Language Learning with Netflix extension • Hacker News Board

Re: Language Learning with Netflix extension

#131

Post by jlesk » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 6:17 PM UTC

skrebbel wrote: post #25

ouchjars wrote: post #18

Related tip if you won't/can't use this extension: Netflix shows normally have many more subtitles available than you get shown (and sometimes audio tracks). The selection you see depends on your interface language and locale. For example, I can't use Spanish subtitles for one show ( https://i.imgur.com/BBWuuPs.png ) until I change my interface language to Spanish ( https://i.imgur.com/bsyYJGR.png ).

I still can't get my head around how user hostile they made this. I mean, why? I understand showing the most likely languages on top, but why hide content that's available? I have bilingual kids (Dutch and Danish, living in NL) and the amount of setup we have to do each week to get and keep Danish audio for cartoons on Netflix is pretty nuts.

Strangely enough, many countries also have cultural laws around what languages can be used for subtitles and audio tracks. For example, IIRC there is a country in SA that doesn't allow non-Spanish subtitles if the primary audio is in Spanish.

There are all kinds of permutations like that which can look like arbitrarily bad UI decisions if you don't know the greater context.

Re: Language Learning with Netflix extension

#132

Post by shkkmo » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 6:52 PM UTC

dharmon wrote: post #104

imjustsaying wrote: post #39

In practice, the foreign subtitles do not line up with the foreign words as well as the native subtitles line up with the native words. It took me years to figure out why this was. In a conversation I had with someone who knew the business, the new language subtitles don't line up with the new language audio because the new language subtitles are translated from the original language subtitles, not the new language a…

For a language learner, shows where they match up are gold! If anyone is studying Spanish, the animated show Star Wars: The Clone Wars have audio that exactly matches the subtitles (Start Wars: La Guerra de los Clones). Good show with a good mix of action / dialogue that I learned of Spanish a lot while watching.

I would love a service that created matching subtitle tracks for dubbed audio for this exact reason

Re: Language Learning with Netflix extension

#133

Post by Eliezer » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 6:59 PM UTC

I've wanted this literally for two decades. Thank you to the creators for finally making it.

Re: Language Learning with Netflix extension

#134

Post by LinguaBrowse » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 7:01 PM UTC

z_open wrote: post #42

This is nice, but all I really want is the ability to nicely see both English and German subtitles simultaneously. This is overkill for me and requires me to use chrome. Is anyone aware of a better solution for me?

This exists, albeit only for YouTube rather than Netflix: CaptionPop https://www.captionpop.com/

Re: Language Learning with Netflix extension

#135

Post by e_proxus » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 7:10 PM UTC

louhike wrote: post #94

arcticfox wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well that's the first time I've legitimately gotten upset at a UX decision in a long, long time. My wife is homesick, 5000 miles from her country and can't watch anything in her language... Because they couldn't be bothered with an advanced settings UI anywhere? Seriously, Netflix? Maybe that's an entitled attitude, but to me it's in the same ballpark as accessibility. It might not make a difference to 99% of users,…

As someone said above, she should try to change the language of the interface to her language.

In my experience, that’s not a solution. I always use Netflix in English, but frequently encounter US content with only regional subtitles and no English track.

Re: Language Learning with Netflix extension

#136

Post by mobilemidget » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 7:46 PM UTC

skrebbel wrote: post #25

ouchjars wrote: post #18

Related tip if you won't/can't use this extension: Netflix shows normally have many more subtitles available than you get shown (and sometimes audio tracks). The selection you see depends on your interface language and locale. For example, I can't use Spanish subtitles for one show ( https://i.imgur.com/BBWuuPs.png ) until I change my interface language to Spanish ( https://i.imgur.com/bsyYJGR.png ).

I still can't get my head around how user hostile they made this. I mean, why? I understand showing the most likely languages on top, but why hide content that's available? I have bilingual kids (Dutch and Danish, living in NL) and the amount of setup we have to do each week to get and keep Danish audio for cartoons on Netflix is pretty nuts.

I bothered to write an email to them asking about other subtitles, than the handful I'm not interested in. Never got a reply. Would be really nice to watch some series/movies with, in our case at home, Russian subtitles. Or heck vice versa, Russian audio track with English subtitles, I honestly don't care anymore.

And I'm sure they exist, I remember their subtitle 'program'.

https://partnerhelp.netflixstudios.com/hc/en-us/articles/115...

I really thought that would provide users with more subtitle options to choose from.

Re: Language Learning with Netflix extension

#137

Post by cptwunderlich » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 7:47 PM UTC

mhdhn wrote: post #33

A: this is fantastic. B: why don't all streaming services simply have a by-language option? It's kind of a guaranteed "long tail" for any audio or audio-video presentation: people who want hear language X language spoken.

You can search for a language on Netflix though, e.g., search for "Italian" and it will show several tags next to "Explore titles related to", like "Italian-languae Movies & TV".

Re: Language Learning with Netflix extension

#138

Post by Qahlel » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 8:02 PM UTC

davidzweig wrote: post #83

Hi. Creator here. If someone from Netflix is reading this, we'd like to be in contact (email in profile). Hell, here's my 15 minutes. I'd be interested in a job with electronics/software/mech engineering (ideally all three) in the US/EU/Australia (I can work in these countries). Some info about me on this post from earlier in the year: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18809704

Hi there. Would you mind forking this extension to Firefox as well, please?

Re: Language Learning with Netflix extension

#139

Post by setr » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 9:43 PM UTC

jlesk wrote: post #131

skrebbel wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I still can't get my head around how user hostile they made this. I mean, why? I understand showing the most likely languages on top, but why hide content that's available? I have bilingual kids (Dutch and Danish, living in NL) and the amount of setup we have to do each week to get and keep Danish audio for cartoons on Netflix is pretty nuts.

Strangely enough, many countries also have cultural laws around what languages can be used for subtitles and audio tracks. For example, IIRC there is a country in SA that doesn't allow non-Spanish subtitles if the primary audio is in Spanish. There are all kinds of permutations like that which can look like arbitrarily bad UI decisions if you don't know the greater context.

They're still pretty poor UI decisions if you're implementing misfeatures for every country based on the limitations of some countries. The more harmful it is, and the more money you have, the less justifiable it is.

I'm fairly positive, at the scale of Netflix, and the relatively minor amount of UI work they need to do, they aren't struggling to implement country-specific features. More likely than not, the ball either got dropped, or the misfeature wasn't understood as one.

Re: Language Learning with Netflix extension

#140

Post by setr » Mon, Jan 13, 2020, 9:53 PM UTC

imjustsaying wrote: post #39

In practice, the foreign subtitles do not line up with the foreign words as well as the native subtitles line up with the native words. It took me years to figure out why this was. In a conversation I had with someone who knew the business, the new language subtitles don't line up with the new language audio because the new language subtitles are translated from the original language subtitles, not the new language a…

I imagine the audio is transcribed before voice actors speak; they aren't translating on the fly.. it seems to me the natural solution would be to have the transcription the voice actor uses be the same as what's provided to the subtitle generation.

This seems to require two translation attempts; the main benefit being they can be done independently/parallel, but at the cost of duplicating the work. But it doesn't seem to save any work (assuming VAs work off a written transcription/translation, presumably completed by other staff members)