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Post by sharmon202 on Jan 28, 2016 21:24:42 GMT
Last year I got a one time letter which was hardly readable. I did not say anything in my one reply but wanted to. I did not know if I could find a nice enough way to ask them if they could write a bit more legibly. It took longer to read, not sure if I understood what they wrote. Was not sure what to reply about some sentences so I just did not. Any advice what to do if this happens again? Anyone else had this situation and tried to improve it?
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Post by mailartist on Jan 29, 2016 2:53:35 GMT
I received a letter last year from a foreign pal (so, not a native English speaker). So, add the somewhat creative use of English words to tiny handwriting, a yellow ink, and a pen nib that skipped. Even with a magnifying glass, I couldn't make anything out, and had no Rosetta stone to assist.
I had received letters from this pal before (with a better pen, and darker ink), and it clearly seemed from the denseness of the letters that this person was intent on trying to convey something. Problem was, there was no way I'd ever figure out what. So I responded with a generic, upbeat letter about life and such, and am crossing fingers that this pen is dumped.
I have no clue (from a technical perspective) what makes writing "legible." Certainly the ink color factors in (my handwriting looks best with a mid-tone ink), but it may also have something to do with uniformity of characters, the spacing between them, and whether verticals are vertical, and dots centered over the "i" underneath.
Does anyone know what, specifically, makes writing "legible," or have any ideas?
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Post by DJW1066 on Jan 29, 2016 3:04:32 GMT
Although my writing is better than it used to be, it can still be appalling. When I apologize for this to my pen pals, I do so sincerely because I realize my penmanship can be a chore to read. If a pen friend had the kind of difficulty you describe, then I hope they would tell me, so that I could try to adjust; maybe go to printing rather than cursive, for example.
I'm hard of hearing and if I can't understand someone talking, I'll politely explain and ask them to slow down or talk louder, or whatever's needed. But if I'm unable to understand what they're saying, it kills the discussion. Same with letters.
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Post by MKB on Jan 29, 2016 6:37:00 GMT
"I have to admit, I had a little trouble reading some of your last letter. I feel bad because I missed a bit of what you were saying. Maybe I need to get my glasses prescription checked."
"I love that blue ink you wrote with back in October. What was that?"
"I love the darker colors, as with my eyes, it's so much easier to read."
"I have to admit, but in your last letter I had a little trouble reading the yellow ink. It's a shame, because it's a beautiful color. Maybe I need to get my eyes checked."
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ieahleen
Crayons
Posts: 21
Looking for Penpals?: Yes. Global penpals welcome
Country I live in is: Italy
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Post by ieahleen on Jan 29, 2016 14:16:50 GMT
I usually write in printer because my cursive is bad in Italian to native Italians, and I'm sure I have not the correct approach to most English phrases and grammar, but I try to make every single word understandable as to permit to catch anyway what I was trying to say.
I recently received a letter that was the stamped copy of a letter written some years ago with just a note added to say where she found my address. I have to admit that most of it is still obscure to me. Probably I would have be able to read it if it was the original.
Usually even if the person use a cursive that I don't understand really well at the end I can understand that those are his/her Is and those the Ns etc But if it's a copy and of bad quality I have really a great difficult to understand what's written.
I have yet to answer to that one.
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ieahleen
Crayons
Posts: 21
Looking for Penpals?: Yes. Global penpals welcome
Country I live in is: Italy
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Post by ieahleen on Jan 29, 2016 14:24:29 GMT
Does anyone know what, specifically, makes writing "legible," or have any ideas? Well, I think that first you should write every letter of the word clearly, it's difficult to understand if you write using waves and not letters. Like how the doctors write, that's never readable. I think after that reading that "font" is just an habit. But maybe it is just me and others have others criteria.
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Post by mailartist on Jan 29, 2016 15:19:57 GMT
It occurred to me that a bigger problem than illegible letter content is illegible addresses. Particularly for foreign ones, where I might not know all the postal conventions.
I can usually sleuth out a scrawled US address (using things such as "zip code lookup" through the USPS website), but with lengthy foreign addresses (Brazil comes to mind), I'm more at a loss.
I have wondered whether, in writing to foreign pen pals for the first time, whether it might be best to include my address, typewritten, as a label on a small slip of paper, that they could then just tape to the envelope. Ditto for their return mail to me. After all, if an address can't be read, the mail won't be delivered.
Keep the handwriting for the letter proper, but keep the envelope itself easily deliverable.
I'm all for beautiful addresses handwritten in script on envelopes, but I wonder whether that may tax international mail delivery too much?
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Post by Mia on Jan 29, 2016 18:52:26 GMT
For one InCoWriMo, I received a beautifully calligraphied letter - although it was neat, it wasn't very easy to read. Still, just about managed it.
When I first had penpals through school as a teenager, it took me a while to get used to some of the continental Europe handwriting - the letter r looks like it was written backward.
