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Apparently I need subtitles

Posted: 2003-10-10 05:07am
by InnerBrat
I couldn't find a weblink, but it was in the papers today:
The Metro wrote:It's subtitled. Fact.
Hit TV comedy The Office has been released in the States on DVD - but it comes with subtitles so Americans can understand the Slough dialect. The show is (sic) proved popular on cable channel BBC America but network bosses feared viewers across the Atlantic would struggle to cope with the accents. So they decided to include optional 'English' subtitles on the DVD. An insider said: 'One of the big worries is that Americans wouldn't get the British humour. But first they have to understand what they are saying.' Ricky Gervais, who plays David Brent, has been in New York for a publicity tour. Despite The Office featuring distinctive British humour, the actor found himslef swamped by 300 fans during a signing in Union Square. 'We are overwhelmed at how well the show is doing here' said a BBC America spokesman.
Now, it was funny when Trainspotting needed subtitles. It was funny when Ozzy needs his own subtitles on The Osbournes. But this nuffin ron wif the Slough aksent, innit!

Posted: 2003-10-10 05:11am
by Robert Treder
Psh, almost every DVD in America has English subtitles...it's called "Closed Captioning". It's cute to pretend that they're doing it because Americans are retarded, but they'd do it even if we did all speak gibberish or whatever it is that Brits speak.

Posted: 2003-10-10 05:48am
by The Yosemite Bear
Don't worry our west coast abbrevate everything factor should be subed too.

I mean: Cal is crystal kay?

Posted: 2003-10-10 12:09pm
by Tsyroc
My dad has actually turned me on to running subtitles on movies from time to time. It's funny how many things you can pick up or better understand because of the subtitles. Often stuff that you absolutely can't hear being said is put up in the subtitles. Other times it's stuff that you can't hear clearly.

I know subtitles work great for my dad because he misses half the jokes in most comedies because he's laughing too loud to hear any of the follow on jokes. :D


As for understanding people with accents. I find that I have the most trouble with accents if people speak softly, very quickly or if they mumble. Combinations of any two are a real problem. I think it is difficult to understand people in my own home town if they do those three things and it's even more difficult when people speak in a way, or lingo, I'm not familiar with.

Posted: 2003-10-10 01:33pm
by 2000AD
IMO the best use of subtitles was in Lock,Stock ... when they subtitled then guy speaking in cockney ryming slang. :lol:

Posted: 2003-10-10 03:57pm
by The Dark
Tsyroc wrote:My dad has actually turned me on to running subtitles on movies from time to time. It's funny how many things you can pick up or better understand because of the subtitles. Often stuff that you absolutely can't hear being said is put up in the subtitles. Other times it's stuff that you can't hear clearly.
Like from Good Morning Vietnam...

"Seeing as how the VP is such a VIP, shouldn't we keep the PC on the QT? 'Cause if it leaks to the VC, he could end up an MIA, and then we'd all be put on KP."

I had to watch that with subtitles to catch it all in one go.

Posted: 2003-10-11 12:35am
by TrailerParkJawa
I can understand most British people Ive met, however one day I watched some BBC programing on cable and they had a show where people where speaking what I would guess is the equivelant of "street talk" in some part of Britain. I had a real hard time following some of the phrases. Especially metaphors and slang.

Posted: 2003-10-11 12:45am
by El Moose Monstero
Woar, like, ah dinna ken wha' theer alll taakin aboot either, IB, theers nowt wrong wi' wor accents, bu' Jeff's dead, and Duncan's blin', man...

Posted: 2003-10-11 04:47pm
by Lord Pounder
The only BBC program that needs subtitles is Rab C Nesbitt. Now that was hard to follow.

Posted: 2003-10-11 04:56pm
by Demiurge
You crazy foraigners and your accents.

