Is there someone in your life who can’t read cursive?

[KateGladstone]

Is there someone in your life who can’t read cursive? A forthcoming book, READ CURSIVE FAST, is reviewed on page 6 of THE PENNANT’s Spring 2021 issue. I don’t want to turn this into an ad, so I’ll say no more.

;-)

[sgphototn]

There are many who write in cursive in such a way that it's next to impossible to read. Add to that writing with certain inks and hieroglyphics is easier to read. One only need look at examples on this forum and Instagram 

 

If your goal is to communicate with others, legibility is the first concern. 

 

Read Cursive Fast? Then make it legible.

 

 

[KateGladstone]

I agree — but, sadly, we often have to read the unreadable & unscrew the inscrutable.

[sgphototn]

1 hour ago, KateGladstone said:

I agree — but, sadly, we often have to read the unreadable & unscrew the inscrutable.

Nope. I don't have to read the unreadable or unscrew the inscrutable if someone doesn't care enough to write legibly. These are not doctors writing prescriptions for pharmacists which I don't have to read.

 

If I can't read someone's handwriting I'm not going to try. 

 

From your website, I can't see what your selling in action nor how it improves anything. 

 

Perhaps you can do a Youtube that provides such information.

[BayesianPrior]

8 hours ago, KateGladstone said:

Is there someone in your life who can’t read cursive?

 

There was, once.  But sadly she couldn't decipher the "DANGER - KEEP CLEAR" warning sign at the calligraphy museum.

[sansenri]

 

seriously though, not in my experience.

Written cursive was compulsory at school here until around the 70s. After that it was no longer compulsory to write in cursive, however cursive is still taught in elementary school. It is then up to the individual to choose the writing style, most children choose print nowadays, but can usually read a cursive text, so it would be unusual to find anyone not able to read cursive here.

[KateGladstone]

On 4/10/2021 at 10:56 AM, sgphototn said:

There are many who write in cursive in such a way that it's next to impossible to read. Add to that writing with certain inks and hieroglyphics is easier to read. One only need look at examples on this forum and Instagram 

 

If your goal is to communicate with others, legibility is the first concern. 

 

Read Cursive Fast? Then make it legible.

 

 

I entirely agree!

 

[kealani]

It's also possible that as time passes, cursive will be more difficult to read by people that are not used to reading it and unfamiliar with the various "looks/hands". And, the more legible writing will be the simplest and clearest as far as letters, words, phrase patterns, etc.

 

Of course, it's a bit "subjective" perhaps to think that maybe those that do write cursive or are involved with the FPN forum or things like that, are better able to or effortlessly (sort of) read various cursive writing simply by familiarity with it. Especially those that regularly correspond with others in cursive/snail mail, etc.

 

Maybe.

k

[como]

On 4/11/2021 at 12:20 AM, BayesianPrior said:

 

There was, once.  But sadly she couldn't decipher the "DANGER - KEEP CLEAR" warning sign at the calligraphy museum.

😀😀😀 I would probably have stumbled into danger before finishing reading that too!

[gpsgrandpa]

If legible writing isn’t a goal then why write? When my youngest son was in middle school I was trying to read his hand writing. I was primarily looking for spelling problems but his cursive had become tiny, cramped, and barely legible. When I asked about both he informed me that his teachers could read it. He also said that it was less important to spell correctly than to get the thoughts down on paper. I forget how his teachers responded when I mentioned my difficulties reading his writing. I suppose if one had lots of practice reading a wide variety of challenging cursive hands it may be easier.

 

Some of the handwritten letters I receive have words that I can only decipher in context and some words not at all. The main reason I first started writing with fountain pens was a desire to improve my cursive. I would make myself a note and later I couldn’t read some of what I wrote. Now I write slower and space the letters a bit. I’ve had no complaints on my writing being illegible and I can read everything I write which seems to be my main purpose in writing.

[kealani]

I know someone who does not read nearly any type of cursive well, nor write it despite a senior age.

Also does not listen to music.

Also does not watch movies.

Also does not watch TV series (movies).

. . . . . 

. . might be a pattern here. . .  .

[inkstainedruth]

Does the guy read books?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[inkandseeds]

My son can’t read cursive.  He is in college.  He skipped third grade which was the only time the school district  taught cursive.

 

I retired last year from teaching college.  I gave lots of in class writing assignments.  For at least the last decade, I rarely had a student write cursive for any assignment. My teaching career took me through a transition from when most students wrote cursive to when it was rare to have student write in cursive.  In my opinion, it was a positive change as the printing was more legible.