Do You Think This Is Right??  

This is the ONE and only theater near me now...There used to be about five believe it or not, and have all disappeared as movie theatres..The choices of movies aren't that great either...I didn't get to see the last Harry Potter movie as they decided not to show it this time...drat

I have to wholeheartedly agree with everything that you have written.
I HATE subtitles, they are one of the largest distractions I have ever encountered while trying to watch a program. My eyes tend to constantly be drawn to the text. I also turn them off on anything and everything that I have the option to remove them from.

I think learning a new language is great if that is what you want to do! But stop trying to force feed other languages on the English speaking populace. Half the time I have to hunt for the English on products that I purchase in the store to read the labels. Very annoying.

Some countries do require that the English Language be a requirement in school. I have a Dutch friend that is very fluent in English and is a member of English speaking forums and programs, she always tries her best to speak the proper words. As she tells me, if she couldn't speak English she wouldn't join. She amazes me by how fluent she is.

Now, I have to ask. Who is responsible? Our government or businesses trying to sell more products that cater to
special groups? If it is the government, then I don't remember having a voice in the change....

I think all this just adds to people not wanting to learn the language of the country, ours, they have chosen to live in....I have a neighbor who is Spanish speaking and lived in our building over ten years, yet doesn't speak one word of English...you mean in ten years she couldn't learn a few basics?? I learned some adequate French in college in only six months!

Saigonwarrior ~ First off thanks for commenting on my comment.

I have the same problem as you, my attention gets pulled away from the movie when those subtitles flash across the bottom of the screen. It's almost inevitable that my eyes will follow, even though I try my best to ignore them, when they are placed so you can't shut the dang things off.

Back in the day I remember English was provided first, than Spanish and other languages, but now days I do agree that it is a like a treasure hunt just to be actually able to read the labels on some of the products we purchase on either a monthly, daily or weekly basis.

I am unsure as to who is really to blame for this, but I can assume that both business and government each have their own small part in this. Since most businesses are out to pull in customers, the more customers a business has the more money in which the business is making (greedy buggers some are). In turn the more money a business is making the more taxes the government can pull from that business. It's really a big circle that is spinning round and round, and has gone a bit out of control in my opinion.

Pyewacket ~ I do understand your frustration. When I lived in Nevada I worked in housekeeping for a few months for a hotel/casino. After we finished the section we were sent to clean, we had to go and help others that were lagging behind. In most cases I was usually working on a floor where the other housekeeping personnel were mainly Spanish speaking, which I didn't mind, but it would drive me mad when I would explain that I was there to help (we had to do this so the other housekeeping personnel didn't think we were stealing stuff from their carts)and most would just stand their staring at me, like I was some sort of crazy person, than after I was finished they would just shrug and utter something in Spanish at me, in what seemed to be an angry tone. Since I was still in high school at that time, I ended up taking some basic Spanish classes just so I could speak with these individuals.

Though I had a blast learning a different language, since my job didn't really require me to speak to the customers, I feel that I shouldn't of had to of done this, but I did, just so I could do my job right. I think it should be mandatory for individuals to know at least some basic English. Just like it is mandatory for English speaking people to learn Spanish to gain certain jobs here in the United States.

Yes those subtitles are darned annoying..but I just my movie theater figures it will draw in more people with the subtitles in Spanish..comes down to just plain economics so they don't lose money

I wouldn't mind getting some kind of part time job, but the qualifications --you have to be bi-lingual...Hey in my neighborhood, it's not just Spanish,...many of the closer supermarkets have every thing in Chinese!!

There are schools in the neighborhood for Spanish speaking people to learn English, and on the corners of some of the streets at this busy intersection are people handing out flyers with "Aprende Ingles" It is the Zone method of teaching the language

I thought there would be.

Couldn't agree more....My neighborhood is also very diverse in cultures, so it's a wonder they don't have subtitles in Chinese, Koren, Russian, Polish, etc, etc etc..gee, if they did there would be no room for the picture! LOL

Was it a tape or DVD?? If DVD you can switch off the subtitles.

I havent found out how to do that where does it say to take off subtitles?

Letters from Iwo Jima was MADE with subtitles.. all the actors are actually speaking in Japanese. It is considered a "foreign film" So there really isn't an option of taking the subtitles off. I have to say though I thought it was a spectacular film, about World War II but from the Japanese side.

Usually you can go into the DVD set up menu and turn off the subtitles. I'm not sure if all DVD player remotes have them, but on mine I have a subtitle button that I can press to turn subtitles on and off.

I know it was Mish.
And I wish it wasnt for I cant read the screen.
So I cant watch it as I would get no where with the laungage.
And I knew it would be great and I would like to see a film from their side .
But Alas I wont get to.

will have to check my remote I usually dont handle it daughter does.

I guess what makes it so frustrating is that now, this is the only movie theatre around period...there used to be about five within walking distance...be surprised how far I can walk..LOL

The nearest cinema to me is three miles away and it's not a very good one (attached to a mall and full of bored teenagers who want to be gangstas!). The one we usually go to is five miles away and that has gone very downhill since it opened a few years ago. Cinema in the UK is mostly multiplex situated in large towns or out-of-town malls. When I was younger it was different but most of the old style cinemas are something else now - nightclubs, bingo halls, churches (The Jehovah's Witnesses seem to like them) or demolished to make way for something else.

A shame really, some of the old cinemas were very Art Deco buildings and had a kind of faded glamour to them. The new ones are all plastic and neon lights and look cheap.

Also, by being so accommodating, it gives less incentive for people to learn the language period..right?

Well, even though there is a large Spanish speaking community here, that is not all, in fact, where I live in the borough of Queens, and especially in my neck of the woods, it has been said that our borough is the most diversified as far as culture in the whole country!! Name a country, you have people from it here...so fine by me, I don't mind....I just think it's wrong to favor one foreign language over the others...you have people here from Poland, Russia, Greece, China, Pakistan, India..and on and on...they don't have signs or any other things labeled in those languages. Also, I think by being so accommodating to just Spanish speaking people, they don't have the incentive to learn the language at all...I have a neighbor who has lived in my building over ten years, doesn't speak any English...you mean in ten years she can't learn at least the basics of the language??