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Same question came up on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/8am0si/evolution_of_the_english_alphabet/dwzqvk6/ https://www.reddit.com/r/
by def- 9y ago
Same question came up on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/8am0si/evolution_of_the_english_alphabet/dwzqvk6/ https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/8am0si/e...
> Linguist here! In those ancient languages, there was no standard writing direction or standardized spelling conventions. In fact the Greeks often wrote in either direction alternating in a method called "boustrophedon" which means "ox-turning." You get to the end of the line and then write backwards to the other side of the page; it's actually much better for reading.
Answer by sandscript
- em3rgent0rdr 9y ago"boustrophedon" sounds extremely useful. Too bad that practice didn't remain. I always find my eyes loose track of where the next row starts, especially with small text and/or wide screens/paper.
- thechao 9y agoThe fastest way to go rasterize fixed sized tiles on LRB was boustrophedon—only requires ~9 registers, and takes 3c per 16 samples, amortized.
- daurnimator 9y agoLRB?
- thechao 9y agoLarrabee; an old Intel part.
- gnicholas 9y agoI made a browser plugin that uses color gradients to help with this precise problem: http://www.beelinereader.com/individual http://www.beelinereader.com/individual. I had no idea how widespread this problem was until I posted a Show HN and my website grinded to a halt. It turns out line tracking is an issue for readers with dyslexia, various visual problems, and ADHD.
- zeth___ 9y agoWhen you hand write you need to switch hands on the reverse line. It's quite difficult to teach people to be ambidextrous.
- khedoros1 9y agoI used to take notes that way in college sometimes (i.e. more that once, but not for anything very important). It felt almost natural to mirror the letters while also writing right-to-left.