Funny how no one around these parts has one, but everyone else does... :?

lol j/k joo nice peeps dont flame

Posted: 2003-10-11 05:32pm
by Soontir C'boath
My brother needs subtitles even if the speakers are coherent. :evil: That bsatard. I hate subtitles because they can really distract you from looking at the entire set because your eyes are glued to it and you can read the words faster then they speak it so you know it already. :evil: :evil: ~Jason

Re: Apparently I need subtitles

Posted: 2003-10-11 08:29pm
by The Duchess of Zeon
InnerBrat wrote:I couldn't find a weblink, but it was in the papers today:


Now, it was funny when Trainspotting needed subtitles. It was funny when Ozzy needs his own subtitles on The Osbournes. But this nuffin ron wif the Slough aksent, innit!
Don't worry. I, at least, can understand that.

Gentlemen, Ladies, the translation is: "But there's nothing wrong with the Slough accent, is there!?"

Posted: 2003-10-11 08:32pm
by Admiral Valdemar
Slough is what happens when you try to build an industrial estate that would be immune to nuclear war and succeed.

Posted: 2003-10-11 08:33pm
by HemlockGrey
You know, my history teacher told me the people of England invented the English language, but clearly she was grossly mistaken.

Posted: 2003-10-11 08:34pm
by Admiral Valdemar
HemlockGrey wrote:You know, my history teacher told me the people of England invented the English language, but clearly she was grossly mistaken.
Bullet Tooth Tony: A bookie's got blagged last night.
Avi: Blagged? Do me a favour, Tony, speak English. I thought this country spawned the fucking language, and so far nobody seems to speak it.

Posted: 2003-10-11 09:43pm
by DPDarkPrimus
If you made an audio clip of yourself talking, we could take a poll as to whether or not you need subtitles. :wink:

Posted: 2003-10-11 09:48pm
by Admiral Valdemar
DPDarkPrimus wrote:If you made an audio clip of yourself talking, we could take a poll as to whether or not you need subtitles. :wink:
To hear the voice of InnerBrat is to hear the voice of God on Earth, an experience so profound, emotional and complex that the normal human mind will simply self-destruct no sooner has her mouth opened.

Posted: 2003-10-11 09:50pm
by El Moose Monstero
You, sir, are a wee sook. :P

Posted: 2003-10-11 10:30pm
by Andrew J.
Admiral Valdemar wrote:
DPDarkPrimus wrote:If you made an audio clip of yourself talking, we could take a poll as to whether or not you need subtitles. :wink:
To hear the voice of InnerBrat is to hear the voice of God on Earth, an experience so profound, emotional and complex that the normal human mind will simply self-destruct no sooner has her mouth opened.
Wait wait wait, lemme guess...Will Ferrell as James Lipton? :P

Posted: 2003-10-11 10:42pm
by kojikun
I can understand british accents fine. its those insane uberthick scottish accents i cant understand. crazy scottish gibberish.. :P

Posted: 2003-10-11 11:28pm
by Demiurge
Admiral Valdemar wrote:
To hear the voice of InnerBrat is to hear the voice of God on Earth, an experience so profound, emotional and complex that the normal human mind will simply self-destruct no sooner has her mouth opened.
So she's really James Earl Jones? I never would have guessed.

Posted: 2003-10-11 11:48pm
by El Moose Monstero
Or Morgan Freeman.

Posted: 2003-10-12 01:32pm
by InnerBrat
Unfortunately I appear to have contracted something off my recent snugglebunny, so any talking I do is with a sexy husk thanks to Our Boys and their supervirii.

Posted: 2003-10-12 01:48pm
by Admiral Valdemar
InnerBrat wrote:Unfortunately I appear to have contracted something off my recent snugglebunny, so any talking I do is with a sexy husk thanks to Our Boys and their supervirii.
And this is bad why?

Posted: 2003-10-12 01:52pm
by Zac Naloen
Admiral Valdemar wrote:
InnerBrat wrote:Unfortunately I appear to have contracted something off my recent snugglebunny, so any talking I do is with a sexy husk thanks to Our Boys and their supervirii.
And this is bad why?
sexy husk is a cool voice... :? :P