Author(s)

Catherine Kanellopoulou

Department of Audio & Visual Arts, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece.

Films are a valuable source of authentic language material, but what makes them superior to other types of authentic materials is the existence of a full storyline which leads to the increased engagement of the viewer. Despite the fact that teachers intuitively know this particular activity which may enhance language learning there is little research that has sought to thoroughly examine its potential impact on vocabulary acquisition and retention. While most studies conclude that the type of subtitling is an important factor influencing vocabulary learning; defining which particular type of subtitling is most effective seems difficult to determine and results in this area are somewhat inconclusive. Further research is, therefore, necessary to determine which type of subtitling would lead to optimum results in vocabulary acquisition and retention.

Authentic Materials, Film, Subtitling, Vocabulary Retention, Vocabulary Acquisition, Engagement, Subtitling Types

Kanellopoulou, C. (2019) Film Subtitles as a Successful Vocabulary Learning Tool. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 9, 145-152. doi: 10.4236/ojml.2019.92014.