I think it also gets a little confusing because different translators will translate names and honorifics differently. Some subtitlers seem to discard the honorifics altogether and just use the character's name. I suspect they are trying to make it easier for people to know which character is being referred to, but once you start to develop familiarity with the honorifics and diminutives, it actually gets a little distracting. Then, some subtitlers try to translate an honorific or diminutive into an English equivalent, which really does not work for me. Generally, I would prefer they keep the original word and explain what it means (if necessary).
Another thing that might affect the difference between Taiwanese and Chinese shows is that Chinese shows are often dubbed with a form of Mandarin that I think of as being somewhat like BBC received pronunciation. I don't know what the rationale is, since they also always of Mandarin subtitles which would enable listeners to understand despite the different accents the actors might have.
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Date: 13 May 2020 20:06 (UTC)Another thing that might affect the difference between Taiwanese and Chinese shows is that Chinese shows are often dubbed with a form of Mandarin that I think of as being somewhat like BBC received pronunciation. I don't know what the rationale is, since they also always of Mandarin subtitles which would enable listeners to understand despite the different accents the actors might have.