The Impact of Subtitling Modalities in Streaming Drama Series on EFL Vocabulary Acquisition
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Abstract
This study investigated the effects of various subtitling modalities on vocabulary acquisition among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in the context of binge-watching drama series. Four subtitling conditions were examined: (1) bimodal subtitling (L2 video with L2 captions), (2) standard subtitling (L2 video with L1 subtitles), (3) reversed subtitling (L1 video with L2 subtitles), and (4) L3 video with L2 subtitles. Eight groups of Taiwanese university students across two proficiency levels watched four drama series over four months, rotating through each modality. Participants were instructed to avoid dictionary use, and vocabulary tests were administered without grade incentives. The results revealed significant differences in vocabulary gains across subtitling modalities and proficiency levels. Upper-intermediate learners acquired an average of 20.89 out of 28 target words, while low-intermediate learners averaged 17.12 words. L3 video with L2 subtitles yielded the highest gains, followed by bimodal and reversed subtitling, with standard subtitling resulting in the lowest performance. These findings suggest that EFL learners may also benefit from watching non-English-language dramas with English subtitles, expanding vocabulary through repeated exposure. English subtitles, analogous to graded readers in extensive reading programs, may offer valuable lexical input, regardless of the original language of the audiovisual content.
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