Why do Americans need subtitles for english launguage?

4zn76tysfajdxp · 06-09-2012 11:53PM

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

Why do American programs have subtitles for people speaking english. Not all the time but if the person has a slightly different accent than they are used to. Its annoying, like they are to lazy to actually listen and und understand.

So why is this?

I know some people for whom English isn't their native language, but who are fairly proficient in speaking it, who find it a bit helpful.

Reindeer · 07-09-2012 01:02AM

As an American, originally from Texas, I find I have to flatten my accent often or else folks in Ireland have trouble understanding me and start to turn the subtitles on.

ahnowbrowncow · 07-09-2012 01:25AM

Reindeer wrote: »

As an American, originally from Texas, I find I have to flatten my accent often or else folks in Ireland have trouble understanding me and start to turn the subtitles on.

From Texas eh?

You can't fool me, I know reindeers don't come from Texas :cool:

07-09-2012 01:38AM

mike65 wrote: »

Stupid Channel in the States isn't the only one guilty of this - the BBC are increasingly titling people who have "tricky accents" while speaking English. I find that if I ignore the subs I quickly tune in to the speech whereas if I read the titles I feel I'm missing more (possibly important) unspoken communication.

Noticed that more and more for particularly Scottish accents.

Just a general wondering, is there more actual variation in accents this side of the Atlantic than in America? There's 3 or 4 distinct, even to my ear, Yorkshire accents, a load around Liverpool and Lancashire, the Scottish ones, Welsh ones, West country, Devon, Cornwall, Tyne, etc. etc. before even getting into the Irish ones. To my ear, even though I can tell the different American accents apart fairly easily there's only about half a dozen very different ones.

DazMarz · 07-09-2012 01:58AM

Red Hand wrote: »

There are a lot of American accents that are incomprehensible to us, as well as them.

Reindeer wrote: »

As an American, originally from Texas, I find I have to flatten my accent often or else folks in Ireland have trouble understanding me and start to turn the subtitles on.

I present, the greatest American accent ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GGA1a4nyVs

Overheal · 07-09-2012 02:08AM

My brother was visiting way back in the day, and he asked me to flip the subtitles on while we were watching Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

Big wtf from me :pac: and it made a mess of the actually subtitled scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu7aj1SCE8k

TAlderson · 07-09-2012 02:09AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Just a general wondering, is there more actual variation in accents this side of the Atlantic than in America? There's 3 or 4 distinct, even to my ear, Yorkshire accents, a load around Liverpool and Lancashire, the Scottish ones, Welsh ones, West country, Devon, Cornwall, Tyne, etc. etc. before even getting into the Irish ones. To my ear, even though I can tell the different American accents apart fairly easily there's only about half a dozen very different ones.

Yes and no. There are tons of accents in the US, and some very strong ones, but if you think about it, English has only been around a few hundred years in the US. Any area in England has had much longer to develop their own accents, and the Irish, Welsh, and Scottish accents come from speakers of other languages (Irish, Scots, Scots Gaelic, Welsh).

That being said, it's easier for me to distinguish between, say, a Worcester accent and a South Boston accent than various London accents. It comes from growing up around people with those accents, you get to hear the little variations and quirks. I was with a guy from Arkansas and two Brits once, and they said that us two Americans sounded exactly the same to them, which sounded ridiculous to us. Of course, they sounded pretty similar to us, so it's all a question of perspective.

-Tyler

07-09-2012 02:12AM

Overheal wrote: »

My brother was visiting way back in the day, and he asked me to flip the subtitles on while we were watching Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

Big wtf from me :pac: and it made a mess of the actually subtitled scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu7aj1SCE8k

Pick that up from someone walking around with a shopping trolley? :pac:

Overheal · 07-09-2012 02:13AM

mikemac1 wrote: »

The Cajuns from Louisiana are a nightmare to understand, give me subtitles

Cajuns are one thing, Gullahs quite another. They rightly have their own language.

