Many people, whether English is their native language or not, find English subtitles to be of great use when watching movies or TV series. Some seem to think this is a “Gen Z thing” but lots of consumers just find it easier. Read on to find out more about English subtitling and their benefits.
Why subtitles? The benefits of English subtitling
There are a few reasons why many people are increasingly using English subtitles on their TVs. Firstly, understanding dialogue has become more challenging for many viewers. A Preply survey found that nearly 72 percent of respondents who use closed captions do so because they find it difficult to comprehend spoken dialogue.
This difficulty stems from various factors, including modern TV design, where internal speakers often face downward, resulting in poorer audio quality. Additionally, sound designs optimized for theaters can lead to compressed audio when played at home, making dialogue harder to hear. Consequently, turning on closed captioning has become a common solution for many.
Foreign language content is more common
Secondly, the habit of using subtitles has grown due to the increased availability and consumption of foreign language content on streaming platforms. According to a 2020 survey by Parrot Analytics, non-U.S. shows made up nearly 30 percent of the TV demand by U.S. audiences in the third quarter of 2020. This trend has only intensified with the popularity of shows like the Korean sensation “Squid Game.”
Even English-language content, such as British TV shows and films with various accents, often requires subtitles for better comprehension. Preply’s survey indicates that 61 percent of respondents use subtitles for this reason, highlighting the growing reliance on subtitles across different types of content.
Social Media and English subtitling
Lastly, demographic trends, particularly among Gen Z, show a significant preference for using subtitles. Preply’s data reveals that 70 percent of Gen Z respondents use closed captions most of the time, compared to 53 percent of Millennials, 38 percent of Gen X, and 35 percent of Baby Boomers.
This preference is partly due to Gen Z growing up with subtitled social media videos. Additionally, Gen Z’s viewing habits differ from those of older generations, with 74 percent watching shows or movies in public on mobile devices. In noisy public environments, subtitles are essential for understanding what’s happening on screen. For many, subtitles are no longer seen as a barrier but as an essential tool for an enhanced viewing experience.
Creating subtitles
With a good language services provider, creating professional subtitles for your own media is very straightforward. All you need to do is send your source material and the language combination required, and your provider can do the rest. Knockhundred has a large and ever-expanding team of skilled linguists across many languages who can deal with your English subtitling requirements.
Please click here if you would like more information about Knockhundred’s English subtitles and captions service.
