Do you get a second wind when switching from horizontal to vertical script?

Polyglot27 · 01-23-2009, 08:53 AM

Since I have noticed that there are other members of MR that read Asian languages, I thought I might ask this question here.
A few years ago I discovered that after reading an English or French book for a few hours and beginning to feel tired, I can take up a Japanese or Chinese book and start reading again feeling quite fresh. The only explanation I can provide now is that my eyes move left to right when I read English but they go top to bottom when I read Japanese since the lines are printed vertically, therefore using a different set of muscles.
I would like to know if others who read Chinese, Japanese or Korean (all vertically written languages) have similar experiences.

pshrynk · 01-23-2009, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyglot27

Since I have noticed that there are other members of MR that read Asian languages, I thought I might ask this question here.
A few years ago I discovered that after reading an English or French book for a few hours and beginning to feel tired, I can take up a Japanese or Chinese book and start reading again feeling quite fresh. The only explanation I can provide now is that my eyes move left to right when I read English but they go top to bottom when I read Japanese since the lines are printed vertically, therefore using a different set of muscles.
I would like to know if others who read Chinese, Japanese or Korean (all vertically written languages) have similar experiences.

I don't read any right to left languages, but that would be a fascinating study for a PhD candidate in neuropsychology.

GeoffC · 01-23-2009, 01:10 PM

I can read English upside down (does that count)
(No I do not need to pay the laddy at the door for services not yet rendered).
(thank you).

Polyglot27 · 01-24-2009, 04:25 PM

Hi Pshrynk, you said:
I don't read any right to left languages, but that would be a fascinating study for a PhD candidate in neuropsychology.
Maybe those who do read right to left languages such as Arabic, Hebrew, Yiddish, Urdu might test themselves to see if they too get a second wind when switching to left to right languages.

pshrynk · 01-24-2009, 09:10 PM

There is probably something to this, what with motor strain being tied to mental activity.

01-23-2009, 08:53 AM	#1
Polyglot27 Addict Posts: 231 Karma: 5588994 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Paris, France Device: Cybook Gen3, Archos 80 G9, Sony PRS-650, Sony T1, Asus MemoPad.	Do you get a second wind when switching from horizontal to vertical script? Since I have noticed that there are other members of MR that read Asian languages, I thought I might ask this question here. A few years ago I discovered that after reading an English or French book for a few hours and beginning to feel tired, I can take up a Japanese or Chinese book and start reading again feeling quite fresh. The only explanation I can provide now is that my eyes move left to right when I read English but they go top to bottom when I read Japanese since the lines are printed vertically, therefore using a different set of muscles. I would like to know if others who read Chinese, Japanese or Korean (all vertically written languages) have similar experiences.

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01-23-2009, 01:10 PM	#3
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	I can read English upside down (does that count) (No I do not need to pay the laddy at the door for services not yet rendered). (thank you).

01-24-2009, 04:25 PM	#4
Polyglot27 Addict Posts: 231 Karma: 5588994 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Paris, France Device: Cybook Gen3, Archos 80 G9, Sony PRS-650, Sony T1, Asus MemoPad.	Hi Pshrynk, you said: I don't read any right to left languages, but that would be a fascinating study for a PhD candidate in neuropsychology. Maybe those who do read right to left languages such as Arabic, Hebrew, Yiddish, Urdu might test themselves to see if they too get a second wind when switching to left to right languages.

01-24-2009, 09:10 PM	#5
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	There is probably something to this, what with motor strain being tied to mental activity.

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