simongrant Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Hi All, I do it but I am wondering if my reading speed would increase if I could not subvocalize(no clue how to stop it though) I have tried by just looking at the words on the page but got no imagery or anything and felt like I wasnt reading at all.Would be very interested on your thoughts and how you people read. Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I don't subvocalise while reading, but I have seen it suggested that it adds a lot to enjoyment of books, language used etc. I read quite quickly, rarely visualise anything while reading, and have usually forgotten nearly everything about a book within a week of reading it - sounds like subvocalising might help with that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I find it very difficult not to read aloud the lines of a character with whom I identify, so if I'm reading a realy great book and identifying with multiple characters it cn sound like I have multiple personality disorder, as each character will have a different voice (and I used to be an actor, so the voices can be very different too - LOL!). My poor hubby has, on several occasions, come home and thought I have people over, only to find I am alone with a book. I can tone it down when need be, so if I'm reading on a public place, I'll hold my book high in front of my face and very quietly whisper or mouth the dialogue, so people won't notice and/or think I'm TOO insane. I also visualise very easily, and if something is written well, I can get lost in just a few words of discription that will depict entire scenes for me. Fortunately, I seem to have very rapid visualisation skills (and can talk very fast too) or it would take me weeks to finish each book I read and enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleW Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I don't read loud, but I do it in my mind. I have heard very often, that, to stop it will at least tripple your reading pace. But I don't have to read much for work and if I only read for fun, speed doesn't matter that much. And I find if I don't subvocalize I just fly over the words and can't enjoy them really or imagine the scenes. And that would be a great loss compared to reading a bit more. For why, if not to imagine everything so livid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2 Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Putting your own voices to books is half the fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simongrant Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Thanks so much for your responses,it seems I'm not too much of an oddball afterall Last night I did try to read without sounding every word in my head and was surprised that I was still understanding what was going on and was reading pages at least 3 times faster than usual.Also while doing this everything seemed much more fluid. Ona different note last night I ordered full dark no stars and the first 3 lincoln rhymes books,bone collector,coffin dancer and empty chair.... Thanks again for your input Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becky Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I have tried actually reading the words and found it to annoy me. I don't remember ever having read slowly (although I obviously must have once, since I did learn how to read...) so for me it's really agonizing to slow down that much. I've tried explaining the way I read to people before, but I can never quite explain it. The closest I've gotten is that I don't so much read as watch it like a movie. When I'm really into a book I can't/don't think about the words at all, it just flows past and builds a picture in my mind. I have tried subvocalizing because I've heard it can increase your retention of information, which would be really nice for studying, but I was just really bothered by slowling my pace that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinay87 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I don't. I tried it a few times and it was annoyingly slow because I tend not to _read_ some words, instead I just absorb chunks of lines as I go on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Oh great, I thought it was just me! Sub-vocalising (or mumbling when I do it!) is something that I really like to do. As others have said, it slows down the reading and makes the imagination work better. Of course you have to pick and choose when to do this. I tend not to do it in public as you do get some funny looks! Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simongrant Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 Oh great, I thought it was just me! Sub-vocalising (or mumbling when I do it!) is something that I really like to do. As others have said, it slows down the reading and makes the imagination work better. Of course you have to pick and choose when to do this. I tend not to do it in public as you do get some funny looks! Ian Hi Ian,I don't mumble its just a voice in my head narrating as I read the words,not always my own voice either which is weird,then I'm 36yo and a pipe smoker for last ten years so I'm perhaps a little off the beam so to speak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 I'm much like Vinay in that I absorb chunks of text rather than reading every individual word, and I have a TERRIBLE problem with actually skimming, specially the nearer I get to the end of the book. I usually end up having to go back over what I've already read to actually get it to sink in. I use subvocalization as a way to try and slow myself down when I get too fast, but generally it's much too slow for me and I have to speed up a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 I have a TERRIBLE problem with actually skimming, specially the nearer I get to the end of the book. I usually end up having to go back over what I've already read to actually get it to sink in. Me too! I thought it was just me. It frustrates me to no end that it takes me forever to read the last couple of pages of a book. I seem to lose concentration completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Me too! I thought it was just me. It frustrates me to no end that it takes me forever to read the last couple of pages of a book. I seem to lose concentration completely. It's awful isn't it?! I end up taking in sentences literally from all over both visible pages (almost always spoilers, I seem to have an inbuilt radar for them) and nothing makes any sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simongrant Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 It's awful isn't it?! I end up taking in sentences literally from all over both visible pages (almost always spoilers, I seem to have an inbuilt radar for them) and nothing makes any sense! The more replies I see I'm starting to realize that although it makes me a slower reader I'm beginning to appreciate the fact that I do subvocalize Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 The more replies I see I'm starting to realize that although it makes me a slower reader I'm beginning to appreciate the fact that I do subvocalize Haha yeah you should definitely appreciate it, I don't doubt for a second you and others who do get far more out of books than I do - it's the difference between carefully nibbling at chocolate and scoffing the bar (you can guess which I do!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 I have to admit I'm not entirely sure what subvocalization is . Even my big dictionary didn't have it in and the online dictionary says 'To articulate or engage in articulation by moving the lips or other speech organs without making audible sounds, as in reading to oneself.' - which doesn't seem to be what some of you are talking about! So I might do it.. if I knew what it was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 I'm much like Vinay in that I absorb chunks of text rather than reading every individual word, and I have a TERRIBLE problem with actually skimming, specially the nearer I get to the end of the book. I usually end up having to go back over what I've already read to actually get it to sink in. I use subvocalization as a way to try and slow myself down when I get too fast, but generally it's much too slow for me and I have to speed up a little. I do this as well, and it really frustrates me! It's like I get so impatient to read the next book (or to finish the current one), that I just race through the last few chapters, probably without absorbing it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simongrant Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 I have to admit I'm not entirely sure what subvocalization is . Even my big dictionary didn't have it in and the online dictionary says 'To articulate or engage in articulation by moving the lips or other speech organs without making audible sounds, as in reading to oneself.' - which doesn't seem to be what some of you are talking about! So I might do it.. if I knew what it was Its just your internal voice sounding the words out as you read them,some mumble and mover their lips,others like me are silent but you still here your own voice in your head....probably a rubbish description that lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Yes, I am an admitted skimmer myself, but only when I'm not fully onboard with a book and am honestly just waiting for it to end so I can move on to something else. If it's a book I'm really loving, I try to make it last by going very slowly over the words so I don't miss a thing. I rarely read anything out loud though, unless it's a phrase or piece of dialogue that catches my eye or really moves me. I do however love to visualize and do it with most everything I read. I think that may be one of my favorite things about reading, is being able to 'see' what the author is describing. Every once in awhile I'll even quick doodle something out on paper of what I think something may look like . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Oh ok I think I get it now, and yeah I do sort of read to myself in my head but usually stop doing it once I actually get into the book more I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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