Subtitle speed in the spotlight. The case of streaming services

Authors

• Nazaret Fresno, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
• Paula Igareda, Universitat Pompeu Fabra
• Verónica Arnáiz-Uzquiza, University of Valladolid

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-27-2026

Abstract

This paper reports on the main findings of a study examining the speed at which subtitles are currently delivered on two of the main streaming platforms: Netflix and Prime Video. It focuses on seven languages (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan) and six genres (Drama, Comedy, Mystery & Thriller, Action & Adventure, Romance, and Documentary) to explore how subtitle speed varies across platforms, languages and genres. Our analysis of over 1,500,000 subtitles provides an accurate picture of the average subtitle speed and percentage of fast subtitles (over 15, 17 and 20 characters per second) found on these popular platforms. Furthermore, in light of recent reception studies carried out with several groups of hearing individuals, the article discusses potential effects of the current subtitle speed.

Comments

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Perspectives: Studies in Translation Theory and Practice on July 27, 2026 available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/0907676X.2026.2701783

Recommended Citation

Fresno, Nazaret, Paula Igareda, and Verónica Arnáiz-Uzquiza. "Subtitle speed in the spotlight. The case of streaming services." Perspectives(2026): 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/0907676X.2026.2701783

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Publication Title

Perspectives: Studies in Translation Theory and Practice

DOI

10.1080/0907676X.2026.2701783