Subtitling people with accents on TV

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AIBU to get REALLY pissed off when TV producers patronise viewers by putting subtitles on the screen when people are speaking English with a strong accent?
I was just watching Comic Relief Bake Off and Ed Byrne (who has a thick Irish accent) was interviewing a Ugandan lady. The woman was subtitled, even though we could clearly hear her - she was a bit quiet but by no means inaudible.
Ed Byrne wasn't subtitled, though - despite him also having a thick accent.
I'm not saying he should have been, but the lady shouldn't have.
I've seen Scottish people subtitled, Welsh, Irish, but very rarely English.
I am English and live near London - I also used to work in TV so I know that most producers exist in an alternative reality, but I wondered if it annoys anyone else, or if I just think too much?!

Is there an Edinburgh accent? Morningside vs Leith is very different.

I'm all for subtitling but the choices can seem ridiculous. Saw Guy Martin in India and they subtitled the race official who spoke very clearly, even for my poor hearing.

There are Edinburgh accents. Tony has one, hence, "Tony's Edinburgh one". I'm aware that generally there is a difference between Leith and Morningside accents, as I lived in Edinburgh for 5 years.

Watched Bake off last night and thought they made the right decision. The old lady was not particularly clear at first - partly due to accent and partly as she was very softly spoken (although once I "tuned in" to her accent I was able to understand her more clearly). Do find it a bit astounding that anyone would be unable to understand Tony the chef!

I've lived here for far too long (think over 20 years) and am still amazed at the range - guessing it is the same elsewhere but I don't hear all the regional variations of eg Geordie. I don't watch Bake Off - which Edinburgh accent does Tony have? I don't think most Edinburgh accents are all that broad so can see why they wouldn't subtitle (although someone above refers to him having a thick accent). There are some areas of Edinburgh that might benefit from subtitling but they're probably the ones that would need half the words bleeped out pre-watershed.

It's not ignorance to not be able to understand certain stronger accents IMO. I struggle sometimes, rarely but sometimes it happens, with very strong Irish or Scottish accents. I feel bad but I can't really help the fact the accent doesn't click with me. I imagine it's the same for some people with a lot of different accents. If it's an accent you're not used to or are hard of hearing anyway it could be a struggle.

That's kind of why they have to be careful with who they hire to read the news, the majority of them have a very clear stage school southern accent.

I'm not thick and English is my first language but I often struggle to understand strong accents. I think my auditory processing is a little slow.

Clearly, if I'm watching something which I can predict is likely to be hard for me to understand, I'll put the subtitles on in advance but the rest of my family find the irritating so they get switched off for other programmes.

I find it really useful when speech with strong accents is subtitled, especially when it's a short burst and there isn't time to switch on subtitles myself to catch it, and TBH I really cannot see the problem. It isn't a negative judgment about anyone, in fact it's making sure that what they say can be heard because it's important.

If someone needs RP subtitling they can just switch them on themselves as they will need the pretty much all the time.

i think it takes a while to 'tune in' to an accent - more time than is available on a short TV piece. I quite often speak to people via work from Spain, France and Italy. Initially I found phonecalls really difficult (especially one very fast-talking Spanish lady) and then it was as it something 'clicked' and it got much easier.

I find it ridiculous and derogatory to sub-title natives speaking in their own tongue. Its also rude to subtitle people for whom English is a second language trying their best.

tbh I could do with subtitles for the type of accent you hear in East Enders sometimes. But since I've mixed with people from all over the UK and other parts of the world, I don't really struggle with different accents. I'm guessing that also goes for anyone living in multicultural London too.

But where do you draw the line between being rude and the likelihood that lots of people will not be able to fully follow what is being said?

I think the risk of hurting the feelings of the speaker and the cringeworthiness of the notion of subtitling people who speak reasonably good English outweigh any slight inconvenience from not being able to understand word or two of what they say.

Otherwise if its that important, sub-title everyone.

I have seen a couple of times perfectly clear speakers of perfect English but with a moderate regional accent being subtitled, which is faintly ridiculous.

Ask the Ugandan woman who was speaking to comic relief about her dead grandson and encouraging donations for vaccinations whether she cares about being subtitled. I would bet anything she not only couldn't give a crap about your feelings on the matter, she'd rather get her message across to as many people as possible and save some children, be it by voice, subtitles, or bloody skywriting.
Seriously, priorities?

TheChandler

Did you see the piece being referred to?

Also, regarding priorities, the OP would rather neither Ed Byrne NOR the woman were subtitled, to avoid the theoretical risk of appearing to patronise the Ugandan woman.

Does anyone remember the great film 'The Commitments' from the early 90's

I watched it on video with a bunch of mates, I confess I struggled to understand all the dialogue.

An Indian amongst us told us he could understand virtually nothing.

I don't really struggle with different accents. I'm guessing that also goes for anyone living in multicultural London too.

Also, regarding priorities, the OP would rather neither Ed Byrne NOR the woman were subtitled, to avoid the theoretical risk of appearing to patronise the Ugandan woman

*>>>>>I don't really struggle with different accents. I'm guessing that also goes for anyone living in multicultural London too.

Countess

I agree. And, I come from one of the most muticultural parts of London, and I still struggle sometimes

Why are some people assuming that everyone whose speech has been subtitled would be offended? I cannot see why they would be.

If it were me, I would be glad they had made sure I could be clearly understood, especially if it was a message I felt passionate about and it was a rare chance to get it across to a lot of people.

Goldmandra Why are some people assuming that everyone whose speech has been subtitled would be offended? I cannot see why they would be.

True, you could just offend, for example, Scottish people in general. Or Welsh. Or Irish. I'm talking about outside news broadcasts from what the BBC might call "the regions" on non-passionate, non-charitable, relatively unimportant human interest stories. I have actually seen Scottish people subtitled.

I have actually seen Scottish people subtitled.

I have needed Scottish people to be subtitled.

Why would it be offensive?

I struggle with accents. I sometimes can't understand what my own Scottish Granny is saying, and I've known her for over 35 years. I'd find subtitles helpful when anyone with an accent markedly different to mine is speaking, whether that accent be Geordie, French or African.

discovery channel do this with one of the guys on Gold Rush, he's Dutch-Canadian and has quite a thick accent, so they subtitle him.. i can understand him perfectly well!