Captioning and Subtitles

Understanding The Difference

While the terms captioning and subtitling are often used interchangeably, these two words offer very different options for the readability of video content. Both improve accessibility and comprehension for viewers, but the details and intent behind each vary significantly. Understanding these differences will ensure you receive the right service(s) for your project and audience.

What is Captioning?

Captions help individuals who are hard of hearing, or who just like to keep captions on the screen when watching TV (for example, our VP keeps the captions on as it helps him better process what is being viewed, heard, and read.) Captions display the words spoken on screen in real-time and offer descriptions of what is being heard as well as non-speech sounds. For instance, if a song is playing in the background, it will name the song and artist. Or, if someone is walking in snow it may say [sound of snow crunching]. These audio cues, which may be used for various reasons, help the viewer have a more complete understanding of what is happening on the screen.

What is Subtitling

Subtitles assist individuals who can hear the audio but who cannot understand the language being spoken. In turn, the subtitles will be used to translate or transcribe the spoken dialogue only. Unlike captions above, there will be no descriptions of any other sounds or noises on the screen. Subtitles help bridge linguistic gaps and make global content more accessible.

While people may use these two terms interchangeably, as you can read above, there are major differences between the two. Before starting your project, make sure to have a dialogue with the firm in advance to make sure the output you desire is what you’ll be receiving.

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