I’m sorry I’m such a bad subber. I should never have asked this question. I was waaaay out of the line and I’m sincerely sorry to the people I hurt. I now see how dumb I was. I don’t deserve to be called a Hindi subber. I love talking to people here on Discussions, and I sincerely hope @calmocean gets well soon. Thanks for giving me a chance to work here, even though I didn’t deserve it in the least. Again, @calmocean I’m sorry for all the trouble I put you through. I just wish you had told me earlier how you felt, so I could have quit before I started. I’m sorry for being an English idiot. To all those I’ve inconvenienced, I sincerely apologise. @calmocean I’m glad you were honest at least at goodbye 
5 Likes
@kaorikazehaya, what do you think?
As a Dutch person I can only say it looks more “exotic” in your script. 
But I have no idea how “normal” it is for you guys to read and write your language in the Latin alphabet. It would seem weird to me to write Korean, Japanese, Chinese or Russian subtitles in the Latin alphabet, but I guess that’s not the same.
2 Likes
I thought of that…but the thing is I’ve actually NEVER seen anyone texting in the Hindi script, nor have I seen any modern Hindi song’s lyric video in Hindi script. I know it’s more ‘exotic’, but we’re writing subs so people can actually use them 
Are there any people in your country who really can’t read them if they’re in the script?
Maybe the song lyrics are there for the foreigners who want to sing along to Hindi songs?
They can read, but I don’t know about speed… you know, comfortably enough to watch.
Anyway, I don’t completely know. I’m waiting for other opinions 
1 Like
Texting and subtitles are hardly the same thing!
I am not Indian, of course, but I’m half Greek, and I get very upset with people using the so-called “Greeklish”, that is Greek written with Latin alphabet. I hate it, and many are like me. We have a beautiful ancient language, coming from the very source of culture, just like Hindi comes from Sanscrit. We should strive to preserve it and cherish it, and use it as much as possible. Otherwise people - especially young people - will soon be more comfortable reading English than their own language. This would be terrible.
I make it a point to use proper language without condensing and with all proper accents even in texting.
2 Likes
As another Dutch person I’d say to just write in Hindi because you should cherish your language and its script.
I’m learning Korean and the alphabet is really easy, but reading words fast was not easy for me in the beginning. I practiced by watching video’s in a langauge I didn’t know with Korean subs so that I would get used to reading it more quickly.
Indian people who aren’t used to Hindi script will also have to do the same if they watch shows here with HIndi subs. And for them the subs are already in their native langauge, so after getting used to the speed they should be able to understand it wihtout problem.
2 Likes
Hindi to be written in hindi is a normal thing. The pronounciation and meaning can change if you type in English.
4 Likes
Exactly. Use it or lose it.
2 Likes
I agree with Irene and Mirjam. Hindi subtitles means using Hindi script. I think people who are more comfortable in reading English script will not even turn on Hindi subtitles. They will watch the drama with English Subtitles. Only people who are really interested in watching dramas with Hindi subs will use that option. Those people deserve to be able to read subs in Hindi itself. Even Netflix has option to display subs in Hindi script now a days.
5 Likes
It’s English if you write/subtitle in English and Hindi if you write/subtitle in Hindi. As for English being more popular or literate to your community, that is perhaps a sign of all of you being more comfortable in using English, or that the society there encourages the use of English as your first language. Nothing bad since English is one of the more popular languages in the world, be it in the workplace, school, government, etc. Often, English is the de facto official language or the lingua franca.
Personally, I see many languages becoming less popular and slowly becoming extinct In the world. In your case, I feel it is all the more imperative for you to keep on subbing in Hindi to prevent your language from becoming extinct. If your community/anyone wants to watch dramas/shows in English, they can always opt for English subtitles.
Good luck and keep on! Keep language traditions alive! 
3 Likes
A similar situation happened to me!
A Hindi subtitler asked me if she could sometimes use English words when subtitling in Hindi. It’s the only language I got this request.
I tried to find our conversation in mailbox but it’s too long to go back in PM like months ago.
I remember at that time, I was puzzled by the question, like why would someone who wants to subtitle in Hindi will mix English and Hindi?
The reason why I have a hard time understanding is:
- I don’t know Hindi or its history/evolution.
- I can only relate to latin languages I’ve learnt or Chinese I’m learning and 99,99 % of the time we don’t mix.
1. The only exception in my language would be:
- no French equivalent + integrated in our dictionary like any other French word.
Ex: sandwich, jean, pullover, handball, rugby…
The proportion of these words in our dictionary is low, but each year, the French Academy of our nation adds words in our French dictionary and a few English words are added like that. Like bitcoin that I would translate in French like it is in English.
For your language, I don’t know if they have modern words in Hindi, how does it work?
Like words like cybersecurity or medical/technical terms?
Or what about Oppa or Chinese name like Sang Sang, how do you translate in Hindi?
Do you also have an official organization that takes care of Hindi language and adds words in your dictionary?
–
- where it’s possible to have French and English words for the same thing (equivalent), pick French or your language.
Ex: stalker, crush, “like” on social media…
We use them in French nowadays when we speak, but when we write or subtitle on Viki, we would use the French word for it because it exists.
Also another thing to take into account is:
- a lot of adults and elders don’t know English here, so I’m keen on thinking if there are adults or elders, they’d understand at least if I translate in pure French, whereas they’d be lost in a mix of English and French.
