Subtitling is one of the two most common modes of audiovisual translation. The starting point of research on subtitling might be its classification. As the types of subtitles in existence seem too varied to be accounted for, the classification of them risks being overlapping, intricate or meticulous, which would make a systematic study of the subject all the harder. In view of the pitfalls of classification, the principles of being simple, clear and inclusive in classifying subtitles are established. Guided by those principles and measured by the major linguistic and technical parameters, the existing types and new types of subtitles can be classified and grouped into corresponding categories, exhibiting distinctive characteristics and targeting different audiences. The classification proposed and the types of subtitles discussed in this paper will shed some light on how subtitling can be conducted in the future in the hope of assisting both academic research and professional practice.

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