Why do people dislike reading subtitles?

[The Dutchess]

I like subtitles, especially for things like Chinese Martial Arts epics where dubbing would definately distract from the tone of the movie far more than subtitles. For european movies I don't generally mind either way as long as the dubbing is quite good.
For example - I think District 13 was quite well dubbed (even though they speak french at an insane speed) but District 13: Ultimatum changed the main character's dubbed voice from an irish accent to an odd cockney english one and it made the character appear very different so I watch the second in french with subtitles instead.

 

[HardkorSB]

I hate dubbed movies and Americanized versions of great foreign movies. What's wrong with the original version? My friend told me that it's dumb it wasn't in English in the first place...I was dumbstruck.

Soooo what's your guys's opinions on subbed/dubbed/Americanized versions of films?

When it comes to anime, I think that it only works when the dialogue is in Japanese. That's the part of the experience (plus the voice actors are way better than the English speaking ones).
Other types of animation? I don't really care although I've noticed that US animation (Pixar, Disney, Dreamworks etc.) often has crappy voice acting when compared to the localized versions of the same movies (not that it's bad but the localized versions are better, they've gotten better recently though).

Why do people hate reading subtitles? Because you have to read instead of watching the movie. You can say that it's not that bad but you can't deny that it's a distraction. I sometimes have to rewind the movie because something brief happened on screen when I was reading the subtitles.

 

[XDravond]

When you read subs for better part of your life you get used to them but I like to be able to choose subs/no subs.
But dubbing no thank you anything for people over 8 (or so) theres a big no no, because it is annoying and word jokes gets lost and awkward, and it looks so wrong. There is a exception though where I accept dubbing, narration voices in documentaries are ok to dub.

So as a non English with a decent understanding of the language, I don't always read the subs but they don't bother me that much. And it does not even bother me that much if it happens to be english subs...

And when it comes to non english (ie languages I don't know a word of like Japanese...) I don't really like it but I'm ok with english dubbing (because I've gotten used to most of it) but no other language thank you...

 

[v3n0mat3]

Original language and subtitles or go home. I don't care what language it is, its original, intended language is the only version I will choose. Unless you're referring to movies like Cronos, where the dialogue is spoken in both English and Spanish.

I'm neither lazy nor am I an idiot, and I can read perfectly well. Additionally, the lips not synching up to the dialogue gets incredibly annoying to me. Like in those old Kung Fu movies. I love 'em, but that's the one thing that I cannot stand.

 

[DanielDeFig]

My rule for any entertainment media is:
The closer you can get to the original material, the better. Too much is lost in translation. If you aren't fluent in the original language, subtitles are the best why to hear the original voices (that bring the directors original approval of the voice actors performance), and the translations are usually more accurate than when dubbed.

I watched Trolljegeren in the original Norwegian, with Swedish subtitles. The Translation was probably a lot more accurate than if it had been English, and I could even follow some of the spoken Norwegian, since the languages are similar enough.

 

[Michael Hirst]

I've never seena well dubbed live action film in my life, the English voiceovers have always been god awful and had no expression in them at all.

I think films like The Seven Samurai have to watched as they are in Japanese, I have no problem reading and watching at the same time.

Anime is a grey area because some have great dubs and others have dubs so lousy I have to watch them in Japanese (Naruto is an example of god awful English dubs)

 

[LadyMint]

In my personal opinion, one is not better than the other. I don't mind subtitles but I have heard good dubs, like the films from Studio Ghibli. And I'll be honest--Sometimes the voices for the Japanese actors grate on my nerves, especially when they're playing spritely characters that talk all high-pitched.

Anyway, I like getting an idea of the original vocal characterization, and reading subtitles doesn't bother me in the process. But given the choice, I'll just go with the dub unless it is super horrible.

 

[NLS]

It's great if there's a lot of music or action noise making it hard to actually hear any of the dialogue.

 

[Aprilgold]

I don't mind it... When done well.

When its done Bad - Dead Rising shows this best, I CAN NOT READ THAT SMALL ASS TEXT!
When its done Good - Is big enough to read, but small enough to not obscure the movie.

