Who reads with that 'voice' in their head?

[kenikki]

Does it change according to texts?
How do you get rid of it?!

I find it comforting yet sometimes annoying that I have a 'voice in my head' when I read. I know it is there to aid concentration on the text but I do not think i can rid of it somehow.
Apparently it slows down reading time too which is why I am asking this question to see if anyone else finds this too.
I'm not crazy by the way! :lol:

[Idril]

I don't do it all the time but it is there on occasion. I find I have more of a tendency to do it with British novels for some reason, especially the Victorian ones and the really annoying thing is, that little voice has an English accent. :rolleyes: :blush: When I become aware of it, I try to stop but then I'm concentrating so hard on not doing it, that I sort of lose focus on the book. :p :lol: Dialogue seems to bring it out more than the descriptive writings or narration.

[Stieg]

I usually have alittle picture running in my head most of the time, but do have correct accents according the book's setting too.

[AtomicCafe1]

i dont get it- How do you not have a voice in your head when your reading? I thought for everyone there's just some voice you hear when you read? hmmm...


btw: I'm new here- hi, hello.

[Stieg]

Hello. :D

I visualize depending on the content and context while reading. I rarely hear a voice but see the letter.

[xaqxit]

It's called subvocalization, those who always subvocalize, such as myself, often read slower, and many of these people are not aware that not everyone subvocalizes, in fact I think most people don't (at least when reading certain things).

Unfortunately, I haven't really found a way to break the subvocalization barrier and increase my reading speed.

[stella]

nice idea for a thread .....
i really thought that everyone does that when reading!
so i guess i will have to say:
hello fellow Sub vocalizers!

[kenikki]

It's called subvocalization, those who always subvocalize, such as myself, often read slower, and many of these people are not aware that not everyone subvocalizes, in fact I think most people don't (at least when reading certain things).

Unfortunately, I haven't really found a way to break the subvocalization barrier and increase my reading speed.

thanks! subvocalization was the word I was looking for :thumbs_up: :blush:

i think it's my overactive imagination that allows me to picture and subvocalize what I read...

[Fen]

It's called subvocalization, those who always subvocalize, such as myself, often read slower

Finally an acceptable reason for why I am behind everyone else:lol:

[bookworm57]

Does it change according to texts?
How do you get rid of it?!

I find it comforting yet sometimes annoying that I have a 'voice in my head' when I read. I know it is there to aid concentration on the text but I do not think i can rid of it somehow.
Apparently it slows down reading time too which is why I am asking this question to see if anyone else finds this too.
I'm not crazy by the way! :lol:

Hi Kenikki,
I too have that voice in my head and to be honest I can't understand how people can say they don't. Surely the voice is the recognition of the words you are looking at. I've tried for years to get rid of this but can't. As you say, this slows down your reading.
Have a look at this site. It may help. http://www.studyhall.com/index.htm
Kind regards- Charles.

[Niamh]

I always have a voice in my head. It makes me feel like i'm narrating the story and helps me visualise it better.

[kandaurov]

Heh, nice question. When I'm trying to focus on what I'm reading it's my own voice, when I'm completely absorbed is what I imagine to be the character's voice.

[BibliophileTRJ]

For me personally, without subvocalization there is no comprehension.

I'm another one that didn't even realize that there are people out there that DON'T do this.

Each and every character in a book has their own voice (including accents if applicable), their thoughts have a different tone than their words, and there is a distinct cadence for narration. Along with the visualizations of characters and settings; I'm completely immersed in anything I read. Needless to say; I'm a VERY slow reader.

[Set of Keys]

A few years ago, whenever I read a book that featured a doctor, I visualised the character as Dick van Dyke in 'Diagnosis Murder'. It killed the book's credibility stone dead.

Trying to un-visualise Dick van Dyke is the closest I've come to nervous collapse.

[harding07]

That voice in my head is my reader. I need him!

[grace86]

Are you talking about the voice you narrate with when you read, or the one that tells me, "Hey stupid, look up the word and you'll know what's going on!" :lol: Or the voices of the characters???

Hmm, maybe I have too many voices in my head...ssshh, you guys didn't hear that!

Truthfully, I can't read well without them.

[kenikki]

Are you talking about the voice you narrate with when you read, or the one that tells me, "Hey stupid, look up the word and you'll know what's going on!" :lol: Or the voices of the characters???

Hmm, maybe I have too many voices in my head...ssshh, you guys didn't hear that!

Truthfully, I can't read well without them.

:nod: :lol:
I think its a combination of all three!
If anyone has read any book written in dialect i.e Trainspotting by Welsh, it makes it much easier to understand what is going on in the text. Yet, it is so funny to have accents in your head as you read! :blush:

[Niamh]

:nod: :lol:
I think its a combination of all three!
If anyone has read any book written in dialect i.e Trainspotting by Welsh, it makes it much easier to understand what is going on in the text. Yet, it is so funny to have accents in your head as you read! :blush:

:lol: yeah i totally agree. Whats even funnier is trying to say it out loud as you read!

[Taliesin]

Voices in our head? Are you suggesting that we are insane?
While yes, we do admit we have some.

[BlueSkyGB]

"We" don't know how to answer this....:lol:

[PeterL]

There are always voices in my head. When I read, they each give their own interpretation, and they don't agree. I find that strong characters become strong voices in my head that direct my understanding of the story.

