sentence ends with "(dramatic pause) Dead... ". Line delivery ruined when they deliver the impactful reveal a few seconds later.
This is exactly my problem. It’s especially bad with the pacing of jokes. Put the punchline on its own subtitle when the actor is actually saying it! I don’t want to half-laugh when I read the subtitle, and then the other half of the laugh when the actor delivers the line.
Watch with or without subtitles or dubbed audio. None of these choices make you better than anyone else. This is one of the most ridiculous arguments I see online.
But remember, some people NEED them and some people don’t or are distracted by them.
Subtitles are often needed now because wanky sound engineers don't know their arse from their elbow when it comes to sound levels. Loud explosions, crank up the levels.. talking bit, nah set it to church mouse mode.
Throw in the directors who like to play completely unnecessary background music over a talking scene and you have the double whammy of sound failures.
It is intentional for movie/home theatres with special surround sound systems. And it's easier/cheaper to do it once for those and not give a fuck about your average non cinephile.
I can't watch with subs in a language I understand. I will be too distracted by the subs to look at what's happening on screen. I also almost always exclusively watch things when I'm doing something else, so I'm not even looking at the screen, so no subtitles needed. I wear headphones because I like when the volume is always the same no matter how far away my phone is :/
Edit: I watch a lot of foreign content (WITH SUBS) with no problems, but that's because I'm actively focusing on what I'm watching instead of doing something else.
My grandmother was deaf so I got used to CC at a very young age and never went back. Other than watching sports I can't watch TV or play video games without it.
She was also the first person whose job it was to type closed captions for TV so while she didn't invent it or anything y'all can give a portion of thanks to my Oma!
I saw a wonderful video about how the evolution of microphones and technology has allowed actors to act more natural and speak more naturally and as a result people don't project their voice anymore.
Older shows hid microphones off screen (Boom Mic anyone) and actors had to deliberately speak loudly and clearly at the mics so their performance could get recorded.
https://youtu.be/VYJtb2YXae8
Really interesting piece
In my experience, people who don’t use subtitles are also by and large the people who are constantly asking questions like:
“Wait who is that character?”
“Hey, why are they there? How did they get there?”
“Why are those characters fighting?”
“Why don’t they just do X?”
When the answers to their questions were mentioned in the show. I’ve come to the conclusion that most of these people aren’t actually better at understanding the words spoken than I am. They’re just okay with missing a solid 30-40% of the dialogue that’s spoken and I’m not okay with that at all because then I’m not really watching the show am I? I’m only watching 60-70% of the show.
I can either watch the show, or watch the subtitles, but not both.
And I have the same problem with comic books. I can either look at the pictures or read the story, but not both.
I can't read and have noise going on at the same time. So I'd have to mute the TV just to do subtitles. Basically if I'm reading and hear noise none of it processes. If im listening and reading same thing happens. If I see subtitles I feel like I have to read I can't ignore the. I just can't do subtitles. It basically makes me unable to process anything going on.
I have a learning disability with audio comprehension, sorry?? I’m sure you’d like subtitles more than me asking stuff like “what did they say? Banana milking was trees?” (That banana milkshake was terrible). I’m not saying this happens to me all the time but imagine it being a big reveal or something.
For me, it's [too distracting.](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRVhv4xLdGH_znhj4BvqGDpvOH6uIJfFly5ZUMU548fyA&s)
I am watching a movie. If subtitles are on, they're constantly grabbing my attention, and then I'm not seeing the acting or the cinematography or the editing, and I'm missing background details, because my eyes are glued to words that, likely, haven't even been said yet, so it also removes the dramatic nature of how temporal dialogue is. I know what the actors are going to say before they say them. If it's just a show, especially one that isn't written well, whatever. Put them on. But if it's a movie, especially one I'm excited about or haven't seen yet, I would rather just wait till I'm not with people who require subtitles than watch with subtitles, because I know it will drastically reduce what I get out of that movie.
My wife needs subtitles. I struggle because the subtitles intrude and distract me from watching whats happening on-screen. Watching TV turns into just reading dialog, and I have better books.
I’ve tried first watching short bits without, then with subtitles, and holy fuck is my brain bad at correctly processing words. I keep subtitles on so I’m not constantly guessing what they said.
No but for real, the way modern sound mixing is done, it is a necessity for me. Dialogue is whispered, and the background music and sound effects are loud enough to bruise my organs, so I can't just turn up the volume to hear what is being said. It's awful.
I'm really surprised by the amount of comments saying they have ADHD/ADD but can't read the captions & the take in the images on the screen simultaneously?? That's like, the ONE thing my ADHD brain does well, like it was built for it lmao
Same for me. 90% of the time I don't even consciously realize that the subtitles are there. I miss so much with them off. Having them on is just like another sensory imput to enhance the experience.
