Do you prefer to watch international TV/Movies with English Dubbing or English Subtitles?

[Katleya]

But that's just it. How low the volume of the other track must go becomes relative to the individual listener.

In my own case, I'd not want to hear the other track at all. That way I can optimally process what is said, rather than nominally process it or lose something in the translation.

I hear you
Years ago, they used to have several tracks for one video, so they could be more selective and turn the sound way down, including completely sometimes. Now that everything is analogic, for some reason, you get the one track, and that's it. Keeping some of the sound rather than turning it off altogether seems like an editorial choice for the sake of "authenticity", but that's really thinking the viewers are stupid.

 

[Judge]

Keeping some of the sound rather than turning it off altogether seems like an editorial choice for the sake of "authenticity", but that's really thinking the viewers are stupid.

Yes. However the "authenticity" factor really only works in the capacity of an interpreter. Yet the presentation it self is for a mass audience. Not interpreters.

Ironic- even humorous to think that this causes a loss in translation for those of us who have difficulty hearing and discerning two people speaking at the same time, let alone in different languages.

But yes, I'm sure they'd find some logistical reason for NOT accommodating us.

 

[Katleya]

Yes. However the "authenticity" factor really only works in the capacity of an interpreter. Yet the presentation it self is for a mass audience. Not interpreters.

Ironic- even humorous to think that this causes a loss in translation for those of us who have difficulty hearing and discerning two people speaking at the same time, let alone in different languages.

But yes, I'm sure they'd find some logistical reason for NOT accommodating us.

It's really authenticity as determined by someone sitting at a desk who knows nothing about translation, and nothing about the way the brain works out simultaneous sounds or text and sound.
Sadly, I don't think they're even considering accomodating anyone, they're just getting some cumbersome process done in whichever way it can be done, regardless of the resulting quality. For a good number of TV channels, documentaries are just a way to push additional advertising screens, nobody gives a crap about conveying information and teaching people new things (hence the sometimes dubious accuracy, too). And, like I said, viewers aren't really considered as actual people with a brain

 

[Jennacide]

Definitely subtitles.... Dubbing is very fake and takes away substance. Especially the asian films. Old jackie chan films that are dubbed seem very lame compared to the raw language.
Dubbing to me seems very overacted and false. Annoys me

 

[Judge]

Dubbing to me seems very overacted and false. Annoys me

Reminds me of a comedic actor- Michael Winslow. Part of his schtick was making fun of dubbed films pretending to be Bruce Lee:

 

[Flinty]

I wonder why Japanese people keep moving their mouths after they're through talking. - Calvin

 

[Idahocalypse]

As an anime enthusiast, I am all too familiar with the subs vs. dubs debate. Having watched many anime over the years, both subbed and dubbed, I have to say that I don't generally prefer one over the other. I believe that each series should be judged on a case-by-case basis.

There are some series that I will only watch subtitled due to their atrocious dubbing, such as Madoka Magica and Evangelion. But there are also series where I much prefer the English dub cast and will refuse to watch it any other way (nostalgia usually plays a factor in this), such as Hellsing Ultimate and Ouran High School Host Club.

Believe it or not, there are also those rare series where the voice acting is basically the same quality no matter if you choose to watch it subbed or dubbed (for better or for worse), such as Elfen Lied and Gravitation.

 

[Aeolienne]

I always prefer subtitles, so I can practise my languages (French, German, Italian and Swedish).

Now here's something intriguing...Federico Fellini cast Anthony Quinn in his film La Strada but had his voice dubbed by an Italian actor. So the version of the film usually shown in arthouse cinemas is both dubbed (partially) and subtitled. I have no idea if Quinn's original voice part was ever recorded for posterity.

 

[pjcnet]

Subtitles really annoy me a lot more than dubbing, partly because I often miss the action while I'm focused on reading the text and sometimes the text moves on before I've had chance to finish reading it. In fact when a movie has subtitles only I will rarely watch it at all. One movie I really enjoyed was Das Boot (1981) which is normally in German, but it is also available both with English subtitles and dubbed, it's one of the best and most realistic wartime submarine movies ever made (I watched the English dubbed version).

The first dubbed TV series I remember watching as a kid was Monkey which started in 1978 and was first dubbed into English in 1979, now this really is a classic TV series lol:

Yes okay I admit it, I watched the entire series again when I was an adult, but my excuse is that they only originally dubbed and showed 39 out of the total 52 episodes on the BBC, the remaining 13 episodes from series 2 weren't dubbed until much later in 2004.

 

[Mr Allen]

Problem I noticed with dubbing, is that it doesn't always match what they're saying when their lips move.

That was more noticeable in some of the late great Bruce Lee's early Chinese films and some of the early Japanese anime.

 

[AGXStarseed]

If available, I usual watch DVD's with the English subtitles turned on so I don't miss what they're saying. Take "The Expendables" for instance. I wasn't catching what Jason Statham said in the basketball scene until I turned on the subtitles. As George Bernard Shaw said, "The English and the Americans are two peoples divided by a common language."

I used to do that a lot when I watched DVDs - putting on the subtitles even though the film was in English. Nowadays, I put the subtitles on TV for late night programs, so I can still watch them while the volume is lower so I don't have to strain to listen, nor do I disturb anyone trying to sleep.

 

[Mr Allen]

I put subtitles on in ALL DVDs and Blu Rays I watch, saves me having to potentially annoy the Neighbours by having TV on full blast.

 

[Aeolienne]

When saw Good Bye Lenin! at the cinema it was noticeable how some members of the audience - presumably those able to follow the German dialogue without reading the subtitles - laughed first. Although, given the rules of German word order, one might have expected them to laugh last! [/grammar geekery]