Do you use subtitles when you watch TV?

27 comments

1. Increasingly so. Sound dubbing is all over the shop I find, so I tend to use them just in case I miss dialogue hidden behind some Zimmeresque horns or similar.

2. For me it is the opposite, I find subtitles distract me from being immersed in a show as I’m focussing more on them than the visuals.

   Video game cutscenes are especially bad for this in my view. It completely breaks my immersion when I’m reading sub titles far in advance of the characters saying them.

3. I do, I find that I catch and understand a lot more work subtitles on. I’m not hard of hearing or anything, I just feel like I process written information easier than audio.

4. All the time. Helps me not to miss subtle things in the script. Plus it’s fun to see when they give stuff away by accident

5. I do, I find I concentrate much better with subtitles, with none my mind wanders and I lose the plot, literally. Mind you, I have learned to be this way because for years I’ve watched mostly foreign language TV and movies, so I’ve just learned to be thus way.

6. Yes, quite often in series or movies there is some dialogue at a rather low volume. The subtitles help with that.

   And like you, I retain information better when I see it written down as opposed to only hearing it.

7. Not unless I’m watching something in a language I don’t speak.

   When I use them for a language I understand some of but not well enough to rely on full understanding without them, I often end up really miffed that they’re inaccurate.

8. No. Not unless it’s in a foreign language. I think subtitles inevitably distract from other stuff on screen (particularly facial expressions) and undercut the rhythm and timing of the dialogue. So I only use them if it’s a foreign language.

   I know a lot of people increasingly do though. I don’t find I struggle to hear dialogue as much as other people seem to.

9. Yeah, ever since BBC became Mumble TV.

10. I am exactly the same. Sometimes speech is garbled and makes no sense. BIG LETTERS HELP.

11. No, its one a million I cant hear audio and usually when I do its some known dubbing issues with a thing… but some people cant process sound well at all, or go hard of hearing or just have various attention issues and swear by subtitles and they are the worst to watch tv with (sorry various ex gfs). I find subs very annoying, I have to concentrate on not reading them to not ruin tv for me by getting ahead of the dialogue, makes watching tv feel like work.

12. Always. Helps you follow a lot of what’s going on, sometimes.

13. Whenever possible. Enjoy watching anything more with them than without.

14. Yes. I hear just fine but find it much easier to process what’s being said if I can read it as well. Not particularly read it word for word just glance the words if that makes sense. Also it helps not having the TV too loud as that is like a sensory thing for me.
    It is rather annoying when they give you the gist of what’s being said but not what they said. EG Actor says “Is your Dad doing better now he’s back home?” Subtitle says something like “Is your Dad ok”

15. Never, my hearing is fine so what’s the point?

16. I always have them on for streaming services, but I’ve started using them more and more on regular telly. I just wish they looked like the same text at Netflix and not old ceefax writing.

17. The audio is mixed so poorly for most shows these days so it’s a necessity unless you want your ear-drums ruptured the moment something louder than casual conversation happens.

18. Yes, I have audio processing disorder ADP if you will ,and there’s a half-second time delay between my ears and brain. Subtitles plug that gap for me 🙂

19. Yes, because many reasons:
    1. Sound mixing is often awful these days and wildly varies in volume
    2. I live in a block of flats so can’t usually have the volume up very loud
    3. I’m often eating crisps when I watch
    4. I’m partially deaf, only very slightly, but means I don’t always catch everything

20. I have started doing it for TV shows that I show my 5 year old. I saw a video on social media featuring Stephen Fry that suggested that it’s an incredible tool in teaching kids to read. So yeah, here we are.

21. I have subtitles on for absolutely everything. Started because my wife’s second language is English so subtitles made it a bit easier for her to follow films and TV shows. They were especially helpful for her if she was watching anything where characters had quite a regional accent like Derry Girls for example. Since then I’ve totally gotten used to them and I will put them on for everything now. It helps me make sure I haven’t missed any dialogue either which I like

22. Everything I watch nowadays is with subtitles…been doing it for years now without it feels strange!

23. i struggle understanding what’s been said without subtitles sometimes, so i go back and back and back over and over and still can’t figure it out. so subtitles help a lot, especially with a scottish accents, for some reason, even though i’m from the north of england

24. No, only if I can’t work out a particular bit then I’ll put them on just to see what was said then turn them off again. It ruins the delivery if I can see what they’re going to say before they say it

25. Usually I have the subtitles on but depends on what I’m watching. If it’s something suspenseful I prefer not to have them on just in case the subtitles give something away too early.

26. All the time without fail.

    My mum is hard of hearing so we grew up with it, even back when it was teletext 888.

    I’ve never seen them as a distraction.

    And also my husband is German and although his English is brilliant, it always helps.

    As a side note, I find it incredulous that some platforms upload content without subtitles in this day and age **YES I’M LOOKING AT YOU PRIME VIDEO**. Or, have them so badly synced it makes the programme unwatchable **YES I’M LOOKING AT YOU HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU**. Always have to wait til the longer show when they’ve sorted it out, and time isn’t an issue because plenty of other shows filmed 24 hours before manage to make their subs on point.

    There’s films we simply refuse to watch because they don’t have subtitles.

27. Yes so my 5 year old can read at the same time.

    I just don’t turn it off in the evenings. Helps with quiet bits of films. Can spoil things 5 seconds in advance though. A risk I’m willing to take.