Does Writing have a Future?
Introduction
The examination of the art of the writing and how it is fading out, due to technology and other aspects of communication. What makes writing distinctive? The text explores the history of writing to try to answer and examine its importance and possible future.
Superscript
This is a part of a movie that really focuses on how writing and the tools that are used for writing have developed over time.
The first chapter is title superscript because it comes first, not to be confused with the type of style.
To write about writing-the intention of the text
Other names given: “critical, progressive, numerate, narrative”
historical consciousness is the reality.
Inscriptions
Writing=to scratch (latin) to dig (greek)
Inform=to dig into
“The ingraining of information into object has not been modern for a longtime”
Notation
Stylus is for inscriptions
Brush is for writing down
A brush was faster than the slow stylus. Etching something into stone is a harder task than noting something with a brush stroke.
Writing in versus writing down
Once brush was developed this faster method was employed more.
Notation is literal writing.
Letters of the Alphabet
Alphanumeric code
Excursus=numbers
Alphabet lead to writing.
Texts
text means textile
line means linen thread
So the idea of writing is to weave the textile with the line.
Typography is a new way of writing/thinking in the text.
Change that has come from print.
Books, newspapers and magazines.
News- Mass produced newspapers changed how people found about the world around them. Created an archive of events-staple to printing history.
This makes me think of religion. Religion existed prior to print, but the widespread nature of religion did not become available to more people until religious texts could be printed for a wider audience and distributed. More people could get the same information across the map. This changed a lot about society.
Instructions
Developing a method of writing. A means to provide direction through written words.
Directions for navigation, how to do things, and how to operate things. Easier to multiple and distribute in order to teach.
Spoken Languages
In pre-written history spoken language carried stories and people learned from that knowledge and the experience brought forth by the stories.
“In a postalphabetic situation there will be no elite entrusted with the care of language. People will be subject to persuasion from all sides, and it will penetrate into them more deeply than ever before, but in terms of effect, speaking will merely assist the dominant codes.” This in talking about the future of spoken language is what the author foresees happening.
Poetry
Poesis
The manipulation of words and sentences to form an artistic expression.
Poetry is relative to a decoding process that we do when we read. We look at poetry for underlying meaning. The fear exposed by the author is that decoding will be lost in the future and the new generation will be receivers of information only.
Ways of Reading
Reading precedes writing. Writing is a way of reading-its taking information and decoding it into a written language that is articulated from other information. To read means to pick out-so we pick out ideas and writing came from this. Just as I am writing notes, based on what I’ve read.
Reading critically is about evaluation. Then theres the puzzlesolving reading that goes further than critical reading- basically as completed objective way to read material.
“No longer does the reader draw a meaning from what is read; rather he is the one who confers meaning on what is read. ”
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