Why do people find subtitles 'annoying'?

[Mad Doug Biker]

I am finding I need subtitles more and more when watching the telly, but apparently this is so utterly horrifically annoying to some that it makes things unwatchable.

I've never felt this about them and am confused.

I had a run - in with family members about it yesterday and I'm annoyed - How can they be so willfully stupid about it? 🤬🤬🤬🤬

 

[PaulSB]

It's something which used to annoy me......I don't know why.......until I needed subtitles. We use subtitles for all TV, film, etc

I still find it very irritating for live sport for two reasons; generally what's being said actually makes little sense and when a computer tries to "translate" into text the results are bizarre. Football is by far the worst. We all know the pundits speak total bollocks, seeing their nonsensical words translated simply underlines this. Perhaps one properly constructed sentence per game? The other issue is the text covers part of the game.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

It's something which used to annoy me......I don't know why.......until I needed subtitles. We use subtitles for all TV, film, etc

I still find it very irritating for live sport for two reasons; generally what's being said actually makes little sense and when a computer tries to "translate" into text the results are bizarre. Football is by far the worst. We all know the pundits speak total bollocks, seeing their nonsensical words translated simply underlines this. Perhaps one properly constructed sentence per game? The other issue is the text covers part of the game.

Sports and live things, ok, but documentaries and so on where it doesn't really matter?

Most T.V. is utter bollox anyway, so when I actually do want to watch something, I want to get the most out of what I'm trying to watch and listen too.
Oh and it covers a bit of the screen when it doesn't matter? Awww didums; That's what I want to say to people.

 

[mistyoptic]

It's something which used to annoy me......I don't know why.......until I needed subtitles. We use subtitles for all TV, film, etc

I still find it very irritating for live sport for two reasons; generally what's being said actually makes little sense and when a computer tries to "translate" into text the results are bizarre. Football is by far the worst. We all know the pundits speak total bollocks, seeing their nonsensical words translated simply underlines this. Perhaps one properly constructed sentence any live content per game? The other issue is the text covers part of the game.

Any live content. Even news programmes and chat shows have subtitles which are nonsensical. It’s very distracting

 

[Tenkaykev]

Sports and live things, ok, but documentaries and so on where it doesn't really matter?

Most T.V. is utter bollox anyway, so when I actually do want to watch something, I want to get the most out of what I'm trying to watch and listen too.
Oh and it covers a bit of the screen when it doesn't matter? Awww didums; That's what I want to say to people.

Some subtitles are resizeable, and some programs require it due to the woeful sound mixing. An added benefit is if you are learning a language you can listen to the language being spoken and still get the gist of what's going on ( some programs/ films have confusing plots even in their native English 😁)

 

[Dave7]

I am at a stage where I am going to need it as some film characters seem to just mumble and make the film unenjoyable. BUT i find those subtitles distracting/annoying (why? I dont know).
My grandson who is 28 does not need them but enjoys them.
As a famous politician once said "there's nowt so queen as folk" (or was that Ena Sharples ).

 

[DCBassman]

We can no longer cope without subtitles, so...

 

[annedonnelly]

I don't watch TV so I've no recent experience of subtitles on a TV screen but I've occasionally seen them on YouTube videos. I have a problem with flashing/moving things alongside whatever content I'm trying to look at. For example, moving avatars on here, or any flashing moving ads on a website (I use an ad blocker so I don't see many of those). If I'm on a Zoom call or webinar the chat content popping up all time is very distracting for me.

I think in general I'd find subtitles irritating in the same way. I don't watch YouTube a lot but if a video comes up with subtitles turned on I'll turn them off straightaway. I do deliberately use the subtitles when I want to look at a video without having the sound on. But I only tend to skip through videos anyway.

 

[gbb]

Never bothered me In the slightest...seemed to annoy the heck out of my late wife for some reason...

 

[slowereveryyear]

Not quite the same but as I live in France most cinema offerings are in French. Occasionally a film is advertised as 'VO'. This is an English language film but with French subtitles.
When watching one I find I'm taking more notice of the subtitles than listening to the dialogue!
The subtitles are frequently way off from the dialogue.

 

[MadMalx]

Like others, I like them with drama & films, but find live & panel shows unwatchable. Spent a good 20 min trying to switch off subtitles while watching news on iplayer last night, via a roku stick. Not on tv controller, not on iplayer setup, not under accessibility settings on the roku controller. Eventually found it in (via google) in a hidden roku menu. Not sure I will remember where to find them again.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Here we observe MDB in his natural habitat, pizza perched on arm rest and beer balanced on his head

 

[postman]

In a soft seductive voice,Postman leans over his breakfast cereal,staring in to the keyboard,he presses the keyboard with one finger,whilst his jaws crunch down on cornflakes.,,,,the piggin voice overs drive me mad.

 

[Jameshow]

Worse than subtitles is TalkBack when your phone goes into blind mode!🤣🤣🤣

 

[PaulSB]

Sports and live things, ok, but documentaries and so on where it doesn't really matter?

Most T.V. is utter bollox anyway, so when I actually do want to watch something, I want to get the most out of what I'm trying to watch and listen too.
Oh and it covers a bit of the screen when it doesn't matter? Awww didums; That's what I want to say to people.

Awww diddums? What's that about? Would you apply it to someone with profound perhaps total hearing loss? Don't winge just watch it with no sound? Hmmmmm?

Exactly and for some of us we reach a stage in life when hearing what is said becomes difficult. To continue to listen and understand subtitles are a great help. The hearing range loss I have means certain accents, especially when spoken at speed, become unintelligible. East coast American is a good example, what I believe is the east side NY accent. Some films, TV programmes are broadcast with low sound, if one turns up the sound to hear when the adverts begin it's like being next to the speaker stack at a rock festival.

Generally the subtitles are placed in a way not to be obstructive, with sports events that often isn't the case. There are many innovations that help individuals in a variety of ways. This is one of them.