# Is there REALLY a reason for why we read left to right?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-really-a-reason-for-why-we-read-left-to-right/652329>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [March 7, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-really-a-reason-for-why-we-read-left-to-right/652329 "2013-03-07T23:06:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Blackfaer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@Blackfaer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackfaer)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-really-a-reason-for-why-we-read-left-to-right/652329/21 "2013-06-23T04:13:55Z")

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> [@Giles](#):
>
> No, there’s another reason. If you are reading from the metal type, rather than from a printed copy, it’s easier to read upside down because then the text still goes from left to right. Try reading some text in a mirror, and see. If you proofread a newspaper or magazine in a hurry, you can do it like this without waiting for a printed proof sheet. (I worked on a student newspaper nearly 50 years ago, which is when I learned this trick.) However, the need to do this went away with the coming of computer typesetting and the death of Linotype machines.

I understand what you’re saying, but while it’s a related concept, copyeditors to this day read backwards, and when I was doing it (about 20 years ago, I’m a bit younger) the reason I did it was expressly because it helped me disassociate from the words and grammar and focus on the letters and punctuation and such. Now as then, you’d do proof sheets of individual pages or even individual articles before taking them to the printer. It was my understanding from those of prior generations that this was common practice even in the days when the articles were typed on typewriters to start with, but that’s getting into memory and anecdotes instead of direct knowledge.

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-really-a-reason-for-why-we-read-left-to-right/652329/22 "2013-06-26T01:26:00Z")

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When I worked as typesetter back in the day, the "n"s and "u"s were devils to catch when you’re in a hurry.

In some cases, add m, u, v, w, and undotted i and you’re really in trouble. Zoom in on [this](http://collections.stanford.edu/images/bin/zpr?cid=qc191xs5180&fn=1) (first rotate :: irony given thread :: :)) for size.

I didn’t have to proofread these, but did have to read them for a number of years. “Minumum,” anyone?

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