# How often do you watch TV/movies with the subtitles on? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208 "2024-03-22T16:39:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/1 "2024-03-22T16:39:36Z")
I sometimes do this as a painless way to brush up on a foreign language even when watching and listening in English. But I have read subtitles are sometimes used by parents hoping to help children read better. I had no idea this was a thing so many other people do. Given the diversity of Canada and the number of second and third generation citizens, I suppose the popularity of subtitles is unsurprising. **But how often do you watch (English) media with the subtitles on?** ---
**Author:** ![SoToasty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sotoasty/32/2803_2.png) [@SoToasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoToasty)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/2 "2024-03-22T16:45:21Z")
Im old, All the time. about the only time I turn it off is when it is sport shows. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/3 "2024-03-22T16:47:26Z")
All the time as hearing is not too great. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/4 "2024-03-22T16:48:27Z")
> [@SoToasty](#): > > Im old, All the time. about the only time I turn it off is when it is sport shows. This, and the subtitles for the national and local news I watch tend to lag by a few seconds which can be annoying, so I turn it off for those program. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/5 "2024-03-22T16:54:40Z")
Same here. And it doesn’t take long before I just bail out if the subtitles don’t compensate for poor dialog! ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/6 "2024-03-22T16:59:49Z")
Always. Both DH and I have normal hearing, so far as we’re aware, but either our TV’s sound configuration leaves something to be desired or TV/film sound mixing personnel are doing much worse than they used to. It’s not at all unusual for background music/sound effects/general noise to make dialogue unintelligible. Doesn’t help when actors fail to enunciate, either. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/7 "2024-03-22T17:00:58Z")
My roomie the TV addict always does. His hearing sucks more than mine does. I’ve never developed the habit, but I don’t watch much TV. Partly due to the unintelligibility of most of the dialog but mostly because I just don’t much care for TV. I may give subtitles a serious try here soon though. ---
**Author:** ![SoToasty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sotoasty/32/2803_2.png) [@SoToasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoToasty)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/8 "2024-03-22T17:03:53Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > Always. Both DH and I have normal hearing, so far as we’re aware, but either our TV’s sound configuration leaves something to be desired or TV/film sound mixing personnel are doing much worse than they used to. It’s not at all unusual for background music/sound effects/general noise to make dialogue unintelligible. Doesn’t help when actors fail to enunciate, either. I will say my wife and I pretty much have normal hearing, however, we HATE the sound mixing these days. Anytime there is an action scene, the car/gun/screaming noises are so loud we could wake the neighborhood, and then when the actors are just talking, the volume is so low a bat couldn’t hear them. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/9 "2024-03-22T17:06:58Z")
> [@SoToasty](#): > > I will say my wife and I pretty much have normal hearing, however, we HATE the sound mixing these days. Anytime there is an action scene, the car/gun/screaming noises are so loud we could wake the neighborhood, and then when the actors are just talking, the volume is so low a bat couldn’t hear them. Agreed that the relative volumes of types of sound doesn’t help either. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/10 "2024-03-22T17:08:18Z")
Almost always except for live events. Sports especially I turn them off. The captions interfere with the game and are usually inaccurate. I got used to it with my mother. She couldn’t hear that well. My hearing isn’t getting better so it helps, especially with accents. Also I’m often up much later than my wife watching stuff she doesn’t want to see. I have the sound low so I don’t disturb her. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/11 "2024-03-22T17:23:30Z")
Count me in with the bad hearing group. CC is always on, except for sports (where it covers up a good chunk of the screen) or live programs, where it’s about ten seconds behind and often garbled. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/12 "2024-03-22T17:29:48Z")
Generally not. It’s more trouble than it’s worth. However, if the dialogue isn’t clear I’ll go back and rewatch with the subs on. Also, I’ll put them on all the time for British programs where I’m not familiar with the accents. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/13 "2024-03-22T17:32:18Z")
Always. I like to know the exact dialogue in case I miss it. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/14 "2024-03-22T17:43:10Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > But how often do you watch (English) media with the subtitles on? Never. It’s one of my native languages and I’m not hard-of-hearing, why would I? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/15 "2024-03-22T17:47:06Z")
My wife often turns on captions when we watch the British Antiques Roadshow, especially when they are in Scotland or Wales. Also for some mysteries set in those parts of England from BritBox. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/16 "2024-03-22T17:49:57Z")
Also, a lot of British actors mumble like crazy. It’s like “what did he say???” For certain shows, we just automatically put on closed captions. Once we forgot and turned them on for a French show we were watching. Oops. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/17 "2024-03-22T17:50:12Z")
Nearly always, starting about 15 years ago. My wife and I just found we get a fuller, clearer picture of what people are saying. (We’re both fluent English speakers with normal hearing). ---
**Author:** ![Sooner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sooner/32/7875_2.png) [@Sooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sooner)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/18 "2024-03-22T18:00:46Z")
My wife likes to watch TV with the subtitles on; however I find it very visually distracting. It has become a point of minor disagreement between us. ---
**Author:** ![NegativeZer0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/negativezer0/32/14307_2.png) [@NegativeZer0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NegativeZer0)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/19 "2024-03-22T18:34:46Z")
Always subtitles on. Life around the house with dogs and kids is too loud to rely solely on my already poor hearing… ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208/20 "2024-03-22T18:37:51Z")
Pretty much always, though I don’t watch much anymore. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-watch-tv-movies-with-the-subtitles-on/999208.md?page=2)