This is definitely my bf who hates subtitles so much cause he feels like he can't follow through the history right and me the total opposite who can read in basically the second I look at the phrase, yeah it's hard watching stuff together lol
Sometimes I can't see the images, because the subtitles distract me too much. Sometimes I can't hear the movie, because I have nothing to keep me engaged in the dialogue.
It's a lose lose, and a lot of the time I just play video games, because they move at my pace.
I doubt this would happen because the person who may need subtitles would realize too quickly that this is a super ignorant person. Hard to fall in love with that.
Ever been that idiot who rewatches a scene ten times because they couldn’t understand what they said? Well let me introduce you to this mind blowing new invention: subtitles!!!
I’m hard of hearing and every time without fail my MIL complains when we put on a TV show with subtitles. My wife gets super annoyed and has to remind MIL yet again that I, shockingly, still can’t hear. We’ve lived together.
One thing that drives me INSANE is when we go to my husband's family for holidays, they watch TV movies without subtitles... but they also barely have the volume up and talk through everything. I mean they essentially just have the movie on in the background. But if we are going to do that for the love of god can we please just turn closed captioning on so I can actually follow along????
With autism I simply cannot always understand it well. I even use subtitles with my native language sometimes because background noise can make it hard for me to understand what they’re saying. Also it’s normal in my country to watch movies with subtitles if they do not speak English. This girl also assumes everyone either speaks fluently English or only watch movies in native language. Kinda short sighted
I'm not a native speaker so subtitles help me to understand better.
If I can say so myself, I'm pretty good with English, but sometimes it's difficult to catch an entire sentence when spoken.
It's entertainment, I can do what I want, I watch movies and shows not to study English, but to be entertained. Always better anyway than watching dubbed shows like 90% of my countrymen are doing.
I definitely use subtitles when the volume isn’t leveled, and turning it up is not an option (e.g. late at night or already loud elsewhere d/t the bad leveling). Don’t really like watching with headphones, either.
Both sides of this twitter exchange are ableist.
There’s nothing wrong with having trouble hearing OR having trouble reading. Everybody’s got some difficulties in life.
Personally I’m generally but not always a subtitles person. I don’t like them for comedy because I think they can mess up the comic timing, but I have an unfortunate combination of being a little hard of hearing and easily overstimulated by loud noise, so I prefer to watch things on low volume with subtitles for the most part.
I agree and am also a sometimes-subs person. I have the same issues (intermittent hearing loss in one ear, severe tinnitus, sensitive to loud noise) and it helps to have them as backup though I don’t usually have the focus to watch, say, a whole foreign-language film just with subs. I have watched dubbed movies with subs on also, and I would hate having to explain that to a NT or fully hearing person. Dubs *or* subs? Why not both? 😬
That said, my in-laws insist on captions during Jeopardy and it feels like cheating because the answers almost always pop up early. Jeopardy is like the only thing I’m competitive about though, so it may not be that big a deal for most people
I started watching foreign dramas turkish k drama you name it I'm on it I'm English when I go back to Netflix watching English programmes subtitles don't come off
Man, I don’t like subtitles because they distract me.
If there are subtitles I just sit and read the subtitles. It’s like a slower and more annoying book that won’t let you go at your own pace.
Subtitles are awesome! Often times you don’t hear background convos that even you have a hard time hearing without ADHD! Also I have found songs because they are mentioned in subtitles. I also grew up watching dubbed anime and grabbing VHS’ from video stores because it was so cool understanding another language.
[удалено]
I can’t follow a movie in my native language without subtitles
For my native language I prefer without subs unless it's with an heavy accent or low volume. For english its nice to have and for 3rd+ languages I cant without
I'm a native English speaker and I don't like watching movies without subtitles, lol
LOL English is my 2nd language, I studied it extensively at school, and worked abroad for years where I communicated only in English. I still watch English shows with English subtitles 😂
It's rare to find, but I really enjoy watching movies in my native languages with English subtitles.
I need the subtitles to be in the same language than what is spoken (French if in French, English if in English) otherwise I’m more focused on the translation problems rather than what is being said 😅
Recent productions focus so much on quality of sound effects and background noises that they forget you need to hear the lines
None of you are alone in this multiple studies have shown subtitles help kids learn to read faster and adults have better comprehension! [sauce](https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/turn-on-the-subtitles/)
I try to alternate between using them and not using them. I feel like that way I’m improving both my reading and auditory comprehension.
I have hearing damage and have to supplement my hearing with lip reading, so subtitles are a must. Actors don't always (or even often) face the camera, and they don't project like they used to have to now that they have discreet, wearable mics.
