Subtitles On or Off? Learning English from Films

Every single term, a student asks me the same thing.

每個學期，都會有學生問我同樣的問題。

Should I watch films with subtitles, or without?

看電影應該開字幕，還是不開字幕？

Well, my answer usually surprises them.

嗯，我的回答通常會讓他們很驚訝。

First, let me tell you what not to do.

首先，我來告訴你哪些事不該做。

Don't watch with subtitles in your own language.

不要看有母語字幕的版本。

Oh, I know, it's lovely and comfortable.

哦，我知道，那樣既舒服又輕鬆。

But your eyes do all the work, not your ears.

但是做事的都是你的眼睛，而不是耳朵。

You finish the film, and sadly... you've learnt very little.

電影看完了，可惜……你幾乎沒學到什麼。

On the other hand, switching them off completely

另一方面，完全關掉字幕

can be terribly frustrating for most learners.

對大多數學習者來說會非常令人沮喪。

Ugh, you miss the jokes, and you lose the plot!

唉，笑話聽不懂，劇情也跟不上！

Most people give up after twenty minutes.

大多數人二十分鐘後就放棄了。

So, here's what I recommend instead.

所以，我推薦另一種做法。

Watch with English subtitles first.

先看英文字幕版。

You'll see how words are actually pronounced,

你會看到單字實際上是怎麼發音的，

and how they're linked together in fast speech.

以及它們在快速說話時是怎麼連在一起的。

Then, choose one short scene you really love.

接著，選一個你特別喜歡的短片段。

Watch that scene again, this time without subtitles.

再把那個片段看一遍，這次不開字幕。

Pause after each line, and repeat it out loud.

每句台詞後暫停，然後大聲跟著唸。

Copy the actor's feelings, not just the words!

要模仿演員的情緒，而不只是台詞！

If they're shocked, sound shocked. If they're cross, sound cross!

如果他們震驚，你就用震驚的語氣。如果他們生氣，你就用生氣的語氣！

One of my students did this with a comedy series.

我有個學生用一部喜劇影集這樣做過。

Can you believe it? The same episode, five times!

你能相信嗎？同一集，看了五遍！

By the end, she could act out every scene.

到最後，她能把每一幕都演出來。

And honestly, her pronunciation improved enormously!

說實話，她的發音進步非常大！

So, subtitles aren't the enemy.

所以，字幕不是敵人。

They're just a tool, so use them wisely.

它們只是一種工具，所以要聰明地使用。

Start with English subtitles, then slowly let go.

從英文字幕開始，然後慢慢放手。

And above all, pick something you'd happily watch anyway!

最重要的是，選一部你本來就願意看的作品！