Now, I try to make a conscious effort with handwriting to those who are not native English speakers, especially with names and some longer words, although sometimes I can get lazy.
As for my address, I use labels, at first printing my own until my printer packed up (and I haven't bothered with a replacement) and have ordered labels from two different companies.
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Post by migo984 on Jan 29, 2016 19:11:35 GMT
Although my writing is better than it used to be, it can still be appalling. When I apologize for this to my pen pals, I do so sincerely because I realize my penmanship can be a chore to read. If a pen friend had the kind of difficulty you describe, then I hope they would tell me, so that I could try to adjust; maybe go to printing rather than cursive, for example. I'm hard of hearing and if I can't understand someone talking, I'll politely explain and ask them to slow down or talk louder, or whatever's needed. But if I'm unable to understand what they're saying, it kills the discussion. Same with letters. Some writing at first glance, may appear difficult to read. But most, in my experience, actually have a definite rhythm to them, and when you tune into it, they are actually easy to read. Yours is like that so I very rarely have trouble reading your letters :-)
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Post by sgtstretch on Jan 29, 2016 20:09:55 GMT
My handwriting was horrendous when I first started corresponding, or at least I thought it was. But it gets better all the time, and is usually pretty decent unless I start to rush.
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Post by thatauthor on Jan 30, 2016 1:27:51 GMT
I had one where the handwriting was practically impossible to read. Fortunately that person sometimes would use a typewriter to send his letters.
I try to print when writing addresses on envelopes (and use a permanent ink). Sometimes it's a problem even in print ... European print can be different from USA print (i.e. a European 1 can look a lot like a 7)
My handwriting is pretty bad unless I use a flex nib or stub because I just slow down. Even then, I'm prone to typos. I don't think it's illegible (though others here may disagree)
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Post by sharmon202 on Jan 30, 2016 18:28:06 GMT
It occurred to me that a bigger problem than illegible letter content is illegible addresses. Particularly for foreign ones, where I might not know all the postal conventions. I can usually sleuth out a scrawled US address (using things such as "zip code lookup" through the USPS website), but with lengthy foreign addresses (Brazil comes to mind), I'm more at a loss. I have wondered whether, in writing to foreign pen pals for the first time, whether it might be best to include my address, typewritten, as a label on a small slip of paper, that they could then just tape to the envelope. Ditto for their return mail to me. After all, if an address can't be read, the mail won't be delivered. Keep the handwriting for the letter proper, but keep the envelope itself easily deliverable. I'm all for beautiful addresses handwritten in script on envelopes, but I wonder whether that may tax international mail delivery too much? I am the same. Addresses, especially non-USA can be difficult and I hate to send if I am not sure and take another month to deliver if it comes back. I am OK if non-USA'ers do not get grammar or spelling correct, I can figure that out it is just a problem if I cannot figure out what words are to begin with.
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Post by alc3261 on Feb 3, 2016 22:57:46 GMT
Although my writing is better than it used to be, it can still be appalling. When I apologize for this to my pen pals, I do so sincerely because I realize my penmanship can be a chore to read. If a pen friend had the kind of difficulty you describe, then I hope they would tell me, so that I could try to adjust; maybe go to printing rather than cursive, for example. I'm hard of hearing and if I can't understand someone talking, I'll politely explain and ask them to slow down or talk louder, or whatever's needed. But if I'm unable to understand what they're saying, it kills the discussion. Same with letters. Some writing at first glance, may appear difficult to read. But most, in my experience, actually have a definite rhythm to them, and when you tune into it, they are actually easy to read. Yours is like that so I very rarely have trouble reading your letters :-) I agree, your writing is fine.
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silverbreeze
Crayons
Posts: 29
Looking for Penpals?: Yes. Global penpals welcome
Country I live in is: USA
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Post by silverbreeze on Feb 5, 2016 2:06:51 GMT
Although my writing is better than it used to be, it can still be appalling. When I apologize for this to my pen pals, I do so sincerely because I realize my penmanship can be a chore to read. If a pen friend had the kind of difficulty you describe, then I hope they would tell me, so that I could try to adjust; maybe go to printing rather than cursive, for example. I'm hard of hearing and if I can't understand someone talking, I'll politely explain and ask them to slow down or talk louder, or whatever's needed. But if I'm unable to understand what they're saying, it kills the discussion. Same with letters. Mine is pretty bad too as Sandy, Mia or Ira can attest to I find bigger writing helps me when reading someone else's so I try to remember to write slow and larger then my notebooks
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Post by chojo on Feb 5, 2016 14:21:57 GMT
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and i think the same applies to handwriting, you may think yours is bad but to others it may be amazing because they see it as better than theirs. Since starting to write to pen pals I've had few that have been a bit of a challenge but no more than my own is to others. I usually get the gist of what's being said from the letter as a whole so if there are a few words I can't decipher it's not really an issue. All hand written letters are a gift and if they make you think a little more than usual - all the better!
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