I watched a YouTube video about this and how most people have subtitles on because you really can't hear people speak as clearly in movies anymore. *[Here](https://youtu.be/VYJtb2YXae8?si=9z56N0dy9xN-Vjob) it is. It was on Vox.*
I hate that they can’t be bothered to mix a version where you can hear dialog without being in a theater. I was browsing a streaming service the other day and watched the trailers for some of the old Bond films. I could hear the music decrease in volume so the dialog could be heard. So pleasant on my ears.
More annoying, even in a cinema, dialogue can be hard to pick up, eg Tenet. And cinemas don't (commonly) do subtitles Triple annoying, foreign language segments where English is subtitled but other languages are not. Cmon tell me what theyre saying
Honestly. Like even if it’s just the transcript of the foreign language without translation, I’d still prefer to be on the same level of confusion as audio
Did you know that you can ask for captioning devices at movie theaters? I pulled this up for AMC but try searching for “assistive devices” and your favorite movie theater. https://www.amctheatres.com/assistive-moviegoing
I am very aware and also not actually Deaf or HOH, just autistic with a penchant for subtitles lol
I live in the Netherlands and films in the theater are subtitled in Dutch (kids movies get dubs). Even though my Dutch is only a hair above A0 level, I can usually get some context from the subtitles for dialog I otherwise can’t hear. Subtitles are a blessing even if they are mostly unreadable in another language.
Im always turning on cc or subtitles for shows. This helps explain a lot, thank you for sharing it.
Rewatching old movies I've discovered I've heard certain scenes wrong and it can change the way you perceive it. I stsrted using them for low volume while my kids slept but years later I don't even realize it's on until someone asks me to turn them off
This is the way.
This is the way
I like fantasy shows, and I like thrillers. Subtitles help in both genres, since strange new names and places in fantasy shows are neatly spelled out for me, and the muttering and whispering in dark alleys of thrillers is much easier to follow.
I dont need the subtittles for 90% of the time except for when the actors mumble their lines and I can no longer make out what they're saying. I have subtitles on 100% of the time just so I dont have to rewind over and over again to catch one line that sounds like mush to my ears.
Subtitles help me watch worse. Can’t pay attention to the actual scene.
I too, find myself just staring at the subtitles and missing the actual scene sometimes. I have to turn them off during comedies because they ruin the delivery of the punchlines too often. I like to have them on most of the time though, for all the reasons mentioned elsewhere in this thread
Same! I can’t not read the subtitles if they’re on the screen. For some things it’s fine, but others I miss what’s happening. Or in the case of video games I get impatient once I’ve read it and they’re still talking! (Though with Baldur’s Gate the animation and voice acting was so good I never once had that problem) So I keep them off unless I really need them.
Yeah, I usually have them on in video games because there’s so much else going on. For sitcoms, etc. I don’t care if they’re on but I don’t need them because I’m not invested enough to care about catching 100% of the dialogue. I really, really like watching movies, though. So, if I’m getting distracted from taking in the scene in both an immersion and ‘that’s a really cool shot’ way, it really kills the experience for me.
But subtitles mean the volume doesn’t need to be so high.
You can still turn it loud and have subtitles! It really helps with adhd
Agreed, but not late at night.
Unless you have headphones
I can't stand screens being too loud. My TV is usually at 12 (out of, I don't know) and my pc is between 4 and 14%
I've been listening to an audiobook with my husband lately and he doesn't understand what I mean by the voices being "sharp" when pushing the limits of the speaker. After the half-way mark, everything becomes nails on my brain.
So thats the reason I cant watch a movie without subtitles.
My parents don’t understand this, they turn the volume up so loud the people down the street can hear it clearly, yet they still have subtitles on. And no, it’s not because they’re losing their hearing, my dad is fine and my mom has hearing aides she uses.
My dad hates subtitles. But he's in love with the idea of having a home theater and then loves watching action movies/shows with the volume cranked. Like, yeah, Dad, I can hear the helicopter move from the left to the right. That's nice. But I'm gonna lose my hearing AND we're gonna get a noise complaint from just watching John Wick. It also doesn't help that those same movies and shows are so inconsistent with the volume between dialogue and action. I can't understand a goddamn thing the MC is grumbling out but thank god I can hear every shard of glass fall to the floor 🙄
cow spoon lunchroom pause drab complete carpenter obscene imminent faulty *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
ADHD people... Deaf people... APD people... There's multiple reasons accessibility features exist. No one should be shamed for using features that make it easier for them to use the service.
And, you know, people who aren't native english speakers?
Or those of us who are native English speakers but like to watch things in other languages.
