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superborbMeitachi recently included this book in a bookblog, and the premise sounded interesting. The audiobook, of 8 hrs, was exactly the length of some recent long drives I had to take, and it was immediately available through the library, so I opted for it over having to fiddle with podcast software or anything else.
It's a pop linguistics book about internet language, and the emphasis is very much on pop.
I don't know if I can be totally fair here, because I really struggled to understand the audiobook. I know I am bad at auditory processing, but not all of it was processing issues. (Though I think that clearer enunciation would really have helped.) When a book contains a lot of discussion about very specific textual choices, reading them out loud in funny voices sheds no light upon the textual choices and also, the funny voices are VERY ANNOYING to me. A few times for emphasis, maybe, but it was way too often and way too difficult to parse.
Also, I'm a fast reader in English, and instead of being able to skim the many repetitive parts of the book, having to sit through it was annoying. That's probably just inherent in the audiobook format though.
Content-wise, it's quite light. I enjoyed most the parts where she draws upon the literature and wider studies, but much of the book is broad, general conclusions and small surveys, which I find suitable for a tumblr or blog post, and not a published work. This is somewhat unfair of me, as it is billed as a pop linguistics work, but the sections where linguistics literature is being discussed were genuinely interesting! And the general conclusions not very insightful.
As a collection of "interesting tidbits about the internet", it failed for me personally, because I just knew a lot of the more obscure or older facts, and had already had to consciously adopt much of the younger changes to language. Like, the usage of emoji as gesture feels-- obvious to me? It is something I am not good at necessarily (as Amanda called me out on the other day lol), because I have to consciously try to include it, but I recognize that that is how it is being used.
Anyway, I leave you with what my younger brother said about the last two chapters that he was in the car for: this is the kind of thing mommy might listen to to understand the internet. I don't think my mom would actually (though her story about shifting Chinese language choices causing drama between the mainland and overseas members of her alumni Wechat group is certainly topical), but the point is... the audience for this book is probably not an Internet Person.
It's a pop linguistics book about internet language, and the emphasis is very much on pop.
I don't know if I can be totally fair here, because I really struggled to understand the audiobook. I know I am bad at auditory processing, but not all of it was processing issues. (Though I think that clearer enunciation would really have helped.) When a book contains a lot of discussion about very specific textual choices, reading them out loud in funny voices sheds no light upon the textual choices and also, the funny voices are VERY ANNOYING to me. A few times for emphasis, maybe, but it was way too often and way too difficult to parse.
Also, I'm a fast reader in English, and instead of being able to skim the many repetitive parts of the book, having to sit through it was annoying. That's probably just inherent in the audiobook format though.
Content-wise, it's quite light. I enjoyed most the parts where she draws upon the literature and wider studies, but much of the book is broad, general conclusions and small surveys, which I find suitable for a tumblr or blog post, and not a published work. This is somewhat unfair of me, as it is billed as a pop linguistics work, but the sections where linguistics literature is being discussed were genuinely interesting! And the general conclusions not very insightful.
As a collection of "interesting tidbits about the internet", it failed for me personally, because I just knew a lot of the more obscure or older facts, and had already had to consciously adopt much of the younger changes to language. Like, the usage of emoji as gesture feels-- obvious to me? It is something I am not good at necessarily (as Amanda called me out on the other day lol), because I have to consciously try to include it, but I recognize that that is how it is being used.
Anyway, I leave you with what my younger brother said about the last two chapters that he was in the car for: this is the kind of thing mommy might listen to to understand the internet. I don't think my mom would actually (though her story about shifting Chinese language choices causing drama between the mainland and overseas members of her alumni Wechat group is certainly topical), but the point is... the audience for this book is probably not an Internet Person.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-29 18:54 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-03-29 19:15 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-03-30 21:12 (UTC)True. I found it an enjoyable enough read, but it was more enjoyable to...see the internet from the outside, if that makes sense? Also I bet it would be very difficult to enjoy in audiobook format. Some books just aren't suited for that.
no subject
Date: 2021-03-31 19:45 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-03-30 23:59 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-03-31 19:46 (UTC)