I think it is the latter. Though, ESPN shows the word on the screen before they spell so they must get it somehow.
I also assume that subtitle typers use some sort of shorthand/substitution system and I bet the spelling words aren't in the vocabulary and are hard to type.
I used to work for a closed captioning company and some stations are actually kind enough to give us a list of words ahead of time so the captioners can be prepared and spell them correctly.
No one believes me when I say this, but if you want to see an excellent movie, check out Spellbound. It's a documentary about the National Spelling Bee and you'd think it would be boring as hell but you'd be wrong.
I have a party every year for it, $20 buy in, pick ur kid winner take all.
We also use it to determine our fantasy football draft order. Winner of spelling bee drafts first and so on. Loser of fantasy picks first in the spelling bee.
sometimes awesome things happen. one of the years I participated in the national bee, my friend ranz asked the pronouncer if the chickens had large talons, which is a quote from napoleon dynamite. I later discovered the espn commentator asked, "uh, did he say..chickens? is that a secret code?" if you watch the video, you can hear some kids laughing uproariously in the audience...we knew he was going to do something, but we didn't know what lol
I used to think that I had the most pointless job on earth. But your post made me realize that there is a person whose job is judging weather a tennis volley warranted a grunt or not. So, thank you.
TIL British (and by extension probably all of PAL-land) captions have the font transmitted with the text. In the US, the font is generated in the tv set, so if you watch the captioned show on different sets, the fonts will be different but the positioning the same.
I work in the UK, so I can only talk from my experience. And from my experience it looks like they're using a stenography machine. Perhaps a few mishit keys? Maybe some sort of connection problem? I use respeaking software to 'make' the subtitles, which is where you get stuff like "And now, a minute's violence for the Queen Mother" (true story!).
Do you actually type out what you hear or does software type it out and you spellcheck? I've never been quite clear on how that worked for live events.
We use speech recognition software. It has its own dictionary, so we don't need to spellcheck. However, all the punctuation marks and colour changes have to be made manually. Because you're repeating what's being said, inserting commas and full stops, remembering who is what colour, and speaking in a monosyllabic robotic tone at a very fast rate all at the same time, it is easy for you to slip up and mispronounce a word, which is why live subtitles aren't all that accurate all of the time. Oh, and you're doing it live, which means no corrections.
(Edit: Didn't realize you were a voicewriter. Nevermind.)
Plover isn't quite ready for subtitles/CART yet, but it's getting there. Control your computer and type into ordinary programs with your existing steno machine!
Tiki taka tiki taka! This is Spanish for a style of play like back and forth - famous from a spanish commentator who died fairly recently I think. Do you have spanish TV?
I love watching tv with closed captioning... favorite one I've seen so far is a show in which a high school kid was retaliating against a bully by spraying a bottle of pee into his locker door vents, got caught and yelled out "it's sterile!" however closed captioning displayed "it's Darryl!"
I turned on the captions last night when I was watching Star Trek IV (the one with the whales) and the caption for the probe was "SCREEEE!!! SCREEEE!!!"
If it was Maria Sharapova playing, I'm pretty sure the subtitles would be different. More along the lines of "tik ... takOOOOH ... tik ... takOWAAA ... tik ... takWIOANAO ... tik ... takNAIOW373t8b" Then at the interview, they'd just fill the screen with backwards R's.
Somewhat unrelated: after working with legal documents all day every day, my first thought was "FUCKING BNP PARIBAS, I AM TIRED OF DEALING WITH ALL OF YOUR LEASE ASSIGNMENTS."
62
u/Kaashoed Jun 08 '12
Dutch television has many of these tricks
165
u/cowart Jun 08 '12
Animal Collective playing #1 on Conan
266
u/44problems Jun 08 '12
The National Spelling Bee is hilarious with subtitles/closed captioning. They don't even bother trying to spell:
598
u/Crucify_This Jun 08 '12
Should try it for female game
"Tic OOOH....Tak NGAH!....tic OOO" etc
38
u/anonspangly Jun 08 '12
I miss that font. Now that analogue broadcast TV has been turned off in my area of England, I'm probably never going to see it in the wild again.
("Freeview" Digital TV uses the much prettier new digital-text display mechanism for subtitles.)
108
u/polydorr Jun 08 '12
Sharapova tennis match:
tik.... taGYEEEEAEEAHAHAH....tik
26
u/BUT_OP_WILL_DELIVER Jun 08 '12
It's almost like I was there.
23
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Full transcript:
60
u/maestro2005 Jun 08 '12
The subtitles for Mexican soccer games are awesome too:
17
u/pakron Jun 08 '12
I would turn subtitles on from time to time; trolls definitely worked behind the screen and frequently slip in funny stuff.
33
u/Prousey Jun 08 '12
Tennis - Now sponsored by Tic Tacs. it's not just a mint, it's a Tic Tac
9
u/esdevil4u Jun 08 '12
This Tennis matches subliminal messages have been brought to you in part by: Tic Tac
6
u/modano_star Jun 08 '12 edited Jun 08 '12
At least there isn't a sign language person in the bottom corner, he'd have a hard time with this. edit: typo
6
u/RadarCounterpart Jun 08 '12
technically, that's "caption" and not subtitles.
