Reflections on Words in Space

Abstract

Reflecting on the context of orality, secondary orality and visible language itself, this paper explores the return to orality that technology now makes possible, changing words in space (typography) into words in time (spoken language). The impact this shift will have on objects needing instructions for use, museum exhibits, learning materials on the computer and the nature of learning to read, to mention only a few examples, will cause a re-examination of human cognitive capacities and preferences. A substantial difference in listener/reader/viewer control of time is posed as an important discriminatory difference between auditory and visible language, A comparison, beginning with visible language and developed with auditory and acoustic suggestions, is attempted to better understand the contrasting nature of these communication options as available embedded media expands and changes.