随身英语｜为什么字幕很重要？

Why subtitles matter 为什么字幕很重要？


Over half of American TV viewers now use subtitles whenever they watch TV, according to survey company YouGov. This trend is even more noticeable in viewers under 30. Subtitles have long been used to help people with hearing impairments or to allow people to watch films in a different language, but why has their use become so widespread?
根据调查公司 YouGov 的数据，超过一半的美国电视观众现在每次看电视都会使用字幕。这一趋势在30岁以下的观众中更为明显。长期以来，字幕一直被用来帮助有听力障碍的人，或者让人们观看不同语言的电影，但是为什么它们的使用如此广泛呢？

The reasons for this are both technical and social. Advances in digital sound production and microphones mean that actors can be more natural in their vocal performance, while at the same time audio directors are able to make more and more dramatic soundscapes. Combined with the much smaller speakers contained in modern TV sets, this can all make dialogue seem unintelligible.
造成这种情况的原因既有技术方面的，也有社会方面的。数字声音制作和麦克风的进步意味着演员的声音表演可以更加自然，同时音频导演可以制作出越来越戏剧化的声音场景。再加上现代电视机中更小的扬声器，所有这些都会让对话看起来难以理解。

Smartphones may play a role. We are used to subtitled social media videos that can be watched without headphones. Smartphones also allow us to watch film and TV in public places where they are not easily audible.  Another social reason could be the increased appetite for programmes in other languages accessible through international streaming services.
智能手机可能起了一定作用。我们习惯了在社交媒体上观看有字幕的视频，甚至无需佩戴耳机。智能手机还允许我们在不易听到声音的公共场所观看电影和电视。另一个社会原因可能是人们对通过国际流媒体服务观看其他语言节目的需求增加了。

While some viewers may consider subtitles to be distracting, or worry about the potential for spoilers, they don't just help with unclear audio. A number of studies have suggested that subtitles could help people to increase their vocabulary and boost their listening skills in languages that they do not currently speak.
虽然一些观众可能会认为字幕会分散注意力，或者担心潜在的剧透，但字幕不仅能帮助解决音频不清晰的问题。许多研究表明，字幕可以帮助人们增加词汇量，提高他们目前不会说的语言的听力技能。

This may be particularly effective when subtitles are in the same language as the audio track of the programme. Same-language subtitles have also been shown to help young children develop their reading skills in their first language, to the point where campaigners have suggested enabling subtitles on all children's programmes by default.
当字幕与节目的音轨使用同一语言时，这可能特别有效。同语字幕也被证明有助于幼儿发展母语阅读技能，以至于相关活动人士建议在所有儿童节目中默认设置字幕。

词汇表

viewers 观众
hearing impairment 听觉障碍
digital sound production 数字声音制作
natural 自然的
vocal performance 声乐表演
audio director 音频导演
dramatic soundscape 戏剧化的声景
dialogue 对话
unintelligible 无法理解的
audible 听得见的，可以听到的
distracting 分散注意力的
spoiler 剧透
unclear 不清楚的
audio track 音轨
same-language subtitles 同语言字幕
enable 使…可能

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