For youngster, they are supposed to know or learn French and English. And if not, it’s the occasion to learn.
We do learn some words in Korean (just the sound) when we subtitle in French, so I think viewers too by reading, listening…
What about you? Does a big proportion of adults or elders know English to be able to read a mix of English and Hindi subs?
1 Like
Ah, it’s because you haven’t been to India and you don’t even watch Bollywood films. If you did, you would see that you could understand almost half of the dialogue, as snobbish middle-class and upper-class Indians just LOVE to pepper their speech with English words, even whole sentences. (They think it’s super-cool but in reality it’s a bit ridiculous, especially when they pronounce them wrong).
They do that even when they want to speak in Hindi because they don’t want you, the foreigner, to understand. But they don’t realize that with all the English they use, you can get the gist of what they’re saying about you. This is because they somehow treat English words as part of Hindi.
5 Likes
Got to see on Netflix if they have some without French or English dubbing! I’ve never watched in Hindi subs or audio. Lol I got to see that 
But I suspect it’s about romance and I prefer thrillers or a mix of genre…
How are Bollywood movies and series nowadays? What about romance? Can we compare with Kdramas with romance?
What about others’ feelings about English and who are not from middle or upper-class?
Still, I think India has won its independance like more than 50 years ago, so keep your language (it’s a national treasure) while learning other languages.
Even if we have 27 EU countries, each one of them have their own history and culture. Even if EU have decided that English was the official language during European meetings, all children still learn their own language at school and we still didn’t abandon it when we created the European Union.
If we’re going to lose our language over English, it’s a big part of our own identity that disappears with it and it would be boring to all speak the same language. We woudn’t even need translations from LA to LB.
2 Likes
Although I do love some Bollywood movies (and have a particularly sweet spots for those from Kerala), I can’t say the same about Indian TV-series.
Yes, most of them are very wholesome, promoting traditional values etc. just like k-drama, but there are many that indict social evils.
What I love about them is the mix of genres. A movie can have romance, yes, but also politics, social issues, comedy, thrills and tragedy too, and at the same time be a musical. I just love that, although in later years the musical part has subsided.
An apt example would be Bombay, which is about the strife between Hindus and Muslims and the terrible inter-communal violence in the city - but it’s through a love story. It drives its point forcefully (the music by E. Rahman is wonderful!) but it also entertains at the same time.
Another one is “My Name is Khan”, which was made in 2010 and refers to the September 11th events at the Twin Towers, after which every Muslim automatically became a suspect and was harassed in the US. A beautiful story of a pure soul, an autist-savant, who tours the country to find the president and tell him in person he’s not a terrorist, and win back the woman he loves.
Another one is Dharm, about a Hindu priest adopting an abandoned baby and then discovering the baby is a Muslim.
But there are even more controversial ones, such as “Water”, about Hindu widows who are kicked out from their homes and sent to a center in Varanasi - the young and beautiful ones, including child-brides, facing a terrible fate. That one made a great stir when it was first announced, and had problems completing its filming because of public outrage. But it did complete, and it is an unforgettable film (beautiful music too).
A visually gorgeous movie about a love affair between two people of different classes that gets ruined by social expectations and by the lead’s weak character is “Devdas”, based on a famous 19th century Bengali novel. While a great favourite of mine, “Parineeta”(also taken from a Bengali novel), again has social differences as well as character differences coming between the two lovebirds - but this one ends well.
I mean, Indian movies are so diverse, they can cater to the lowest denominator (like Welcome to Waikiki in Corea), with crude humor, overacting, eye-rolling etc., to the most delicate and artistic.
Sometimes the main theme is loyalty and friendship, and the love story is secondary. I loved Eklavya: The Royal Guard, where an old guard’s loyalty to his king is challenged in the most cruel way, making him question everything he has lived for. It helped that there are outstanding actors in the film.
For me the best Hindi comedy is Munna Bhai M.B.B.S, about a mafia don who poses as a doctor every time that his parents come visit him in the city (they don’t know his real “occupation” and think he’s a doctor). His headquarters get instantly transformed into a small clinic, his henchmen into doctors, nurses and patients. Then at some point he falls in love and decides to go to a real medical school. When a corpse is needed for the anatomy class, he… Okay, I won’t spoil. I laughed so much that I cried. Oh yes, it’s also a musical. If you find it, do watch it.
I could write lots about this subject, but it’s seriously off-topic, so if you are interested we can continue it elsewhere.
3 Likes
Sure, just make a new topic!
1 Like
If you’re interested, I can tell you personally whenever you like (long time not talking with you), but I don’t think that such a topic is really relevant to Viki.
1 Like
As you want!
I find it a pity because people might want to watch your suggestions based on your own appreciation and where can we find Vikians’ suggestions elsewhere lol
(Do we have Bollywood on Viki?)
1 Like
the thing I’m most irritated about is that Bollywood on Viki is RESTRICTED IN INDIA ITSELF 
For Oppa/ Hyung its the same word bhaiya (older bro)
We have some modern words, but they’re really really rarely used so I doubt younger Hindi speakers would understand them. We usually use the English word only because it’s more common.
Ok I forgot about the older audience when I started this topic… I was aiming it more at the younger audience.
Thanks everyone for your inputs, they got me thinking! I’m convinced that using the script is wayyyy better now.
4 Likes