How to Best Use Subtitles to Learn a Language
Language exposure is crucial to the development of a second language, and fortunately, you can get plenty of exposure and have fun by watching movies and shows with subtitles! Nowadays, subtitles are more accessible than ever with streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. These streaming services provide plenty of authentic movies and TV shows from different regions of the world so you can improve your listening skills. You can even change the language settings on your Netflix account so everything is written in a different language to get more reading practice (in addition to the subtitles of course!).
Utilizing subtitles has several benefits. Subtitles help with attention to, comprehension of, and memory for the video being watched (Gernsbacher, 2015). It can seem a bit overwhelming as a beginner to a new language, but there are several ways to go about sharpening different abilities using subtitles. I am going to outline a few of them here, and then I will share my own personal procession of using subtitles when I used Spanish and as I learn German now!
Target Language Audio with Native Language Subtitles
Also known as standard subtitles, the most common use of subtitles are in foreign films for the general population that aren’t trying to learn a language. Viewers will hear the target language and read subtitles in their native one. While this might be sufficient for the average movie-goer, for the average language learner, this method is not the greatest and may even be harmful to foreign speech perception. Unusual mapping between sounds and words makes understanding a foreign language challenging. Our native language brain wants to classify the new target language by the sound system it is accustomed to hearing. Therefore, native-language subtitles cause lexical interferences (Mitterer H, McQueen JM, 2009).
However, it’s not all bad with this technique. In this method, you are still able to hear the target language being spoken. You can start to become familiar with the sounds used as well as the pace and rhythm of the language. Any and all exposure is welcome. This can be just a stepping stone in your path to fluency.
Target Language Audio with Target Language Subtitles
This is known as bimodal input. In contrast to the previous method, for this, viewers will hear the target language and also read subtitles in that target language. When first starting out with a new language, it is difficult to decipher when one word ends and another begins. Yet, in the same study done by Mitterer and McQueen, it was shown that target-language subtitles aid speech learning by indicating which words (and thus sounds) are being spoken. It makes those indecipherable chunks of language more easily understandable.
In my own experience with Netflix and the bimodal input method, I frequently ran into an obstacle where the audio and subtitles do not match harmoniously. They will phrase things differently while still being in the target language. While this isn’t an obstacle that cannot be overcome, it is still something to consider when utilizing this method.
While it is slightly more beneficial to use this approach than the one above, it may not be advisable for brand new beginners. It is advantageous to already have a basic knowledge of the language (both grammar and vocabulary) before having both the audio and subtitles in the target language.
Native Language Audio with Target Language Subtitles
This method is known as reverse subtitling. Viewers will hear their native language but read subtitles in the target language. This method is highly recommended as it allows even the most beginner learners accessibility to the language. It is extremely conducive for vocabulary recall and is promising for overall literacy training (Lambert, 1988). Reverse subtitles are a passive way to get exposure to the language. You won’t have to struggle to understand what is going on in the plot while also learning. Luckily, with Netflix, there are foreign language subtitles for almost everything on there.
Yet, a sizable downfall of this approach is that there is no auditory exposure to the language. This technique should be used in tandem with the bimodal input method for the best results for a more advanced learner. Several studies agree that these two methods combined create encouraging prospects for second language learning (Holobow, 1984; Danan, 1992).
Target Language Audio with Subtitles in Both Target & Native Languages
This is aptly known as dual subtitles. This method allows the viewer to hear the target language and to read both the target and native language subtitles. Dual subtitles give you the most amount of input at one time, but it is sometimes TOO much input with not enough time to process it all. Different strategies could be implemented, such that you try to stick to the target language subtitles until you need to check translations with the native language, or whatever best suits your needs.
You might be wondering where you can achieve dual subtitles. I’ll let you in on the secret and it’s free! It’s an extension for your browser called Learning Languages with Netflix. It allows you to see all of the subtitles for a movie or episode on the side, and also auto-translates words as you hover over them. As you watch, it displays two sets of subtitles in different languages. It is the BOMB!
My Personal Recommendation for Subtitle Usage
The idea is to eventually wean yourself off of the subtitles completely and just enjoy the shows or movies in the target language. But it takes practice and dedication to get there. Here are the methods and in which order I personally would recommend they be carried out:
1. Reverse subtitles
2. Dual subtitles
3. Bimodal input
4. No subtitles
And there you have it! I think it’s obvious to say that subtitles are an instrumental resource when it comes to language learning. You get to experience another culture by watching their media and get to hear different accents as well.
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