Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
That's your choice, of course, but can you really not understand that someone might want to learn what an unfamiliar word means, rather than guessing? There are some authors who constantly challenge my vocabulary, and learning new words is always good. I love the fact that I can just tap and hold a word on my Kindle's screen to see its definition.
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It's not so much me saying, don't do it or it isn't worthwhile to check, just that in the moment, I don't want to be taken away from being lost in the story, and returned to the world of mundane considerations.
So in a purely theoretical sense I understand, but in a practical sense, for me at least, it is not something that makes sense to do at the time ... unless of course, the book is boring or it isn't the gripping type.
Did you or anyone, when lost in a good book, ever refer to a dictionary before the days of ebooks? If not, how did you cope?
I guess some might have read with a dictionary at their side. I never did.
If I was really stuck on a word, especially when young and my language skills not as well developed, I might have chased up a word in a dictionary at the end of a chapter or when I finished my reading session ... provided I remembered of course. Generally though, I am pretty good at determining the meaning of a word, by the context it is in (and or by taking the word apart) ... or by further enlightenment later in a story. Sometimes a little mystery until then, adds to the experience.
I guess you can liken it to watching a movie, and not wanting to be interrupted for a toilet break or a phone call or a discussion. You are lost in the moment, and don't want any distractions taking you out of the zone, until it's over.
I also liken it to being lost in the joy of your favorite song, only to be brought back to reality by an unpleasant sound or interruption, which takes you out of the moment, and brings the world around you crashing back in. Joy, enrapture, etc are to be held onto as long as possible for maximum benefit in my view.
I realize that some other people aren't like that, but I can't relate to being like them myself. Perhaps it is a concentration or brain compartmentalizing thing?
I find it can take real effort to switch between states, and you also run the risk of being distracted enough, to start thinking down other channels ... and before you know it, you have been reading sentences, paragraphs, etc but not taking any of it in (because your thoughts are elsewhere) ... except maybe subconsciously.
In any case, the short answer to your question, is that I understand the sentiment, but don't understand engaging in the reality.
P.S. That is why I hate stories that have been poorly edited. Having to make mental corrections for grammatical errors, keeps interrupting the flow and retards or spoils any magic trying to build or be maintained. I either get my money back for such ebooks or use Sigil etc. If I have to use Sigil, I generally fix the ebook, then put it aside for weeks or months, and then come back to it with less fore-brain memory of it ... that way I am unlikely to remember the finer details ... especially distracting ones.
I mention here, a little tool I have developed, that assists me with Sigil.