When watching movies...

Guest   Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:07 am GMT
I have been having trouble distinguishing much of what's being said in any given movies when watching them, despite the fact that my reading, writing and listening skills have drastically improved over the past few years. For instance, I never have any difficulty understanding any conversation in real life or when watching the news, no matter how complex it may be. The problem only occurs when watching movies.
Any insights as to why and how I can improve?
Do native speakers experience any of that at all?
Guest   Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:18 am GMT
I'm a native speaker and often I have to rewind to catch what they're saying, though it's a bit of a strange problem that only manifests itself when I'm conscious of it... Normally I just watch and understand, or understand from the context without noticing or thinking about it, but sometimes I notice that I don't catch something and start wondering about it and a chain reaction occurs and I start not understanding a lot more. So it's probably more psychological than a real concrete phenomenon. Kinda like how it's hard to breathe naturally when conciously thinking about it.
Guest   Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:20 am GMT
So that also makes me wonder about learners. Maybe learners would understand a lot more by just watching calmly and not concentrating with all their might to understand every little word. Just try to watch as though it were their native language, and not getting stressed about not understanding something.... what do you think?
Guest   Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:38 am GMT
I think that piece you gave up there is one of the most heartening ones I have ever read. This issue has been weighting on me for quite some time.
Thanks
Guest   Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:10 am GMT
Movies are just an imitation of real life, so if you can understand in real life, that means you can understand the 'real deal'. Who cares about movies then! The conversations in movies are less 'real' than what you hear around you everyday.
Guest   Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:43 am GMT
Are you a new or same guest?
Guest   Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:18 pm GMT
I've noticed than in some movies people speak much faster than in real life.
RayH   Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:20 pm GMT
I'm a native speaker and yes, I often find myself rewinding or turning on the English subtitles to catch a word or two. I think that in many cases this is caused by the music soundtrack and other "environmental" sounds (traffic, kitchen sounds, other actors speaking in the background, etc. depending on the program or movie) being too loud or otherwise interfering with the spoken dialog. Also, I notice that frequently the actors will suddenly lower their voices or speak less clearly for just a word or two for no apparent reason.
Guest   Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:00 pm GMT
Still 95% understanding is damn good. No one expects to understand every damn fucking word in the movie. You need massive exposure to English movies if you want to understand them just any other form of the communication. Watch one movie daily for the whole month and report us back with your progress.
Guest   Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:39 pm GMT
>>Watch one movie daily for the whole month and report us back with your progress.

Sounds good.
OMG, you don't know how badly it gets if the movie portrays historical occurrences where they basically speak with British accent, or the South
I agree   Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:12 pm GMT
"So that also makes me wonder about learners. Maybe learners would understand a lot more by just watching calmly and not concentrating with all their might to understand every little word. Just try to watch as though it were their native language, and not getting stressed about not understanding something.... what do you think?"-Guest

I agree. Great advice.
Shane   Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:46 am GMT
I agree, don't try to focus on it so much.

Something I've learned benefits many aspects of yourself that you wish to improve is: "Make it a reflex". Work to make it just something you do naturally without thinking about it. It's Difficult to explain.. Learning how to do something without directly concentrating on it can help make it as such, at least for me it does.