Can you hear every single word in TV and movies?

[Williamyh]

Hi Everybody,

For watching English TV and Movie, I was wondering if you could hear every single word, or you just can hear their keywords.....sometimes the actors are very lazy to pronounce the english word and also use connected speech to connect a number of words, actually it's very hard to hear it and understand it, do you have this problem? Please advise.

W

 

[Kätzchen]

No, I can't even understand every single word spoken in my own mother tongue. As you said, some people pronounce words badly, slur them or just plain speak too low.
It is normal that you can't get everything, but you don't need to, to understand the sentences. You can extrapolate the missing words from context.

 

[Tdol]

Most native speakers couldn't claim to understand any word- if you look at transcripts of speech, you'll often see inaudible used where they couldn't understand a word.

 

[leonwool]

I often have this problem. It's usually because my kids are being too noisy. They like playing with lego. When they are looking through the box for a particular brick for their building, it's so hard to hear what is being said on TV. - This is a general problem for all of us.

 

[Williamyh]

Most native speakers couldn't claim to understand any word- if you look at transcripts of speech, you'll often see inaudible used where they couldn't understand a word.

Hi Tdol, as I am not a native speaker, I always think some of the words which spoke on the movie and TV are very fast and very weak and not clear, even I repeat to listen it, I am very hard to catch what he/she said.....you mean we don't need to understand any word. So how do we understand the actual meaning? We just can understand the keyword, that's enough? As you are native speaker, how do you watch and listen the conversation on the movie and TV? Please advise. Thanks.

W

 

[Abstract Idea]

I often have this problem. It's usually because my kids are being too noisy. They like playing with lego. When they are looking through the box for a particular brick for their building, it's so hard to hear what is being said on TV. - This is a general problem for all of us.

By the way it is an interesting exercise for ESL learners to try to understand spoken English mixed with noise in order to simulate "real" situations. It is very interesting to do such exercises, with loud noise sounds interfering with what you want to hear. It is hard in the beginning but sure worth enough due to the quick positive results.

 

[Unwritten]

~~

Yeah ! I guess most of the EFL / ESL learners face such a difficulty in hearing every single word that native speakers say.

I always try not to look at the translation on the screen in order to figure out what is said, but it is difficult.

However, if you watch "The Doctors", Dr. Phil" , "Oprah" and such programes, you will nearly understand most of the words and sentences. I get a lot of benefit by watching such programes.

~~​

 

[Monchito]

Non-native Speaker.


Hi,

I think if you work on your phonics a little bit more, it'll be easier for you to understand any dialog on TV.

Thanks.

Monchi.