Why are there subtitle-graphics on Japanese television?

yukio_michael · 18 May 2006

I've wondered this for a while now--- On television in Japan, variously, when there is conversation, like an event or skit, there will be subtitles for various parts of the conversation.

I thought momentarily that this could be for deaf listeners, who may benefit from it, but the subtitles are generally non-standard, & somewhat random.

Are the subtitles to disambiguate the dialogue? This was my first inclination, but I'm not sure, and googling for this answer has gotten me nowhere.

RockLee · 18 May 2006

I think it's because a lot of Japanese men are sometimes not so easy to understand. I have been told they mumble. It could also be to emphasize something :?

MeAndroo · 18 May 2006

I certainly thought so, particularly when there are multiple people speaking very quickly. The subtitles will also highlight a dialect, in the case of celebs like Downtown, or emphasize emotion, like when they have those little crater looking things around and irritated person (which regularly appears in the anime/manga form as well).

I certainly appreciate their use since they seem to focus on the punchlines, but that's only because I have major difficulty following a bunch of yammering Japanese.

Davey · 18 May 2006

I like it brings some extra in the show!!!

Damicci · 18 May 2006

I think he means more of why are they always bright and colorful instead your standard subtitle fonts and sizes. Probably just makes the reading more interesting and easier to read.

yukio_michael · 18 May 2006

Damicci said:
I think he means more of why are they always bright and colorful instead your standard subtitle fonts and sizes. Probably just makes the reading more interesting and easier to read.

Nope, I mean, why are they there!

I'm glad they are there too, because they teach me kanji and re-inforce my language skills.

Damicci · 18 May 2006

I assumed you meant graphics as in the appearance of the subtitles. My mistake.

Then I agree with what everyone else said. Japanese mumble ALOT!

yukio_michael · 18 May 2006

This leads me to another thought--- recently I've been looking for scripts that might be available for Japanese movies, now I'm thinking that I can probably (I hope), order region 2 Japanese DVD movies, and perhaps they will have subtitles in Japanese to read along with the dialogue.

Watching an English movie w/ Japanese subtitles as I've done in the theatre is too much for my brain to process.

DoctorP · 18 May 2006

It's in part to the mumbling, but also due to the different dialects. The TV shows are broadcast all over, and this makes it easier for everyone to understand.

nice gaijin · 18 May 2006

My understanding is the dialect issue is the main reason. It sure makes them easier for me to understand though.

cheapshot · 18 May 2006

i presumed that it was for deaf listeners too. it can't just be a dialect thing, because they don't just show the punchline in some shows. i have seen shows where pretty much all of what has been said is in subtitles... :?

Mike Cash · 18 May 2006

It's just eye candy from the broadcasters' techno-geeks who, I am guessing, started out doing it for the same reasons dogs lick their privates.

It started out a few years ago and has taken on a life of its own. I find it very irritating.

Another very irritating thing which got started not that long ago is the practice of replaying the last minute or so of a program after commercials. To clarify: Whatever they were showing just before going to commercial gets played again right after the commercial. My guess is that it is just a way to cut production costs.

RockLee · 18 May 2006

Mike Cash said:
Another very irritating thing which got started not that long ago is the practice of replaying the last minute or so of a program after commercials. To clarify: Whatever they were showing just before going to commercial gets played again right after the commercial. My guess is that it is just a way to cut production costs.

Damnit, do I hate that !! They just have to show the sponsors, that's why. Commercials piss me off big time ! And in Japan they show'em every 5 minutes

Mike Cash · 18 May 2006

It isn't the commercials that piss me off; they're the only thing on Japanese tv worth watching.

I've long said that the people who make the commercials should make the tv shows, and the people who make the tv shows should be lined up against a wall and shot.

Minty · 19 May 2006

Taiwanese televisions also have subtitles; I think the subtitles are there to help people understand the dialogues properly just in case the actors didn't give clear speeches.

Actually for people who are learning the language subtitles can be useful.

Elizabeth · 19 May 2006

Actually for people who are learning the language subtitles can be useful.

Yes, especially after you reach the point of fluency. Before that they can flash by annoyingly fast.
Some Japanese broadcasts may also have full caption, full text headings for the deaf and hard of hearing. As Mike said, graphics splashed across the screen or as rolling headlines are purely for entertainment value and visual impact. Virtually everyone now can understand standard Japanese thanks to compulsory education, improvements in mass communication and literacy, etc.

I mean native speakers can even catch radio content where mumbling and homonyms need to be either ironed out beforehand or explicitly described in terms of the kanji being explained.

cheapshot · 19 May 2006

it does help my understanding and reading practice, but at the same time it can subtract from listening to what is being said because you are too busy reading. in my case anyway....

disclaimer: i am by no means fluent and so i find it difficult to concentrate on both listening and reading at the same time.

Mike Cash · 19 May 2006

One thing that is available on some Japanese shows and which can be useful to foreign viewers is the addition of verbal commentary on the audio sub-channel. I'm referring to the descriptive commentary added for the benefit of those who can't see the actions on the screen.

Minty · 24 May 2006

Yes, especially after you reach the point of fluency. Before that they can flash by annoyingly fast.

It depends on the person there are people who actually able to learn from watching films or series with subtitles.

Some Japanese broadcasts may also have full caption, full text headings for the deaf and hard of hearing. As Mike said, graphics splashed across the screen or as rolling headlines are purely for entertainment value and visual impact. Virtually everyone now can understand standard Japanese thanks to compulsory education, improvements in mass communication and literacy, etc.

I mean native speakers can even catch radio content where mumbling and homonyms need to be either ironed out beforehand or explicitly described in terms of the kanji being explained.

Well I am a native Mandarin speaker and the Taiwanese television always has subtitles, I can always catch the dialogues even they mumble too, however the subtitles are still clearer.

yorkii said:
it does help my understanding and reading practice, but at the same time it can subtract from listening to what is being said because you are too busy reading. in my case anyway....
disclaimer: i am by no means fluent and so i find it difficult to concentrate on both listening and reading at the same time.

Well I don't find subtitles annoying like I said earlier it depends on the person, after all there are many different ways to learn a foreign language, and certain methods work better on some people than others.

Why are there subtitle-graphics on Japanese television?

yukio_michael

後輩

RockLee

Hullu

MeAndroo

先輩

Davey

先輩

Damicci

先輩

yukio_michael

後輩

Damicci

先輩

yukio_michael

後輩

DoctorP

先輩

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

cheapshot

後輩

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

RockLee

Hullu

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

Minty

後輩

Elizabeth

先輩

cheapshot

後輩

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

Minty

後輩

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