Literacy and the Writing Voice

Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jul 2004

Lee Honeycutt Iowa State University

Abstract

This article provides a cultural-historical analysis of dictation as a composing method in Western history. Drawing on Ong’s concept of secondary orality, the analysis shows how dictation’s shifting role as a form of literacy has been influenced by the dual mediation of technological tools and existing cultural practices. At the dawn of modernism, a series of technological, economic, and philosophical factors converged to promote silent forms of individual authorship over collaborative modes of dictation favored in late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Similar changes are taking place today and may help reverse the dominance of silent authorship. If voice-recognition technologies continue to improve in the future, they may help professional communicators bridge the spoken and textual realms and effect changes in our attitudes toward authorship and orality.

Journal: Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published: 2004-07-01
DOI: 10.1177/1050651904264105
Open Access: Closed
Topics: multimodality online writing instruction voice and style

Citation Context

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Cites in this index (1)

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On the relationship between old and new technologies

Computers and Composition

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