Some weeks ago I read an article in the New York Times predicting the imminent demise of the pen. As somebody brought up on the pen and pencil, my instant reaction was one of anger. We most of us have an inbuilt bias in favour of the books, films, television, music and "technology" of our younger days and take umbrage when anyone dares to suggest that a modern "version" may actually be better. What, no more Parker 51, no more Osmiroid pens complete with italic nib, no more Waterman? No more biros? No more pencils? But I'll leave my virtual friend Michael Leddy to leap to the defence of this last one.
On the other hand,when was the last time I actually used a pen or pencil for anything other than signing a cheque or jotting down a shopping list? I think it was probably in the early 1990s! In those days I had already embarked on a career as translator but was not yet in a position to give up my teaching job completely. In my spare time at the school I used to write out the first draft of my translations in manuscript form and then transfer the text to my word processor when I got home. Looking back, I don't think the quality of my translations was ever as good as it was in those far-off days.
But of course if you are trying to eke out a living as a translator, you simply do not have time to write out a text twice, and as the years went by I found myself reaching for my pen less and less often.
Meanwhile, the handwritten letter was gradually giving way to the e-mail. Apart from the odd letter of condolence etc, I don't think I have WRITTEN a letter for at least twenty years. And yet there was a time when I wrote home, to the family or friends, on virtually a weekly basis.
Nor can I say that the e-mail has taken the place of the handwritten letter. In my case, and I suspect in most others, it resembles nothing so much as a hastily written note.
More anon.
On the other hand,when was the last time I actually used a pen or pencil for anything other than signing a cheque or jotting down a shopping list? I think it was probably in the early 1990s! In those days I had already embarked on a career as translator but was not yet in a position to give up my teaching job completely. In my spare time at the school I used to write out the first draft of my translations in manuscript form and then transfer the text to my word processor when I got home. Looking back, I don't think the quality of my translations was ever as good as it was in those far-off days.
But of course if you are trying to eke out a living as a translator, you simply do not have time to write out a text twice, and as the years went by I found myself reaching for my pen less and less often.
Meanwhile, the handwritten letter was gradually giving way to the e-mail. Apart from the odd letter of condolence etc, I don't think I have WRITTEN a letter for at least twenty years. And yet there was a time when I wrote home, to the family or friends, on virtually a weekly basis.
Nor can I say that the e-mail has taken the place of the handwritten letter. In my case, and I suspect in most others, it resembles nothing so much as a hastily written note.
More anon.
Greetings Barnaby
ReplyDelete'Thank you' letters are still good to write and receive. One starts writing a brief thank you but as the writing gets under way there is often a whole lot more to say. I don't find the same happening so much with emails as there, the changing of the initial draft to make more sense tends to take the time and effort that in hard copy letter writing goes into the creative word.
Christmas and birthday cards are other areas which I would be sad to see left to the internet. Sometimes in writing the former to a friend realisation can set in that there is so much more to say that a a letter should go in the envelope as well.
On the other hand more and more communications from solicitors that used to be in letter form are now sent by email even the bills.
Hello, Jerry. and thanks very much for your very interesting comments.
ReplyDeleteI suppose there is no reason why an e-mail should not be a letter as well but it doesn't seem to work out that way, does it?