Eli5 – Why are sign language translators still used? Aren’t subtitles more effective?
In: 9
Imagine there’s an English and a Spanish version of something, and you speak both. Both languages can be used to communicate, but it’s not really the same–you might well have a preference. If it’s not just choosing between two spoken languages, but choosing between a spoken and a written option, the differences grow wider. In a similar way, using sign language is a qualitatively different communication experience than reading subtitles.
Subtitles are cheaper to provide, and they will often suffice (assuming the sign language users can read that language), but there will still be people who prefer sign language.
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