I would love to teach the voices in my head to typ; some of their stories are great.

[grace86]

POOF!! Good voice on one shoulder, bad voice on the other!! :lol:

Sorry I am having too much fun with this thread. :blush: I would never try to recreate a Russian voice in my head out loud though, talk about torture...it sounds better when it stays within the walls of my head.

Peter I agree with you on the strong characters being the stronger voices in the head. I understand a lot more of novels that way.

[Slangalang18ca]

Ummm... I think I used to when I was little, and I sometimes still do when it's dialogue or when the passage is written particularly well, but when I'm reading something that really grabs my attention I don't do it.

[AtomicCafe1]

on a slightly different note, I've been trying to get rid of those "voices" in my head some people refer to as "your conscious." I swears I don't need them...


Hi Kenikki,
I too have that voice in my head and to be honest I can't understand how people can say they don't. Surely the voice is the recognition of the words you are looking at. I've tried for years to get rid of this but can't. As you say, this slows down your reading.
Have a look at this site. It may help. http://www.studyhall.com/index.htm
Kind regards- Charles.
By the way- this link is a dead one- it's been 'loading' for the last 10 minutes. Doncha just hate it...

[Sir Chaucer]

I read to remove the voice from my head!

As far back as I can remember I've devoured books, as a child it was nothing to read 4 books a week from the library, usually from the adult section if I could slip them past the librarian.

I did not know it at the time but, I am dyslexic, examining my reading I know now that I simply took a "mind picture" of the page and, if it actually made sense, that was a bonus.

Then, more or less gave up reading when I started work but now, 40 years later?

I still "scan read" books but understand more of what I'm reading and, if I enjoy the book I'll usually read it again and again, each time discovering more about the story line (particularly about the background to the characters and settings, as opposed to the story)

But "Those Voices"?

Yes, I do have mental problems and no, I'm neither mad, bad or dangerous but oh those little worries which mount up and explode in my mind, stop me from sleeping well...

Reading drives them into the background and, sleep comes more easily.

[Themis]

Does it change according to texts?
How do you get rid of it?!

I find it comforting yet sometimes annoying that I have a 'voice in my head' when I read. I know it is there to aid concentration on the text but I do not think i can rid of it somehow.
Apparently it slows down reading time too which is why I am asking this question to see if anyone else finds this too.
I'm not crazy by the way! :lol:

It's possible to get rid of it while studying. One simply doesn't have the time to narrate everything if you're trying to understand what you're reading. At least, in my experience.

[kenikki]

Themis, in relation to your comment, I think it does depend on what kind of text you're reading. An academic text may not have the same effect on your 'internal narration' as a piece of fiction as there is no build up of characters, settings etc to visualize and there is little in the way of narrative.

[applepie]

I can say I have a little bit of both. When I'm reading for college I have a voice in my head. Probably because if it wasn't there I would never learn anything that I'm supposed to be. It is especially useful in my business classes. It helps to commit everything to memory and then I have the thoughts there when I need them. I don't subvocalize when I'm reading for pleasure, however. I didn't know this is why my reading speed is so much faster. I'm reading about 100-150 pages an hour if it is just for fun, but it seems more like watching a movie play out in my head Sometimes I'm part of it, sometimes I'm just an observer. Does anyone else do both?

[Geoff Shipley]

I believe I am a 'sub-vocalist' most if not all of the time when I read. I don't find it to be burdensome, rather I couldn't imagine reading without it. Sometimes my concious voice inside my head inherits that of a character.(particularly Shakespeare although im not sure as to why) But my thoughts will become framed by the voice, rythm, and style of something ive been reading even if my thoughts have nothing to do with the subject. Yes, even what to cook for dinner can be mulled over with 'art's' and 'thou's'. It's not something I feel in control of, but if i were in control I think my inner voice would be Tom Waits:D and not just for the 'whiskey warp'

[Twister]

I have that voice when I'm reading. I have a difficult time concentrating without it.

[cranberry]

sweety i wouldn't ever call this crzay , cuz it happens as if someone is reading to you :) yes sometime you feel you want to read alone without the voice who is narrating :)

but like what harding07 sais : that voice in my head is my reader .I need him!
because it sort of reads instead of me LoL and i just have to use my imagination to see the story :)
and it differs to alot of people :) thanks for the thread :)

[bookworm57]

on a slightly different note, I've been trying to get rid of those "voices" in my head some people refer to as "your conscious." I swears I don't need them...


By the way- this link is a dead one- it's been 'loading' for the last 10 minutes. Doncha just hate it...

You must have problems with your computer.The link works fine for me.

[BroadwayBaby]

I visualize and I hear a bit of a voice, but I don't concentrate on it and it doesn't bug me...

[Mortis Anarchy]

Does it change according to texts?
How do you get rid of it?!

I find it comforting yet sometimes annoying that I have a 'voice in my head' when I read. I know it is there to aid concentration on the text but I do not think i can rid of it somehow.
Apparently it slows down reading time too which is why I am asking this question to see if anyone else finds this too.
I'm not crazy by the way! :lol:

What do you mean voice in your head?? Like a voice that kind of sounds like someone else that reads the book with you?? or like a character or what? Maybe I'm just dumb and don't get it.

Scratch that...I get it...yep me to. Its cool...its like the characters are actually talking to me or something.