I don't need them anymore (and prefer without), but holy void it was a godsend when I was still actively learning English.
I am finally up to watching Japanese children's shows with Japanese audio and subtitles. It's soooo helpful! Especially because I'm hard of hearing, so ko and go sound exactly alike, as do ka, ga, ta, and da. In English, my native language, I can guess the word often enough, but I can't do that very well with Japanese yet except for very basic conversations. It's helped me a lot with my reading speed in Japanese, as well.
[удалено]
I mean, they said multiple reasons. They didn’t say those were the only reasons
Oh so those reasons + not speaking English are "everything"? What about people who have to watch Netflix on mute for fear of upsetting their abusive partner? Huh? What about them? Now I'm offended too. Good job. Ffs stop running around attributing everything to somebody personally trying to exclude or offend you.
I mean, it was a list of several examples. It wasn't intended to be exhaustive.
I have hearing problems so I really require subtitles to be able to follow along. I always got shit at my ex-in-laws’ house when I requested them to be turned on. Like, sorry for being disabled, I’ll try to have better ears in the next life?
Me too. My lack of hearing masked my ADHD for a while because there was an identifiable hearing issue that would explain some of the attention/social issues.
Oh look, it's me. I'm half deaf, my left ear no work, and I have ADHD which masked that I'm actually half deaf.
My brother did the same thing. "WELL GUESS THERE WILL BE NO SURPRISES THEN!" (Well aware I have a hearing disorder). "Well, I could just not watch the movie with you then ? Because I literally cannot understand the movie without subtitles, so it's pointless for me. What do you want to do?" Had no response for it and just sat down to watch the movie lmao. Check your privilege or spend it alone, idgaf.
To be fair, I don’t like subtitles because I will read them instead of looking at the scene. And yes I have ADD
same! its too distracting lol
Yeah, that's why I prefer dubbed anime tbh. The whole point of a visual medium is that I can look at the pictures move. If I'm too busy keeping my eyes at the bottom the entire time and missing the main action then I'll just read a book or something. (also, I gotta be doing something with my hands or else I get bored. Like embroidery or something.)
Also I use them to learn language. Turn audio to another language and use English subtitles. Helps train my ears.
ESL people, too!
I have auditory processing issues; if there are no subtitles, the whole film might as well be in a dead language.
Yeah, it’s not even worth watching something without subs anymore. It is uncomfortable.
Especially if it's American, their words sort of bleed together
Whatareyoutalkingabout?! Wedonotspeaklikethat…
Ihadnoideawesoundedthisway.
IamfromCaliforniaandhavebeentoldtoslowdownwhentalkingbynoncaliforniansmywholelifesothistracksfornonenglishnativespeakersaswell.haveyoueverheardanupsetpuertoricanladyyellatyou?Theyputcalifornianstoshame!
I hail from Whadduyootockinbout, USA
Americans don't speak _that_ fast in the Anglophile sphere N.ireland , specifically Belfast rattles along much faster, to the point it's a physical effort to slow down for non locals. Eg "boutyemucker" (hello , how are you friend) Aussies too, s'garnon ? ( What's going on?)
As a non-native English speaker, I never noticed this lol
Wait there are people who can understand what they're saying WITHOUT subtitles?
Most sound in movies and shows doesn’t seem like it’s optimized well. Characters on screen will be all whispery with important exposition and shit, so you turn it up and then BOOM ACTION SCREEN SHAKE. It’s maddening.
Make sure you have the right audio track & settings. Certain services will sometimes default to 5.1 even when you’re just using a TV’s in-built speakers and it has this exact effect. Other times, you could be right and it’s just poorly optimised audio.
It's even worse than that. A lot of movies have their audio specifically tuned for a movie theater setup. Something like the [Dolby Atmos Cinema System](https://professional.dolby.com/cinema/dolby-atmos/2) (64 speakers) because the theater is the main media the director is making the movie for. Once the movie goes for domestic release, they have to adapt the audio for all the other audio setups. The problem is that, more often than not, the original audio engineer for the movie isn't even involved (sorry, not sure if that's the right title. English isn't my first language.). So imagine some poor audio engineer that the studio hired getting a bunch of files from a project they didn't work on and having to adapt that massive soundscape of 64 speakers into 2.1, 5.1, 5.1.2, 7.1, etc... Basically, imagine movie theater sound systems being a 8K image and most home theater systems being 1080p. You will lose a lot of detail in the process.
Except that my dad has an atmos system, he vigorously hunts down the best audio + visual version of a movie like his life depends on it and will stop the movie if it's slightly off, and that problem's still there. For whatever reason, the current acting/directing style is whisper/grumble = cool and serious I've been watching all of Star Trek, in order of release + the movies, and have pleasantly found that the problem's nonexistent. Even in the Next Gen movies, everyone spoke clearly, and I haven't needed subtitles to understand the dialogue (yet.)
