[danbloom]

A new word for reading online: "screening"

[danbloom]

If you are reading this comentary in the printed version of this newspaper, you are "reading" it
in print. But if you are reading it online, on this newspaper's website, would you be "reading" it or "screening" it?


To readers online I want to say: What you are doing now is not reading, but "screening." Yes, you are at this very moment screening the textprinted digitally on this computer screen. You are not reading text on a paper surface; you are "screening" this article through the lens of the computer screen in front of you. Perhaps a new word is born -- screening!

When a top computer industry writer at the New York Times, John Markoff, was told about this new term, he told me in a one-word email note:"Hmmmmmmm." I think he didn't quite cotton to the new terminology I am proposing. But at least he was listening. He didn't tell me to get lost, although maybe that is what he meant.

Screening? Can anyone just coin a new word and make it stick? No, but new words are coined everyday, and some stick and some don't. Time will tell whether or not "screening" (to mean "reading information on a computer screen, as distinct from reading a print newspaper or magazine or book") will stay with us or not. For now, the word has been accepted and listed by the editors at urbandictionary.com.

Screening has defined there as: "To read text on a computer screen, cellphonescreen, Kindle screen or PDA screen or BlackBerry screen; replaces the term "reading" which now only refers to reading print text on paper."

Example: "I hate reading print newspapers now. I do all my screening online."

[danbloom]

James Fallows, an editor for the Atlantic Monthly now living in Beijing, told me the word was interesting but that he was "not likely to be an early adopter of "screening" for two reasons.

"There is already and established and different meaning of "screening" that could easily be confused here," Fallows said in an email. "The meaning I have in mind is similar to "skimming," "reviewing," "categorizing" etc -- going through material quickly to assess its importance, as opposed to fully concentrating on and absorbing it."

Fallows added: "The existing meaning of "reading" has been independent of the medium on which the words are displayed. We've used the term to apply to words printed on paper; subtitles on a movie screen; words flashed on neon signs; etc. In all the cases, regardless of medium, we use "read" to refer to the act of taking in written symbols by eye and converting them mentally to words. So, good luck with this idea. I am not opposed to it, but this is why I'll stick with "reading" myself."

[danbloom]

And if you feel that SCREENING is the wrong kind of word to stand for READING ONLINE THROUGH A GLASS SCREEN on a COMPUTER or PHONE or PDA or WHATEVER, any other words you can suggest?

READING is fine, sure. But I wonder if there might be a time when the culture wants to find a new word to differentiate reading on paper from reading online. Through a glass darkly.

[coyote]

Maybe in the context of a screen reader, which is software that parses the text content of a Web page for the visually impaired. But anyway, why try to push new meanings for words? Language is evolving quickly enough as it is.

[HeckuvaJob]

How about "screading"? Perhaps too similar to "screed-ing", but in many cases this might make it even more applicable.

I'm still not sure why the medium of the words matter. I'd be more concerned about reclaiming old words that have already lost their meaning, like "democracy", "freedom" and "patriot".

[lper100km]

Screening suggests that something – not necessarily words, have been examined and either selected or discarded. You can read and screen simultaneously if you are in a critical frame of mind or you can screen coffee beans. Same word, same meaning.

There are many other words in the language that have multiple meanings and often the meanings are derived from different word roots though they end up with the same spelling. This particular variation seems too forced to me, too cute and is really a corny play on words. I’ll stay with reading thank you. No confusion there.

[lowem]

Second that. Screening sounds like some kind of selection process to me.

I'll stick with reading too.