New word needed?

In My Humble Opinion
1

OK y’all. I need your help.

First a question. For those of you who listen to books on tape, what do you say when a book you listened to comes up in conversation? Do you say you read it or do you say you listened to it? I am curious because of the perceived exclusivity associated with the two words, i.e. [to read] implies some kind of ocular task while [to listen] is aural. I find it strange, for myself, to say that I listened to a book, but equally strange to say that I read a book (that I listened to on tape). Does anyone else find this at all incongruous?

A second question. For those of you who do find these terms to be incompatible, what do you suggest? A new word? Or expanding the definitions of either [to read] or [to listen]?

2

I’ve said ‘listened to’ the book, only to get odd looks. You end up having to explain it. But yes, saying you ‘read’ the book is (technically) incorrect.

It may have to do with perhaps so few people ‘listening’ to books on tape that it still sounds an odd concept. Is it not the most correct term though? Maybe a new word is needed…

3

Osmositized?

4

Or… heh… Reard?

5

I’ve never listened to a book, but I heard someone say they “did” such-and-such a book.

Absorbed?
experienced?

Personally, I don’t want to do a book on tape because the voice won’t be the same as the voice in my head, and that could change my whole interpretation of the story. Does anyone else feel that way?

6

Say “read.” Anyone who points out you really didn’t read it is an anal-retentive moron.

7

“I just got a new book. The author said…”

8

I know that book.

9

“I grokked that book”

10

“…in the biblical sense.”

11

I thought this way as well and, from personal experience, it stems a lot from the reader. I listened to all of the Harry Potter books on tape and Jim Dale reads them (he was in a couple of old Disney movies - Hot Lead and Cold Feet is the only I can think of off hand). Anyways, he did a great job. I think his reading actually enhanced the experience of “hearing, osmositizing, rearing, absorbing, experiencing, grokking, doing, knowing, and getting” the book. However, there are some bad ones out there.

12

I usually say I listened to a particular book, but end up explaining what I mean. Or sometimes I start off by saying I just read such-and-such, eh, I mean listened to it in my car on CD… quite cumbersome and more explanation than anyone needs if we are discussing a book or author. I don’t think another word will do (doing a book just sounds dirty; absorbing or experiencing a book sounds pretentious). I would like to see (hear?) a new word for this specific experience.

I drive almost an hour each way to work, and my life is better (fuller, happier, less stressful) because of books on CD. (I have no tape deck in my car, but wish I did because books on tape are so much more plentiful). I do love to read: love the feel of the book in my little hands, turning pages–the whole book experience, but I don’t have time to read as much as I would like, so books on CD for the ride to/from work are a wonderful things for me.

13

Once the phrase “audio book” becomes very well known, it will sound perfectly natural to say “I listened to the new Harry Potter audio book.”

14

Pedantically, a ‘book’ is the particular manifestation, the medium, the physical object. The stuff therein, which could be expressed in any number of media (audio, paper book, internet, etc), is the ‘text.’ I listened to a text. Whaddya think?

15

“auralled”

16

My SO has been involved in the SCA for a really long time (well, not really-really-really long, but for about five years, I think). Last weekend, he took me to an event. I’d never been before, but I found it to be, in short, incredibly cool.

So, basically, I want to get involved, and my SO is quite pleased to hear that. However, as much as I love him, he’s not really that great on the advice thing. He assures me that he’ll take care of it, and he’ll help me out. Well, self-sufficient bitch that I am, I’d rather get a handle on things myself (or, at least, a basic idea).

I think I can handle coming up with a persona (I’ve already mostly done so). The only problem I have is garb.

See, I have many, many skills, and I’m smart as hell. I just can’t sew to save my life. As in, when I took my manditory sewing class, I had to have my grandpa sew my pillow, because I was completely hopeless. I just don’t have the genes or the coordination or whatever. My SO can sew, and so can many of his friends, but I’d like to be somewhat involved in the creation, and letting them take care of things doesn’t cut it.

So, basically…where can I find ideas for garb? I’ve been searching on Google, I’ve tried every combination of terms possible. I think my persona is going to be 14th century Welsh (and female), and I really can’t find a damn thing…is there any way I can go about this?

And what am I getting myself into?

Thanks…

17

OMFG…

What the hell…

Um, mods, could you maybe delete that? I’m going to post it as an actual thread.

::feels very stupid::

Sorry.

18

“Digested” sufficiently covers reading and listening to a book; from the Merriam-Webster definition: