MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Snail-reading on paper, could we call it that?

taglines · 11-20-2009, 01:35 AM

Ever since snail mail became popular, back in 1981 I think, I was thinking the other day about how I hate reading on paper surfaces these days when I can read much more comfy on my e-reader, and could we call that old-school traditional kind of paper reading as "snail reading"....? And just continue to call reading on ebooks and our ereaders as either "reading" (which it is!) or...e-reading, which it is!

Some research: Snail-reading is both a dysphemism and a retronym. It’s “dysphemistic”
because it’s a disparaging expression, sure, why not?, and its a retronym because the
advent of ebooks and e-readeres means we needed a term that emphasizes
the traditional, old-school kind of reading on paper, so maybe call it "snail reading"....? It still has its place, of course. Just as snail mail still has its place.

But the digital revolution has changed both personal mail and personal reading. What do other think of this term: snail-reading. A bit perjorative and disparaging yes, but descriptive, no?

11-20-2009, 01:35 AM	#1
taglines Banned Posts: 96 Karma: 334 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: nook	Snail-reading on paper, could we call it that? Ever since snail mail became popular, back in 1981 I think, I was thinking the other day about how I hate reading on paper surfaces these days when I can read much more comfy on my e-reader, and could we call that old-school traditional kind of paper reading as "snail reading"....? And just continue to call reading on ebooks and our ereaders as either "reading" (which it is!) or...e-reading, which it is! Some research: Snail-reading is both a dysphemism and a retronym. It’s “dysphemistic” because it’s a disparaging expression, sure, why not?, and its a retronym because the advent of ebooks and e-readeres means we needed a term that emphasizes the traditional, old-school kind of reading on paper, so maybe call it "snail reading"....? It still has its place, of course. Just as snail mail still has its place. But the digital revolution has changed both personal mail and personal reading. What do other think of this term: snail-reading. A bit perjorative and disparaging yes, but descriptive, no?