Subtitles on movies and shows can be helpful if you’re trying to watch something in a loud place or trying to understand what’s being said, but you’re having a hard time understanding the speakers. But subtitles can be so much more than just a tool for accessibility; they can also be a tool for helping you engage with a culture you may not be familiar with.
Subtitles are an important tool for accessibility.
Before we talk about the benefits of subtitles from a cultural perspective, we want to note that subtitles are a vital tool for accessibility. They help people who are deaf or hard of hearing and can also help people who have challenges processing auditory information.
We do not want to skip over the importance that subtitles play for people all over the world when it comes to accessibility.
How can subtitles create a more cultural experience?
All that to be said, we love how subtitles can also be an opportunity for people to engage with content that they may not understand without subtitles.
By putting subtitles on, you open the door to learning. Subtitles can allow you to watch content that is in a different language. This is a great way to learn about a culture in an immersive way, consume media intended for people with different experiences than you, and help you better understand people worldwide.
When you watch shows or movies created in a different language than what you know, you’re going to learn about the world from a different perspective. You may not understand some cultural references or jokes, but the more content you consume, the more you can learn about that culture.
Of course, in saying that, it’s important to recognize that a show or movie isn’t going to fully capture an entire culture—it’ll just give you a glimpse from one perspective.
Try this at home!
We want to challenge you to embrace a new culture. All you have to do is pick a show or movie that’s not in a language you know and then watch it with subtitles. This is a great exercise to help you better appreciate the world, have an immersive experience in a culture you’re unfamiliar with and broaden your understanding of how people communicate.
Watching a show or movie in another language can also help you understand the benefits of subtitles because it can allow you to enjoy a form of media created in a different language while actually understanding what’s going on.
If you try this, we hope you enjoy observing the world from a different lens.
What will you watch?
