Word- and learner-related factors and incidental vocabulary learning from viewing bilingual-subtitled videos

Abstract The effects of bilingual subtitles (i.e., subtitling in first and second languages simultaneously) remain insufficiently studied. This gap was addressed by assessing how word- and learner-related variables (frequency, relevance, word length, and proficiency) influence vocabulary learning. For this purpose, 84 EFL learners in China watched a documentary with or without bilingual subtitles and their vocabulary knowledge was measured at four levels (meaning recall/recognition and form recall/recognition) using a pre−post design. The results revealed clear positive effects of bilingual subtitles, whereby participants had a 67 % and 90 % chance of learning an unknown word based on meaning recall and recognition tests, and 0.7 % and 12 % according to form recall and recognition tests, respectively. Frequency, relevance, and proficiency were positively related to learning. Additionally, students with higher proficiency benefitted more from bilingual subtitles. The findings contribute to the field of bilingual captions for language learning.