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?
据调查公司 YouGov 称，现在超过一半的美国电视观众在看电视时都会使用字幕。 这种趋势在 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听力障碍人士或让人们观看不同语言的电影，但为什么字幕的使用变得如此广泛？
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原因，也有社会原因。 数字声音制作和麦克风的进步意味着演员的声乐表演可以更加自然，同时音频导演也能够制作出越来越戏剧性的音景。 再加上现代电视机中包含的小得多的扬声器，这一切都会使对话显得难以理解。
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.
智能手机可能会发挥一定作用。 我们已经习惯了无需耳机即可观看的带字幕的社交媒体视频。 智能手机还允许我们在不易被听到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访问的其他语言节目的兴趣增加。
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.
虽然一些观众可能认为字幕会分散注意力，或者担心可能会剧透，但它们不仅仅有助于解决不清楚的音频。 许多研究表明，字幕可以帮助人们增加词汇量并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.
当字幕与节目音轨采用相同语言时，这可能特别有效。 同语言字幕也被证明可以帮助幼儿发展母语的阅读技能，以至于活动人士建议默认在所有儿童节目中启用字幕。
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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