A Suppression of Subtitles

America has always claimed to be a “melting pot of cultures”—a place that embraces all languages and customs from every corner of the planet. Hypocritically, however, that “pot” seems to contain a shocking number of people who resent the presence of any language that isn’t English.

Xenolingohassen is a term that is defined as the hatred and intolerance of foreign languages.This intolerance can manifest in large ways, such as verbally berating complete strangers in the streets for speaking Spanish or Mandarin, or in small ways, like despising subtitles.

Between the years 2003 to 2017, “1,728 non-English language movies were released [in North America], i.e. 18.8% of all movies released,” film producer Stephen Follows said. Despite the high number, “together they grossed just 1.1% of total domestic box office,”

Follows said. Through this data, it becomes obvious that films requiring translations to understand are fairly badly received in the US.

Subtitles are often used as the scapegoats for those who dislike the acceptance and use of foreign languages. Refusal to use subtitles narrows one’s options for entertainment, and limits what can be learnt from the multitude of cultures present on Earth.

On rare occasions, thankfully, a movie breaks through the xenophobic barrier of America to inspire its audiences. In February of 2020, at the 92nd Academy Awards, the Korean film Parasite became the first non-English movie to win Best Picture.

During his acceptance speech, Parasite director Bong Joon-ho said, “Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”

There are so many stories being excluded from our viewership when the only ones to pick from come from America, Canada, or the UK. By bridging the gap through something as simple as subtitles, countless cultures will be accessible and understandable for the general public.