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A British YouGov survey found that Generation Z often watches movies with subtitles, and the proportion is even higher than that of older people. The main reasons include not being able to hear dialogue clearly and fear of missing the plot. It is also said that subtitles help children read.
In Europe and the United States, movie subtitles were originally designed for hearing-impaired or older audiences, but a British survey found that it is Generation Z young people who now prefer to watch movies with subtitles.
UKvoting The agency YouGov interviewed 35,753 British people, and the results showed that 53% of respondents aged 18 to 24 turn on subtitles when watching programs, which is higher than other age groups; Only 20% of those aged 55 to 64, and 31% of those aged 75 and older.
Researchers asked about reasons for turning on subtitles and six broad categories emerged. The first is that the dialogue cannot be heard clearly. Interviewers attributed this to poor sound mixing quality, too loud a soundtrack, and the fact that to make performances closer to real life, today’s actors speak naturally rather than clearly and deliberately turn up the volume like in stage plays.
One young woman said: “I often can’t hear quiet dialogue clearly. Sometimes multiple sounds overlap and I can’t understand what’s going on, so turning on subtitles is like a security guard to make sure I hear what I need to hear.”
The second is the fear of missing key plot points. Some people will watch shows while swiping their phones or doing other things. One young man said: “This way I won’t miss anything, and I can fully understand the plot without having to go back and watch it again.”
Other causes include not being able to understand certain pronunciations, having children or pets at home, or noise interference and hearing loss such as traffic outside. One woman said: “I always live in an apartment or a shared apartment, and a loud TV can disturb the neighbors.”
Some scientists claim that turning on subtitles can help children’s reading skills. Research has found that children ages 4 to 7 are twice as likely to meet reading benchmarks if they watch videos with subtitles turned on. Popular cartoons such as “Peppa Pig” and “Brie” contain a large number of “high-frequency words” that can help children learn to read quickly.
Henry Warren, co-founder of the Turn on the Subtitles initiative, said, “I think of it as secretly adding vegetables to dinner; kids don’t notice, but you know it’s good for them.”
Summary FAQ
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The survey shows that Generation Z between the ages of 18 and 24 most often turns on subtitles, with a proportion of 53%, higher than 20% among those aged 55 to 64 and 31% among those aged over 75, indicating that young people have become the main users of subtitles.
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The main reasons include not being able to hear dialogue clearly, the soundtrack or mix being too loud, and the actors’ natural pronunciation making it difficult to recognize. Additionally, some people choose to turn on subtitles because they are afraid of missing key plot points, or are doing other things at the same time.
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The article states that scientists believe subtitles can improve children’s reading ability. Research has found that children ages 4 to 7 who watch movies with subtitles may be twice as likely to reach their reading level. High-frequency words in popular cartoons can also help with early literacy.