Good Luck understanding them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullah

07-09-2012 02:17AM

TAlderson wrote: »

Yes and no. There are tons of accents in the US, and some very strong ones, but if you think about it, English has only been around a few hundred years in the US. Any area in England has had much longer to develop their own accents, and the Irish, Welsh, and Scottish accents come from speakers of other languages (Irish, Scots, Scots Gaelic, Welsh).

That being said, it's easier for me to distinguish between, say, a Worcester accent and a South Boston accent than various London accents. It comes from growing up around people with those accents, you get to hear the little variations and quirks. I was with a guy from Arkansas and two Brits once, and they said that us two Americans sounded exactly the same to them, which sounded ridiculous to us. Of course, they sounded pretty similar to us, so it's all a question of perspective.

-Tyler

I know I'll be biased based on where I live but I would like to know just how different they are. I remember reading a description a while back and apparently on paper (can't remember the "technical" term for studying accents) there are only subtle differences in Irish accents, despite the fact I can struggle to understand someone from 10 minutes down the raod. :pac:

BOHtox · 07-09-2012 02:20AM

The deaf?

Killer Wench · 07-09-2012 03:09AM

OFFS.

It's for the hearing impaired.

MadsL · 07-09-2012 04:14AM

Maybe because Americans speak more than 322 languages. And not all of them have English as their mother tongue?

Presume much?

old_aussie · 07-09-2012 04:25AM

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

Why do American programs have subtitles for people speaking english. Not all the time but if the person has a slightly different accent than they are used to. Its annoying, like they are to lazy to actually listen and und understand.

So why is this?

So they can understand whats going on in the movie.

You can turn subtitles off if you don't need them.

Chuck Stone · 07-09-2012 04:48AM

MadsL wrote: »

Maybe because Americans speak more than 322 languages.

Not all of them surely?

sholegg · 07-09-2012 04:58AM

Subtitles is a good thing. It helps people who came from other countries learn language because it is a lot easier to read than recognize a speech.

MadsL · 07-09-2012 05:04AM

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Not all of them surely?

I surely don't need to explain that. And don't call me Shirley.

Reindeer · 07-09-2012 05:54AM

DazMarz wrote: »

I present, the greatest American accent ever:

I know a few folks that can put on a Broomhauer. No Country For Old Men is also a good example of the Texas accent:

MadsL · 07-09-2012 06:07AM

Reindeer wrote: »

I know a few folks that can put on a Broomhauer. No Country For Old Men is also a good example of the Texas accent:

Mostly filmed in New Mexico

Best thing with a Texan accent has to be Miranda Lambert, Gawd Damnnn....(bites knuckles)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB7ONnfIjaI

MadsL · 07-09-2012 06:09AM

Jack Black did great recently with Bernie = awesome accent in that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEs7l6JTAc4

Killer Wench · 07-09-2012 06:27AM

MadsL wrote: »

Mostly filmed in New Mexico

Best thing with a Texan accent has to be Miranda Lambert, Gawd Damnnn....(bites knuckles)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB7ONnfIjaI

Tommy Lee Jones is Texan.

Ms. Ann Richards. The quintessential Texas accent.

Irish Guitarist · 07-09-2012 07:30AM

In fairness I often have to use subtitles when watching The Wire or when watching any film with Juliette Lewis.

Having said that I do agree that they have an insular culture. For instance Americans often use the term 'British accent' as if everyone from the British isles speaks with a Hugh Grant accent.

Cú Giobach · 07-09-2012 07:54AM

languagenerd wrote: »

Even some of my English friends sometimes ask me to repeat things (and I have a fairly neutral accent) even though I never have any trouble understanding them.

There is no such thing as a "neutral accent". To someone from the Bayous of Louisiana, the Scottish Highlands or Cork/Derry (which ever is furthest from where you're from) you have an accent, and it depends on where the person listening to you is from as to how strong that accent of yours is.