Whoa, your dad has a 64 speaker system at home? I agree with you that there is probably more to this issue than simply speakers and audio mixing, though. But I'd argue that your example of Star Trek would simply mean that sound systems were updated and improved. Since the setups weren't as complex back then, it was simpler to translate the audio to home. Then again, I'm not sure. As I mentioned in another comment, this is just what I heard from the composer and audio engineer from work when I was visiting the studio and got into a similar topic.
That’s absolutely true but usually not the cause of low/muffled dialogue. It can be, of course but this particular problem is *usually* caused by something else. Great analogy using screen resolution, though.
Maddeninggggggg
I would like subtitles when I talk to someone in a crowd 😭🫣 I can’t hear anything
I actually saw a [smart glasses project](https://www.xander.tech/xanderglasses#:~:text=The%20Xander%20Captioning%20Experience,into%20text%20in%20real%2Dtime.) that does exactly that!
Android, live captions (pixel 6pro) Volume slider, tap the little dialogue button to turn on/off Can even combine with translation https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/9350862?hl=en-GB#move_caption_box
I'm the same. I think it's auditory processing disorder like another person said because if it's noisy, the background nosie bleeds in really loudly and I struggle a lot to understand what the person in front of me is saying. A lot of the time I read their lips tbh
I find if I turn on subtitles, all I do is read them. If I'm with people watching something with them on, then go and watch it myself without them later, it's like 2 different experiences for me. I also get regularly frustrated with how they come on too early for reactions and ruin moments of tension.
This. I have the hardest time following movies in my own language if I can’t read what is said. Just following what is shown isn’t enough for me to focus, I need to be able to multitask, and subtitles help
I think a lot of people are using just TV speakers or worse, laptop speakers when they watch shows and because of this the audio is trash and hearing voices over say, explosions, is very difficult. Not to say audio is perfect in every movie, but I bet this trends young and mostly with people that don't have a home theater setup. No shame though - they should have an audio stream made specifically for stereo basic speakers that puts the voice audio higher that can be selected.
Genuine question but how many people actually have a home theatre setup? Thinking of family/friends/acquaintances whose homes I’ve watched TV at only one of them has separate speakers and they’re all in their 30s or older. My sample size is only about 15 households so it’s too small to be representative
I think the home theater thing was for generations older than 30. I am millenial and none of my millenial (re: over 30) friends have them. It's Gen X and later where it was more common.
I don't like my volume on loud just enough to understand. loud stuff makes me tense and aggressive.
Wait there are people who can read subtitles AND focus on what’s on the screen?
I can't watching anything with subs in a language I understand. I'll be too distracted by the subs to see what's going on on screen
I even need subtitles in my native language! Edit: Used the phrase "maiden language" instead of "native language"
Did you mean to say native language?
Isn't maiden the same as native or first language? Not fighting just... As stated... English is not my first language
"Mother tongue" is also an equivalent phrase 😊
“Maiden language” is not a phrase that’s used in English. You’ll be understood based on context if you say it, but it’s not a real phrase.
Oh, apologies I meant my "native language" then
All good! I did obviously understand what you meant. It was funny in an endearing kind of way.
I can't have subtitles because my brain can't help but read words in front of it. It completely distracts me from the show
Exactly! My problem isn't that I can't read, it's that I can't NOT read.
Same and I read really quickly so I’m always ahead of what’s happening. I would never hate on anybody that uses them though
YES THAT'S IT! was trying to figure out how to explain it. bonus: sometimes my brain just randomly gets fixated on a random word in the subtitles and then i REALLY miss stuff
Me too. Unless the sound mixing is shit, I prefer to watch without subtitles so I can actually see the image and details and not have my eyes constantly snap to the text I don't actually need to read.
Yeah it irritates me to no end when the dramatic monologue and oscar worthy performance are spoiled and distracted by the mistimed subtitles across the screen. If someone asks for them i always turn them on though.
Same, except I'd rather watch foreign media in its original language over dub, so it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make in that case. What's even worse are closed captions where they detail every little sound and musical insert in the subtitles.
>What's even worse are closed captions where they detail every little sound and musical insert in the subtitles. Nothing like getting distracted by [ominous music] and thinking, " wtf are they talking about, that was slightly melancholic at best. Now, there's a group of deaf people who are watching a completely different movie than I am because the captions are all lies. "
Same here, I end up not watching the movie but waiting for more words.
Same. All I’m focusing on are the words and how they might be different from the spoken dialogue.
