Forum: Subtitling
Topic: Do you watch tv/movies with subtitles even in your native language?
Poster: Tom in London
Q- Do you watch tv/movies with subtitles even in your native language?
A- yes, frequently because
(a) there's sometimes a lot of background noise where I live (passing trains etc) so I use subtitles to follow the dialogue
(b) the British have long abandoned standard ("BBC" or "RP") English for many situations, including TV programmes where the voiceover may be spoken clearly by a trained speaker, but the voices in the action may be in a range of different regional accents, switching without warning from Estuary English to Northern Irish, Glaswegian, upper class toff, then back to Bristolian West Country etc. I find it impossible to re-tune my brain to understand all of these different accents as they occur; in such situations, subtitles can be a necessity.
(c) Mumbling: yes; as in Finnish, so in English. In these Covid times I've begun watching serialised TV dramas (although usually giving up on them after about 4 episodes due to unbelievable plotlines/bad acting) in which the (usually English, i.e. understated, unexpressive) actors mumble sottovoce to one another whilst barely moving their lips and not expressing much emotion about anything. Subtitles are essential for these things.
(Thinks) learning English must be hell for a non-native these days....
[Edited at 2020-07-31 15:32 GMT]
Topic: Do you watch tv/movies with subtitles even in your native language?
Poster: Tom in London
Q- Do you watch tv/movies with subtitles even in your native language?
A- yes, frequently because
(a) there's sometimes a lot of background noise where I live (passing trains etc) so I use subtitles to follow the dialogue
(b) the British have long abandoned standard ("BBC" or "RP") English for many situations, including TV programmes where the voiceover may be spoken clearly by a trained speaker, but the voices in the action may be in a range of different regional accents, switching without warning from Estuary English to Northern Irish, Glaswegian, upper class toff, then back to Bristolian West Country etc. I find it impossible to re-tune my brain to understand all of these different accents as they occur; in such situations, subtitles can be a necessity.
(c) Mumbling: yes; as in Finnish, so in English. In these Covid times I've begun watching serialised TV dramas (although usually giving up on them after about 4 episodes due to unbelievable plotlines/bad acting) in which the (usually English, i.e. understated, unexpressive) actors mumble sottovoce to one another whilst barely moving their lips and not expressing much emotion about anything. Subtitles are essential for these things.
(Thinks) learning English must be hell for a non-native these days....
[Edited at 2020-07-31 15:32 GMT]