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    Bi-directional reading and writing is feasible?

    • Started by penguin
    • 5 Replies:
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    • Registered: 04-Nov-2011
    • Posts: 90

    If human can read bi-directional, the reading speed becomes double. Writing speed gain isn't much.
    It made sense to me. So, I played with this concept for few days. I made a new writing system last night. It's pure experimental writing language. It has 24 basic symbols which based on Korean alphabet. Each symbol is simple, easy to write, and complete symmetric shape such as a circle or square or triangle. I redesigned Korean alphabets. Technically it's phonetic writing system so it's language independent.   

    I plan to use it to write Korean and English for fun and experiments. There are some rooms of addition and enhancement.  I think It's better have more eyes to find logic flaws than oneself.

    If there are members who are interests or want to join the development, let me know. I'm willing to put every steps here as it goes. I want to make it public domain as the Colemak creator did. 

    Bear in mind I'm not a linguistics nor expert in related field. I learned  Korean, English, and Chinese alphabet, computer programming languages. One writing language that covers all languages. Is it possible? Esperanto, English, even Korean isn't good enough.  International phonetic symbols aren't systematic. It misses the bonding property that firms unique word, which I feel.

    The flow of reading is non-stop like water runs down the channel in bi-directional sentences. 10 lines will be exact 10 scans. Uni-directional - left to right - gives 19 scans for 10 lines.

    Once again, pure experimentation I mean.

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    • From: Viken, Norway
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    penguin said:

    If human can read bi-directional, the reading speed becomes double.

    Sounds strange to me! Do you mean bustrophedonic text (where line direction alternates)? I honestly don't see how that could improve speed much - let alone double it! Could you quote any evidence and explanations for this claim, please?

    A good reader scans long bits of text in each eye fixation. If the reader can scan the whole line then nothing at all is lost by moving to the next one. Even if you need several fixations per line (which almost all of us do for long lines like the ones in this forum for instance) practically nothing is lost by moving the fixation to the beginning of the next line. Counting the line reading as one 'scan' and the line change as another just makes no sense at all to me.

    Last edited by DreymaR (08-Dec-2011 23:29:58)

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    @DreymaR

    Most humans reading speed matches their speaking speed. The brain slows down actual signal interpretation from the eyes. I learned speed reading. Easiest technique is to stop murmuring in mind while reading words.  I read 800 - 1,000 wpm using the speed reading technique with same comprehension. I only increased 2.5 times my reading speed.

    The eyes scan each word as a group. I doubt we actually go through each letter by letter.  Considering words and the building block of sentences,
    the eyes follow the blocks arrangement in order.

    1: For example, this is 1st line.
    2: This is the 2nd line.

    Line 1 has 6 blocks.
    Line 2 has 5 blocks.
    Reading one directional only, sweep line 1 of the 6 blocks.
    Then does back to start of line 2 and sweep 5 blocks.
    The eyes moves three times.
    Bi-directional writing:

    1: For example, this is one line.
    2: .line 2nd the is This

    Line 1: The eyes sweep left to right.
    Line 2:  It sweeps right to left.
    Two sweeps.   

    The advantage of bi-directional writing is no lag between each line change.   Advanced level of speed reading that take whole page as single image data has no difference though. 

    Colemak has less finger travel distances than Qwerty which increase typing speed of users with less finger movements.  I have same analogy here. Cutting down time of eye movement.

    A good reader scans long bits of text in each eye fixation. If the reader can scan the whole line then nothing at all is lost by moving to the next one.

    It is fraction of time I think. Moving back  the eyes to leftmost line must be alot faster than actual sweeping speed.  Shooting a magazine of bullets, reload new magazine, shooting again.  Bi-directional is non-stop shooting so to speak.
    Still there is time lap. Even the reader takes few blocks as one scan, the fundamental sweeping motion - only left to right and back - carries the burden.

    I did my best what the bi-directional reading is.

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    Your argument is fundamentally flawed!

    - Line1: I read it as one(!) unit
    - Line2: I move my eyes down, and read that as one unit

    There is NO 'sweep right to left' involved!!! For the longer lines, I read them as maybe 3-4 chunks. However, moving from one chunk to another on the same line takes about the SAME amount of time as moving to another on the next line! The eyes don't 'sweep', they jump - and the jump to the next line is as fast as the jump to the next block on the same line (because even if the distance is a bit longer the anchoring is easier at the line start!).

    I rest my eyes on the middle of each chunk. They don't follow the text from one end to the other. Any fast reader will do this!?

    It's possible that some(!) speed readers might gain some measure of speed by going bustrophedonic, I don't know. But I sincerely doubt it'd be significant. And I absolutely disbelieve that it'd be worth it for anyone but absolute avantgarde aficionados! The upside to it would be the ability to read fast in mirrors...

    Last edited by DreymaR (09-Dec-2011 10:04:56)

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    @DreymaR

    People stick to their belief system and own values.  Maybe your interpretation of how human reads is truth for you.

    Not me. If I'm stuck such idea, I wouldn't imagine. The new alphabets is finished.  I uploaded it on other public forum.  I'll make a language user guide so that anyone can learn and use it within 5 to 10 hours.

    To know new method is right or wrong, one has to test it. I'm glad that I  tried Colemak.  Experiencing different keyboard layouts made me think about language itself, which was the seed of this new alphabet.

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    Belief system, that's a bit funny you know. I'm only referring to my interpretation and memory of what I've heard speedy readers do (and my own reading supports it). If you think that constitutes a belief system I think you may need your vocabulary checked...  ;)

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
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