Sifting Through Difficult Texts

I don’t think this is a topic that ever ceases to be a concern. No matter how much you read, how well-educated you are, or how much you think you know about the world, there will always be texts that are difficult to wade through. Often times when reading something difficult people begin to skim and just skip words or phrases they don’t understand altogether. This is a problem because these denser parts of text could (and often do) contain essential information.

Think about it. Let’s say you’re reading a lease agreement on a new apartment and you come to a passage you don’t completely understand. If you sign your name to that document, you could be authorizing the landlord to keep goats in the bathtub for all you know. That’s something to avoid.

In the spirit of helping you call keep goats out of your bathtub, I’ve come up with three guidelines to follow when reading difficult passages (or texts that are even longer!).

1. 1. Make the fuzzy crystal clear.

This is a personal peeve of mine. In a given context it’s pretty easy to understand what a certain phrase means. Often times, your gut reaction (if you’re a native speaker) is right on. But this isn’t always the case. English is a complex language and can therefore throw you for a loop every now and then. So keep on your toes.

Here’s an example of what I mean: Today I saw a mother get on the subway with her two kids. One was about 7 or 8, the other 10 or 11.

The smaller kid says to his mother: “Wow, after all that walking I’m hungry!”

Older brother exclaims: “He’s hungry again!”

Mother replies: “Well we have been walking a lot. He built up an appetite.”

Older brother notes: “Well, at least we made the train!”

Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “he’s just a kid, give him a break!” Yeah, this is true. But the kid said “At least we made train.” There’s no counter point wherein making the train causes the situation to require a silver lining. His parents are probably to blame for not explaining the finer points of the phrase "at least." But I digress.

I don’t bring this up to be fussy or to make the kid feel bad (sorry, kid). I bring it up to provide an example of what can happen if people take what they think something means, and run on without making sure. When I read, if I come across a word or phrase that I’m not sure about, I check my gut by looking in the dictionary. It makes a difference.

The dictionary method works with words you have no idea about, too, by the way. I recommend it because this is not a difficult step to take, and it ensures that you’re not ill-informed or the subject of a Laundromat blog post. Plus, if your lease reads "The bathtub shall at all times house Capra aegagrus hircus" it would be a good idea to double-check what the crazy Latin is referring to. And, no, it doesn't mean "shower curtain."

2. 2. Keep a Journal

One thing that I love to do, but honestly have a little trouble keeping up with, is keeping a word and phrase journal. I used to tell my ELL students to do this, and it worked out nicely because we got to spend the first fifteen or so minutes of each class clarifying and talking about funny quirks in the English language. It helped them very much, and opened my eyes to a lot of absurdities as well.

Since English is so complicated, the crazy words don’t stop once you’re fluent. Try keeping a list of cool, tough, random, or funny words and their definitions (and maybe a sample sentence using it), and reference that list when you write. It’ll make you sound snazzy, but also drill in phrases you're naturally unsure about, thus helping you keep the goats out of your bathtub.

3. 3. Go Slow and Write a Summary

Taking your time is essential when reading a legal document, a French philosopher, Kenneth Burke, and maybe even an email from your Uncle Mortimore. If you go too fast, you will miss things. To avoid this, try taking your time, circling words you don’t understand, and keeping track of their definitions. Then, at the end of each paragraph (or sentence if need be), try writing a summary of what you just read in plain language. That way you won’t have to return to the piece later and decode it all over again. This is especially handy if you’re a student and you don’t want to lose those reading epiphanies you had while doing your homework.

Sadly, I don't have a goat joke for this one.

I hope these suggestions are helpful. What strategies do you use when reading a difficult text?

Also, what kind of topics would you like the Laundromat to cover in the future?