I don’t really use closed captioning–except when I’m watching The Great British Baking Show or some other British show. That’s just because I don’t speak British, so the subtitles are necessary. I mean, honestly, what are they saying? I do not know.
My daughter, on the other hand, always has the closed captioning on when she watches TV. It helps her focus, she says. Without it, she won’t really know what’s going on.
But, for me, it’s hard for me to focus when closed captions are on. I read instead of watching. It is very distracting.
Here’s the thing, though: My daughter and I live in a one-bedroom apartment. There is only one common living area. The TV is there. It’s also where she plays video games with her friends who live in the computer. Have you ever been in the same room with someone who plays a computer video game? They are very expressive and often can be very loud.
And, so, when we are coexisting in the living room, I have taken to using the closed caption feature when I watch TV. It makes things just a little more bearable.
The Englishist 