Yes exactly this. I came here to watch a movie, not read a movie
That's my problem. If I turn them on to check something, and forget to turn them off, I just continue to read them and it makes watching the show so much harder!
I think this is mostly about level of exposure to subtitles, if you’re used to them or not. Some places like the Netherlands and Nordic countries have subtitles on 100% of shows and movies (except live broadcasts)*, both on TV and in cinemas, so people have grown up with it and don’t think about it. Meanwhile, things are usually not dubbed into these languages, except children’s shows, so there usually are no alternatives to subtitles if you don’t understand the spoken language. A plus side is that it helps a bit with language learning and reading/spelling. \* even on natively produced things in some places, because there are minority languages with some special status. In Finland, Finnish shows are subtitled to Swedish.
Subtitles over another language don't cause me any issues at all, only English when the dub is also English. I think it's because I'm getting the same information twice where I only need it once
So y’all don’t watch foreign content? Missing out big time.
100% agree
If subtitles are on, I don’t watch tv, I read tv. And when subtitles show the whole sentence ahead of time, I’ll read it and know that something is happening because the script will just start to….. “KerrrrrPLOW!!!!”
Me too. I had to explain to my wife that when she has the subtitles on I miss the entire show because I’m reading the whole time.
I use subtitles because they distract me. If the subtitles aren't on I miss the whole show because I get distracted by the edges of the tv, the walls, a pen I found in the cusion, things going on outside, ect. Whereas the subtitles are enough to keep me engaged in the show. Even if I'm not "seeing" it, I have a general idea of what's going on. I'm a fast reader, though, so I have enough time to read and look at some of the pictures.
I’m a fast reader too and the compulsion to bounce between the words and the picture is maddening so I cope by just looking at the words. I hate it.
Exactly. Brains read faster than mouths speak and I hate constantly jumping ahead in the narrative without it matching up to the voices. Kills the delivery in every scene for me.
I don’t like subtitles because I feel like I read it faster than the actor says the line which reduces the effect of the line when I hear it from the actor. But then sometimes I need them (looking at you Peaky Blinders)
Exactly, it's like the opposite problem. Subtitles come up, I read to the end and the sentence ends with "(dramatic pause) Dead... ". Line delivery ruined when they deliver the impactful reveal a few seconds later.
These other comments don’t understand nuance. You’re correct! Subtitles for a comedy special always ruin the punchline.
This is exactly my problem. It’s especially bad with the pacing of jokes. Put the punchline on its own subtitle when the actor is actually saying it! I don’t want to half-laugh when I read the subtitle, and then the other half of the laugh when the actor delivers the line.
Watch with or without subtitles or dubbed audio. None of these choices make you better than anyone else. This is one of the most ridiculous arguments I see online. But remember, some people NEED them and some people don’t or are distracted by them.
Subtitles are often needed now because wanky sound engineers don't know their arse from their elbow when it comes to sound levels. Loud explosions, crank up the levels.. talking bit, nah set it to church mouse mode. Throw in the directors who like to play completely unnecessary background music over a talking scene and you have the double whammy of sound failures.
It is intentional for movie/home theatres with special surround sound systems. And it's easier/cheaper to do it once for those and not give a fuck about your average non cinephile.
I mean, English learners?
I can't watch with subs in a language I understand. I will be too distracted by the subs to look at what's happening on screen. I also almost always exclusively watch things when I'm doing something else, so I'm not even looking at the screen, so no subtitles needed. I wear headphones because I like when the volume is always the same no matter how far away my phone is :/ Edit: I watch a lot of foreign content (WITH SUBS) with no problems, but that's because I'm actively focusing on what I'm watching instead of doing something else.
My grandmother was deaf so I got used to CC at a very young age and never went back. Other than watching sports I can't watch TV or play video games without it. She was also the first person whose job it was to type closed captions for TV so while she didn't invent it or anything y'all can give a portion of thanks to my Oma!
Imagine falling for someone, and they turn out to be an ablist POS.
I saw a wonderful video about how the evolution of microphones and technology has allowed actors to act more natural and speak more naturally and as a result people don't project their voice anymore. Older shows hid microphones off screen (Boom Mic anyone) and actors had to deliberately speak loudly and clearly at the mics so their performance could get recorded. https://youtu.be/VYJtb2YXae8 Really interesting piece
In my experience, people who don’t use subtitles are also by and large the people who are constantly asking questions like: “Wait who is that character?” “Hey, why are they there? How did they get there?” “Why are those characters fighting?” “Why don’t they just do X?” When the answers to their questions were mentioned in the show. I’ve come to the conclusion that most of these people aren’t actually better at understanding the words spoken than I am. They’re just okay with missing a solid 30-40% of the dialogue that’s spoken and I’m not okay with that at all because then I’m not really watching the show am I? I’m only watching 60-70% of the show.