Think about it, if you moved into the "wilds" of wesht Kerry that "neutral" accent of yours would stand out as different and quite strong compared to everybody else's, and would be therefore quite distinctive.
Someone from Dublin has a different neutral accent to someone from Belfast's neutral accent, which are both different to someone's from Cork, in fact this so called neutral accent is a strong accent in itself.

Beefy78 · 07-09-2012 08:29AM

First time I went to the States I remember flicking through the channels one night and Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrells was on TV. It was subtitled and I can understand why. The first time I watched The Wire I didn't use subtitles and enjoyed the show. The second time I watched it I turned the subtitles on and got a lot more out of it

Deleted User wrote: »

Just a general wondering, is there more actual variation in accents this side of the Atlantic than in America? There's 3 or 4 distinct, even to my ear, Yorkshire accents, a load around Liverpool and Lancashire, the Scottish ones, Welsh ones, West country, Devon, Cornwall, Tyne, etc. etc. before even getting into the Irish ones. .

Liverpool and Manchester is the one which always surprises me. 15 miles down the road yet completely different and distinct accents.

MadsL · 07-09-2012 08:42AM

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

In fairness I often have to use subtitles when watching The Wire or when watching any film with Juliette Lewis.

Having said that I do agree that they have an insular culture. For instance Americans often use the term 'British accent' as if everyone from the British isles speaks with a Hugh Grant accent.

Not so much insular (the UK can be incredibly insular) more that with 300 million people there is a lot going on that grabs attention. It's a bit like saying the French are insular because they only consider things that are French or European.

And you seriously have never used the expression "American accent'? Kinda surprise me there.

Toby Take a Bow · 07-09-2012 08:44AM

I find it interesting the posters claiming a 'small-minded' American culture (way to generalise) based on some tv shows/media outlets using subtitles and then everyone comes in saying they can't understand the Baltimore accent. I can't either.

I use subtitles a bit. I think it's natural when you've got a heavily accented speaker. If the theory is correct and you don't have a huge variation in accents in America (or if the accents of the minorities are rarely heard) then it would make sense that you find it harder to understand the more pronounced accents.

07-09-2012 08:59AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXLcxKFYTpc

conorhal · 07-09-2012 10:36AM

TAlderson wrote: »

Honestly, most times I've seen this (I'm an American) is for other American accents, especially on older people who tend to have thicker accents and also have problems speaking.

The other thing in play is the fact that most Americans don't watch British, Irish, Scottish, etc. TV shows and the like regularly, so we're overall less used to those accents. America is also huge, and Europe is a long plane ride away, so people tend to travel more inside the US, rather than going over to the UK or Ireland, where they'd be exposed to other accents.

That said, it is too bad we don't get more exposure to other accents. I showed a few of my friends some Rubberbandits videos and they just looked at me blankly...

-Tyler

I never understood why so few Americans had a passport until I spent some time there, even just being based in California you were only a few hours from the desert (Vegas) the more European climate of San Francisco or the forests, mountains and Ski resorts of the national parks to the north. There is such variety to explore, from Yellowstone to Utah, New York to New Orleans that I began to wonder instead, why so many Americans actually bothered with passports?
There's a whole continent to explore. There are probably loads of Irish people that consider themselves widely traveled that have never gone beyond Europe.

Abi · 07-09-2012 10:57AM

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

Why do American programs have subtitles for people speaking english. Not all the time but if the person has a slightly different accent than they are used to. Its annoying, like they are to lazy to actually listen and und understand.

So why is this?

Well not all English speakers have the same dialect.

I think they should dub Cheryl Coles hair ads, I don't catch most of what she says. Not that I particularly care what she says, but it's such a harsh dialect.

Beefy78 · 07-09-2012 10:58AM

conorhal wrote: »

There's a whole continent to explore. There are probably loads of Irish people that consider themselves widely traveled that have never gone beyond Europe.

Exactly. It's an easy stick to beat American with but I doubt that the number of Europeans who have gone outside of Europe is significantly higher than the nubmer of Americans who have travelled beyond their borders.

Why do Americans need subtitles for english launguage?

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