 

[ProjectTrinity]

The people who hate on recent dubbing in general ruin it for me. Because now I instinctively think: "Well what about these subs and original voice actors make them better? *Compare time*"

And viola, we have my disliking of reading subs. I can read them fast enough just fine. I loved Death Note and saw it subbed first. (Later on, the dub grew on me, Light and L particularly the most) But you know what ruins them by association? The fans that spew their preferences as fact. I mean, you already start losing credibility when you call Baccano!'s or FMA's dub some of the worst you've ever heard. 80s, anyone?

Take out the English-speaking fans, and I don't have a problem. I happen to love them when the dub actually *is* horrible and the split second it takes to read the subs are worth it.

Live, though.....It's rare to find a good dub due to the lip syncing, so~ =p

 

[Phasmal]

I'm hard of hearing and use subtitles with most of the things I watch anyway.
If I am watching with other people I usually dont like to ask for subtitles so I go without, I dont miss much but miss a few lines occasionally.
As for subs v. dubs I always go with subs, partly because thats how it was originally and partly because its easier for me and I dont miss any lines.

 

[Mr Fixit]

I remember watching Pans Labrinth & forgetting it had subs, so i guess i don't mind reading along with the movie, A "good" dub is okay to.

 

[kortin]

I prefer dubs, simply because I like to do other things WHILE I watch the movie/tv show and unfortunately my Japanese (typically watch anime) is at a third grade level, so I cannot understand most of what they are saying. Subs mean I have to pay 100% attention to the tv otherwise I might miss something and that doesn't sit well with me.

Captcha:
Polessa followed;

It seems Polessa agrees with me.

 

[TheDooD]

I'll rather have sub titles yet the dubbing on classic Jackie Chan / John Woo movies are known to be so bad they're good.

 

[antidonkey]

I much prefer dubs as subtitles can be a distraction. Especially if it's during an action scene or something with flat out gorgeous cinematography. However, I have no issues watching a sub'd movie and can enjoy them quite easily. Most recent was 13 Assassins. Some of the titles went by a bit fast but still found the movie entertaining.

 

[JediMB]

I'm Swedish. Subtitles are AWESOME =D

This. / Det här.

Except I prefer to watch English material without any subs, since I'll usually just be annoyed by the poor translation anyway.

Hell, for 3D movies in theaters there should always be a sub-less option, since the subtitles tend to ruin the 3D effect completely.

 

[RicoADF]

I hate dubbed movies and Americanized versions of great foreign movies. What's wrong with the original version? My friend told me that it's dumb it wasn't in English in the first place...I was dumbstruck.

Soooo what's your guys's opinions on subbed/dubbed/Americanized versions of films?

I hate subtitles, but I agree they need to do proper conversions of movies to english. When I'm watching a movie I wanna watch the movie with sound etc, not be constantly reading. If I want to read a story, I get a book not watch a movie. Seems silly to me and irritates me to no end, esp as it takes me out of the immersion.

 

[Spitfire]

Well, let's see. Do I prefer to read subtitles, or listen to a half-assed voice dub that completely undermines the actors' performances?
I'll let you guess.

 

[trollnystan]

I'm Swedish. Subtitles are AWESOME =D

This. / Det här.

Except I prefer to watch English material without any subs, since I'll usually just be annoyed by the poor translation anyway.

Hell, for 3D movies in theaters there should always be a sub-less option, since the subtitles tend to ruin the 3D effect completely.

Subtitles in 3D movies hurt my eyes =( Not that I'm all that big on 3D movies in the first place...

Oh, and if I have the choice, I watch English material with English subtitles. That's how weird I am. Anything to avoid the "He's hemorrhaging!" = "Han har hemorrojder!" mistakes of Swedish subtitles. -_-;

 

[Smurf McSmurfington]

I dislike dubbing and... well... I refuse to watch anything dubbed. Unless it's a cartoon(or anime), though even then I prefer the original language with subs.

Thankfully dubbing has never really been a problem, 'cause I don't live in a gigantic country and therefore there's no real market to dubbed versions of foreign films(and almost all the films we get are foreign, not all that many estonian films worth seeing tbh).