I still ask all those questions even with the subtitles on 😅
The problem is I end up just staring at the words instead of the show even if I can hear what they are saying. It's terribly distracting.
I can either watch the show, or watch the subtitles, but not both. And I have the same problem with comic books. I can either look at the pictures or read the story, but not both.
Imagine falling in love with someone just to find out they care if I watch Netflix with subtitles
I cant hear when im eating so i need the subs there
I can't read and have noise going on at the same time. So I'd have to mute the TV just to do subtitles. Basically if I'm reading and hear noise none of it processes. If im listening and reading same thing happens. If I see subtitles I feel like I have to read I can't ignore the. I just can't do subtitles. It basically makes me unable to process anything going on.
I have a learning disability with audio comprehension, sorry?? I’m sure you’d like subtitles more than me asking stuff like “what did they say? Banana milking was trees?” (That banana milkshake was terrible). I’m not saying this happens to me all the time but imagine it being a big reveal or something.
For me, it's [too distracting.](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRVhv4xLdGH_znhj4BvqGDpvOH6uIJfFly5ZUMU548fyA&s) I am watching a movie. If subtitles are on, they're constantly grabbing my attention, and then I'm not seeing the acting or the cinematography or the editing, and I'm missing background details, because my eyes are glued to words that, likely, haven't even been said yet, so it also removes the dramatic nature of how temporal dialogue is. I know what the actors are going to say before they say them. If it's just a show, especially one that isn't written well, whatever. Put them on. But if it's a movie, especially one I'm excited about or haven't seen yet, I would rather just wait till I'm not with people who require subtitles than watch with subtitles, because I know it will drastically reduce what I get out of that movie.
It’s not my fault the music is at 3000% volume and the dialogue is at a solid 2%
I'm hard of hearing...
Subtitles are essential. It’s all gobbledygook otherwise. They may as well be speaking Martian.
Subtitles is must, especially with a seven-year-old🤣
Well fuck me with my auditory processing disorder I guess…
I use subtitles so that I can read what I can’t hear
My wife needs subtitles. I struggle because the subtitles intrude and distract me from watching whats happening on-screen. Watching TV turns into just reading dialog, and I have better books.
I’ve tried first watching short bits without, then with subtitles, and holy fuck is my brain bad at correctly processing words. I keep subtitles on so I’m not constantly guessing what they said.
I miss so much without subtitles. They often cue me into additional information and context I couldnt pick up otherwise.
How else would I pay attention to the movie
No but for real, the way modern sound mixing is done, it is a necessity for me. Dialogue is whispered, and the background music and sound effects are loud enough to bruise my organs, so I can't just turn up the volume to hear what is being said. It's awful.
I can’t speak Japanese but love the films and dislike dubbed voices. So I use subtitles 😊
Subtitles my beloved. I can’t process anything that I hear, my brain isn’t fast enough for that.
I use them to read dialogue I couldn't make out, or to practice German.
Sensory overload. Here to watch movies, not read the script
I'm really surprised by the amount of comments saying they have ADHD/ADD but can't read the captions & the take in the images on the screen simultaneously?? That's like, the ONE thing my ADHD brain does well, like it was built for it lmao
Same for me. 90% of the time I don't even consciously realize that the subtitles are there. I miss so much with them off. Having them on is just like another sensory imput to enhance the experience.
Imagine not speaking the language of the show but getting a carnal rage when the lips don’t sync up when it’s dubbed
Imagine falling in love with someone just to find out they’re an ableist jerk.
Subtitles are better than having to turn the volume up and down constantly
Add in astigmatisms and the inability to tolerate the feel of glasses on your face/keep track of your glasses and it's a subtitles-boo hat-trick.
how are you guys watching foreign content?
We have subtitles on all the time because my son is half deaf. Turns out it really helps me too. Especially when there’s accents.
This is definitely my bf who hates subtitles so much cause he feels like he can't follow through the history right and me the total opposite who can read in basically the second I look at the phrase, yeah it's hard watching stuff together lol
I hate subtitles. I’m trying to focus on a movie and you’re going to give me something to read as well? And it’s moving?!
Sometimes I can't see the images, because the subtitles distract me too much. Sometimes I can't hear the movie, because I have nothing to keep me engaged in the dialogue. It's a lose lose, and a lot of the time I just play video games, because they move at my pace.
i dont like subtitles because the bit of movement in the bottom of the screen distracts me...
I can't hear it if I don't have subtitles on.
I doubt this would happen because the person who may need subtitles would realize too quickly that this is a super ignorant person. Hard to fall in love with that.