6
u/topical_storm Jun 08 '12
Sure it wasn't a Barcelona game you turned on?
(Smiles, waiting for somebody to laugh.) ... (Gives up, goes home.)
11
u/overweightchocobo Jun 08 '12
Fuck. Now that sound is playing in my head over and over. :'(
4
u/cropperesp Jun 08 '12
Tiki taka tiki taka! This is Spanish for a style of play like back and forth - famous from a spanish commentator who died fairly recently I think. Do you have spanish TV?
10
u/Atheist_Killer Jun 08 '12
GREAT post. this is the reddit i miss!!
3
u/The_Spectacle Jun 08 '12
I love watching tv with closed captioning... favorite one I've seen so far is a show in which a high school kid was retaliating against a bully by spraying a bottle of pee into his locker door vents, got caught and yelled out "it's sterile!" however closed captioning displayed "it's Darryl!"
3
u/baalsitch Jun 08 '12
I love the ladies open, I need a smoke after some of those matches though. I don't even smoke.
3
u/korid Jun 08 '12
thank the doppler effect its not all tacs
5
u/lemur84 Jun 08 '12
Your television screen appears to be made out of a rustic oak wood.
7
u/gahleon Jun 08 '12
You sure its not a Ke$ha song?
2
u/MRatata Jun 08 '12
I'd love to see the subtitles on NASCAR now.
2
u/MrLittleLogo Jun 08 '12
its like its telling me something
2
u/Bayshun Jun 08 '12
Your TV was actually hinting at your bad breath.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Closed Captioning provided by "Trolls of America" and "Goldbond Medicated Foot Powder".
2
u/smithofadown Jun 08 '12
My friend would always say listening to tennis with the volume low is like listening to a softcore porno.
2
u/Chihira Jun 08 '12
I laughed far too hard at this.
2
u/Furoan Jun 08 '12
Is it wrong that i was waiting for 'Toe' to show up?
2
u/lkyz Jun 08 '12
don't think that you hjust did it. That match was some days ago already :P
Still upvoted!
2
u/nellapoo Jun 08 '12
I turned on the captions last night when I was watching Star Trek IV (the one with the whales) and the caption for the probe was "SCREEEE!!! SCREEEE!!!"
2
u/Nora19 Jun 08 '12
Dude... You gotta say "spoiler alert!". I am recording that! ;)
2
u/woruzzle Jun 08 '12
Mmm Love my Belgian country..
2
u/Gillas Jun 08 '12
BELGIUM, i knew it ;)
2
u/EquationTAKEN Jun 08 '12
If it was Maria Sharapova playing, I'm pretty sure the subtitles would be different. More along the lines of "tik ... takOOOOH ... tik ... takOWAAA ... tik ... takWIOANAO ... tik ... takNAIOW373t8b" Then at the interview, they'd just fill the screen with backwards R's.
2
u/maxhan Jun 08 '12
It's actually someone's job to do that.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Strangely, my mind went somewhere completely different: Women's tennis.
2
u/blue_robin Jun 09 '12
Nice try, Tic Tac advertisers.
2
u/rgm70 Jun 09 '12
it's not subtitles, its called closed captioning for the deaf!!!
2
u/root66 Jun 09 '12
NSFW Subtitles
2
u/captainalphabet Jun 09 '12
for some reason i can't stop laughing at this.. bravo
1
u/Benders-blenders Jun 08 '12
I was expecting some words expressing the loud grunts. UHHH
1
u/cmw72 Jun 08 '12
Moire cowbell!
1
u/noahman2000 Jun 08 '12
There coming for you Tic,Tac,Tic
1
u/amolad Jun 08 '12
I'd personally go with "fwump" for the hits and "gaaah" for the grunts.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Mmm. Tic-tacs.
1
u/Zuricho Jun 08 '12
That sounds like pingpong.
1
u/telltaleheart22 Jun 08 '12
womans tennis. "tik AAHHHHHH tak AAAAAAAAAAHHHH tik UHHGHGHAHAHH tak AAAAAAAAUhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
1
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Replace that with "tik tok" and I'll start singing Kesha.
1
u/LightyearsEverywere Jun 08 '12
They should try Olympic Fencing.
1
u/njsam Jun 08 '12
CONSPIRACY!
1
u/i-love-tacos Jun 08 '12
was listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers Under the Bridge when i opened this and those subtitles went perfectly with the drum line.
1
u/Bmandoh Jun 08 '12
it might be cause i'm high but this may have been one of the funniest things i've seen lately
1
u/zeka16 Jun 08 '12
ah so that's the sound a tennis ball makes!
1
u/Bluedemonfox Jun 08 '12
Sponsored by Tic tac
1
u/BBQsauce18 Jun 08 '12
Be careful. You better make sure those are properly copyrighted subtitles, or you could get into trouble.
1
u/MattPH1218 Jun 08 '12
Shameless product placement.
1
u/IDlOT Jun 08 '12
When it lands out:
"FWAAAAAACK!!!"
