The history of photo captions is longer than video captioning, and it seems like the term is making a return to its roots through the popular photo-and-video sharing app Instagram. The term developed both a metaphorical meaning (capturing the meaning of a photograph) and a literal meaning (the seizure of tangible property). When it comes to translated video, those are called “subtitles,” same as commonly used worldwide.įun fact: The origin of the word “caption” is to take or seize.
Captions only refer to subtitles that are in the same language as the spoken video. “Caption” is the term used primarily in North America. The vocabulary debate occurs with same-language subtitles, which some people refer to as “captions,” which you’ll see next.įun fact: The origin of the word “subtitle” comes in two forms: a secondary title to a written work and the textual version of dialog in a dramatic production. There is no difference there, depending on which part of the world you are in (keep reading to find out more).
Subtitles can be in the same language as the video or translated into another language. “Subtitle” is the most common term worldwide for text that accompanies video content. What do subtitles and captions have in common?.If you want to know why, then you’re reading the right article.
Some people call them subtitles, and some people call them captions. We talked recently about the rich and storied history of subtitles from operatic tradition to Weird Al music videos, subtitles and captions silently strengthen the connection between content and its audience.īut there is some debate online about what to call those little words at the bottom of your video. Subtitles are becoming an increasingly important accessibility tool.įor more information, refer to the ABC article on how subtitles are becoming more popular.Whether you need to understand a quiet speaker, to catch a verbal “ Easter egg” in a cult film, or discern speech with an unfamiliar accent, closed captioning and subtitles are your friend while watching videos.
While there are many varying reasons for this societal shift, one thing is clear. The Preply survey also indicated that dialogue is increasingly becoming harder to hear due to sound-mixing, with viewers finding it difficult to hear lines over background music. There is also a change in how viewers watch their shows – rather than only watching from the comfort of their home in the loungeroom, more and more are watching on devices as they wait for the next train, for example, making closed captions the best viable option amongst public noise.Ī survey from Preply has also noted that Americans find it difficult to understand the accents of overseas popular shows such as Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders and Derry Girls, while further study suggests that younger viewers are beginning to ‘passively’ watch their shows, while glancing away from their devices as they engage in other tasks. A reason for this growing trend is that they are more likely to watch foreign shows and movies made outside of the US, coinciding with the rise in popularity of K-Dramas such as Squid Game streaming on Netflix, and anime coming out of Japan. Viewers ranging from 18-25 are turning on subtitles in an increasing percentage, according to a study from Stagetext and Sapio Research. One suggestion, highlighted in an article in the Telegraph, is that Generation Z is bringing upon this shift. As technology evolves, and the way we consume our media is changing, more and more people are choosing to watch television shows and movies while utilising subtitles and closed captions.įor people who are deaf or hard of hearing, this has long been the way they have viewed content, but researchers and film-makers have proposed several factors for this growing trend becoming mainstream, ranging from changes in how viewers are processing information, a shift in audio design and what people are now watching.
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