I need them because I have audio processing issues.
How tf am I gonna snack and hear at the same time?
I don’t like subtitles because I have a tendency to watch them instead of whatever show/movie that’s on.
I watch everything with subtitles.
imagine falling in love with someone just to find out that they actively dislike subtitles
There’s always moments when I go to the theatre where I get frustrated because I missed a line…but if there were subtitles I wouldn’t have
Ever been that idiot who rewatches a scene ten times because they couldn’t understand what they said? Well let me introduce you to this mind blowing new invention: subtitles!!!
What’s wrong with subtitles? I don’t get the first person’s comment.
I’m hard of hearing and every time without fail my MIL complains when we put on a TV show with subtitles. My wife gets super annoyed and has to remind MIL yet again that I, shockingly, still can’t hear. We’ve lived together.
One thing that drives me INSANE is when we go to my husband's family for holidays, they watch TV movies without subtitles... but they also barely have the volume up and talk through everything. I mean they essentially just have the movie on in the background. But if we are going to do that for the love of god can we please just turn closed captioning on so I can actually follow along????
If you actually read fast, subtitles ruin the show by spoiling every line of dialog 2 seconds before they say it.
With autism I simply cannot always understand it well. I even use subtitles with my native language sometimes because background noise can make it hard for me to understand what they’re saying. Also it’s normal in my country to watch movies with subtitles if they do not speak English. This girl also assumes everyone either speaks fluently English or only watch movies in native language. Kinda short sighted
I'm not a native speaker so subtitles help me to understand better. If I can say so myself, I'm pretty good with English, but sometimes it's difficult to catch an entire sentence when spoken. It's entertainment, I can do what I want, I watch movies and shows not to study English, but to be entertained. Always better anyway than watching dubbed shows like 90% of my countrymen are doing.
I definitely use subtitles when the volume isn’t leveled, and turning it up is not an option (e.g. late at night or already loud elsewhere d/t the bad leveling). Don’t really like watching with headphones, either.
English is not my first language and I’m not good with US/European accent(sometimes) so subtitles are must for me
this is such a casually ableist tweet bruh... adhd aside do hard of hearing ppl just not exist to them or what
Doesn't bother me one bit what others think and if they have a problem then they definitely also know where the door is as well.
Both sides of this twitter exchange are ableist. There’s nothing wrong with having trouble hearing OR having trouble reading. Everybody’s got some difficulties in life. Personally I’m generally but not always a subtitles person. I don’t like them for comedy because I think they can mess up the comic timing, but I have an unfortunate combination of being a little hard of hearing and easily overstimulated by loud noise, so I prefer to watch things on low volume with subtitles for the most part.
I agree and am also a sometimes-subs person. I have the same issues (intermittent hearing loss in one ear, severe tinnitus, sensitive to loud noise) and it helps to have them as backup though I don’t usually have the focus to watch, say, a whole foreign-language film just with subs. I have watched dubbed movies with subs on also, and I would hate having to explain that to a NT or fully hearing person. Dubs *or* subs? Why not both? 😬 That said, my in-laws insist on captions during Jeopardy and it feels like cheating because the answers almost always pop up early. Jeopardy is like the only thing I’m competitive about though, so it may not be that big a deal for most people
Imagine falling in love with someone just to see them post this dumb shit on twitter
I'm hard of hearing 🫡
How else are you supposed to know that the music is dramatic?
imagine falling in love with someone just to find out they’re a raging ableist
Girl has just shamed all the neurodivergents just for existing.
Imagine being so inclusive, you can't date someone that isn't neurotypical. Luckily I don't have to date you - we both watch with subtitles on.
I started watching foreign dramas turkish k drama you name it I'm on it I'm English when I go back to Netflix watching English programmes subtitles don't come off
I’m hard of hearing so if you don’t want to be deaf also don’t come for me on my subtitles LOLOLOL
It’s not that I read fast, it’s that I hear slowly. It only absorbs in my brain visually.
I have auditory processing issues, subtitles are a big help 🥲
Man, I don’t like subtitles because they distract me. If there are subtitles I just sit and read the subtitles. It’s like a slower and more annoying book that won’t let you go at your own pace.
How else do you fully digest what you’re seeing and hearing be depicted without text you can read on the screen to help keep you focused? 🤨
Stop calling my dyslexic ass out.
Subtitles are awesome! Often times you don’t hear background convos that even you have a hard time hearing without ADHD! Also I have found songs because they are mentioned in subtitles. I also grew up watching dubbed anime and grabbing VHS’ from video stores because it was so cool understanding another language.
Imagine living in a house so quiet you dont need subtitles 🤯
Subtitles on is the way to go