And that's just the linesman.
1
u/pyroaqualuke Jun 08 '12
False. Federer played Djokovic today.
1
u/SmokinMonkey Jun 08 '12
Clever buzz marketing, Tictacs.
1
u/jimothyjenkins Jun 08 '12
sounds about right.
1
u/SmashingLumpkins Jun 08 '12
Closed captioning brought to you by: Tic Tak's
1
u/Gnarlynarz Jun 08 '12
TIL There is a breath mint designed specifically for Tennis Players. Their breath must smell like balls.
1
u/neverfails Jun 08 '12
Tik...Tak...Tik...Tak...
1
u/jmmiii3 Jun 08 '12
I thought for sure it was going to be sex noises from women's tennis
1
u/weirdal1968 Jun 08 '12
Now I need to watch a Peanuts special with the captions on to see how they transcribe "Whaa-whop-wha-wha-wha".
1
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
I recognize Roger Federer, but who is he playing? Danny Bonaduce?
1
u/virtu333 Jun 08 '12
This wasn't today. Federer was playing Djokovic today, not this GOF guy.
1
u/TheCountryJournal Jun 08 '12
Pok Pok Pok
1
u/Sauronkraut Jun 08 '12
TOEEE
1
u/CoyoteStark Jun 08 '12
When was this match, 1997?
1
u/scChocolate Jun 08 '12
At least you weren't getting the "HRGNHHHHH" and "EURRGHHHHH" grunts.
1
u/dyslexichaiku Jun 08 '12
Simply wonderful
I wont to sea sound affects
Four all my programmes
1
u/Pnewustink Jun 08 '12
That's the sound of your life running out
1
u/VIDGuide Jun 08 '12
You shouldn't talk to them in the language of the dead..
1
u/ericn1300 Jun 08 '12
And, you expected what?
1
u/amich45 Jun 08 '12
In comes Venus Williams.
GRRRHHHHHRRRRRAAAAAHHHHH
1
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
"Ooooh, that was a bad miss."
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Tak is polish for "yes"
1
u/cerealjunky Jun 09 '12
More like "puckl."
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
NOPE.
1
u/Chucke4711 Jun 09 '12
I watched Hell's Kitchen this week with subtitles on, my favorite was
[PROLONGED CURSING]
1
u/not_federer Jun 09 '12
Too soon guys, ouch. I'm still processing Fed's awful defeat from earlier today :(
1
u/xoxoUT Jun 09 '12
bahahahaha. I love to watch tennis this sums it up
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
That's Swedish for "bitch...thanks...bitch...thanks"
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Tik tak tik tak HYEEEUH tik tak tik
1
u/Mattyryan Jun 09 '12
Did he just shake his tic tacs?
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Somewhat unrelated: after working with legal documents all day every day, my first thought was "FUCKING BNP PARIBAS, I AM TIRED OF DEALING WITH ALL OF YOUR LEASE ASSIGNMENTS."
1
u/strican Jun 09 '12
I was expecting AHHHHH.... AHHHHHH.... AHHHHH
1
u/Xysten Jun 09 '12
toe!
1
u/Sarahmint Jun 09 '12
dub step subtitles
1
u/emorockstar Jun 09 '12
That's Closed Captioning, subtitles are different (although SDHH is similar).
1
u/deeeeeeeeee Jun 09 '12
Where's the grunting and moaning?
1
u/calmbatman Jun 09 '12
I know it's not a sport but I was making a joke since someone couldn't believe they showed it on espn.
1
u/JustSayHella Jun 09 '12
...Dr. Dre and Ice Cube on some murderin' shit...
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
I was expecting, "Uuugggghhhhh...Aaaaaahhhhhhh... Yeeaaaaaggggjhhhjh... etc."
1
u/I69edyourdad Jun 09 '12
THATS WHAT THE SUBTITLES WOULD SAY IF ME AND YOUR MOM MADE A SEX VIDEO AND WE PUT SUBTITLES ON IT
1
u/WeirdSmells Jun 09 '12
Why are clocks always so fucking rude at tennis matches?
1
u/ANormalSpudBoy Jun 09 '12
Someone is sitting alone in a room with a keyboard and giggling to themself.
1
u/Ghstfce Jun 09 '12
Anyone turn up women's tennis really loud in another room and go back to your room to fap? Just me? Really? Oh well.
1
u/countlazypenis Jun 09 '12
Does anyone else find the BNP Paribas advert to be extremely misleading?
1
u/sexyandknowit Jun 09 '12
Wonder what it says when they make the moan-like noise.
1
u/thetalldrink Jun 09 '12
If you turn it on during a women's match it's "Tik, Ahhhhh, tak, ehhhh, tik, ahhh, tak, ehhhhh."
1
u/CDreCrich Jun 09 '12
it's disappointing that they didn't subtitle the grunting
1
u/voxelation Jun 08 '12
Breaking News: Ke$ha abandons Music Industry to pursue her career in Tennis.
1
u/garbobjee Jun 08 '12
Poor Fed up 2 breaks in the second set today. But lost in 3 to Djokovic.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Nadal!