Rec | NOT USING SUBTITLES UNLESS IT’S A LANGUAGE THAT IS FOREIG...

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NOT USING SUBTITLES UNLESS IT’S A LANGUAGE THAT IS FOREIGN TO YOU

I’m fairly soft spoken so I’m used to being asked to repeat what I said, but lately I’ve noticed I’ve had to repeat myself almost every time I speak. So I conducted an experiment in which whenever somebody asked me to repeat what I said, I ask them if they use subtitles, and literally they always do. It’s reducing your ability to understand the spoken word without transcript and it’s really really annoying

Apr 18, 2025

Comments (26)

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could it not be that those people have worse hearing and/or speech processing which is why they both can’t hear you and need subtitles?

Apr 18, 2025

@MOUSE it’s possible but my friends I’ve been experimenting with have tried not using subtitles and all of them have said their listening and processing immediately improved (all have admitted not needing them but use them as a kind of comfort or just out of habit. I’m not dismissing the fact it’s necessary for some people to use them btw)

Apr 18, 2025

@MOUSE that is interesting. It seemed a strange assumption that subtitles would cause lack of comprehension rather than people who are more likely to need or want subtitles would be more likely to not be able to hear or understand speech as easily.

Apr 18, 2025

@MOUSE Actually I recognised it first in myself because I was almost exclusively watching foreign films and reading closed captions on videos on my phone whenever they were there even though I don’t need them. I was getting stressed because I couldn’t understand anybody lol, and then I turned subtitles off everywhere because that’s the only thing I could think would be causing that, and I noticed immediately I could understand crystal clear again. So then I asked my friends to try and that’s when I secured the theory.

Apr 18, 2025

@MOUSE this would be a curveball argument to anime purists who insist you should never watch dubs

Apr 18, 2025

@MOUSE lmao I mentioned native language purposes in the title specifically to dodge that debate 🫡 I do not want the anime smoke

Apr 18, 2025

ik you already said this doesn't apply to those of us with processing disorders but my first thought was "my first language is English and it feels foreign to me anyway LOL" I wonder if this is true for people who don't need it as an aid. but this combined with shortterm gratification addiction being so widespread I wouldn't doubt it if most people's brains just turn off when they have to work just a little harder to hear you tbh

Apr 18, 2025

is your username soft because you're soft spoken

Apr 18, 2025

@BRENDANOOOOO that’s a common misconception, my speech is actually soft because of my username

Apr 18, 2025

@littlepinkstars

sometimes words sound like gibberish to me .. i frequent local punk shows with super loud music without hearing protection so that must be why. i do use subtitles. i found that reading books out loud helped me fight this.

Apr 18, 2025

@LITTLEPINKSTARS your homework is to turn subtitles off for three days and see if the gibberish resolves at all

Apr 18, 2025

@littlepinkstars

@SOFT i will update 🙏

Apr 18, 2025

@LITTLEPINKSTARS please do! There have been very positive results so far I feel hopeful

Apr 18, 2025

i have tinnitus and always used that as my excuse but you're honestly cooking with this theory

Apr 18, 2025

@26GIRLS that’s a very valid excuse I’ll allow it

Apr 18, 2025

I totally get this but I’ve used subtitles since I was a child, some of us are paying undivided attention we just have processing disorders 😫😫

Apr 18, 2025

@CHOC_ORANGE omg noooo the rec does not apply for those who require it as the aid it was intended to be 🤲 love u

Apr 18, 2025

@SOFT noo I absolutely get what ur saying the art of listening is a dying one!!

Apr 18, 2025

@CHOC_ORANGE it really is i’m so tired of having to shout to accommodate everybody's unconsciousness :(

Apr 18, 2025

yeah, i agree. BUT, dialogue mixing in film and tv is beyond shit at the moment. I am a non subtitles user btw... I'd be able to understand you first time

Apr 18, 2025

@RATTLESNAKE it’s also quite shit in real life so it’s good practice. but also that means a lot to me and I appreciate you

Apr 18, 2025

@SOFT the art of lipreading is dying

Apr 18, 2025

@RATTLESNAKE the art of paying undivided attention is also dead :(

Apr 18, 2025

@SOFT and so it goes

Apr 18, 2025

@chronicwebuser

girl i know you not blaming subtitles for speaking softly!!

Apr 18, 2025

@CHRONICWEBUSER sorry to clarify I mentioned that I’m soft spoken because I’m used to being asked to repeat, and that it’s relevant because the amount of times I’ve asked has significantly increased with people’s use of unnecessary subtitles 💋😵‍💫

Apr 18, 2025

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