Can you still write in cursive? A COBOL-era engineer tries his hand at cursive dictation in the English version of a note article.

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❓ Do you remember the cursive writing you learned in school?

Our generation learned cursive writing after print writing in English class, and we were also taught phonetic symbols. I read a note by a fellow English learner who was doing daily dictation in cursive writing, and it reminded me that I learned it too. So, I decided to try writing in cursive again after a long time.

Many people probably haven't used cursive writing since they learned it in school. I feel nostalgic about it too. I bet some people have forgotten how to write capital letters like Q and Z. But I wonder if I can even write dictation properly in cursive now?

✍️ The learning material is the English version of my note article.

I used the English version of my own Note article as my learning material. I played it using Chrome's text-to-speech function at 0.8x speed. If it's too slow, I can't understand the English in chunks, so this speed is just right. I couldn't just let it play continuously, but by pausing after each sentence, even I, who don't usually write, was able to write a fair amount.

Using your own articles as teaching materials is a great idea. It's easier to understand because you already know the content, and it's nice that you can start without buying any textbooks. But why did you choose cursive writing instead of print?

💻 I still had the habit of writing by hand from the COBOL era.

Actually, I once gave up on dictation using printed text. I started my career with COBOL, so I used to write code by hand on coding sheets. I would draw a diagonal line through zeros and a vertical line through the letter O. I still haven't gotten rid of that habit, and it's difficult for me to write in printed text. That's why cursive writing is much easier for me.

It's interesting that you've retained the habit of distinguishing between zero and the letter O even after decades. Your hands must have memorized it before your brain did. It must be difficult to explain if someone points it out. So, besides cursive, have you tried any other methods?

🎧 Handwriting, typing, and whispered voice input

I compared three methods: cursive writing, typing, and print. Furthermore, I also did dictation by speaking softly while wearing headphones. The accuracy of the voice input app directly checks my pronunciation. I speak softly to practice being understood even at a low volume and to avoid disturbing my family.

It's really convenient that the voice input results can be used directly for pronunciation checks. I think the fact that it doesn't bother family members is also a very important reason. It seems like you could practice without worrying about disturbing anyone, even at night. So, between handwriting and typing, which one did you find easiest to stick with?

👉 Immerse yourself in English in whatever way you like.

I've summarized which methods I found easiest to stick with, and the approach to English learning I've arrived at, in a note article. It's about learning English like music—playing your favorite songs for enjoyment, even if no one is listening to them. I've also written about the materials I used as references and some of the habits I developed back in my COBOL days.

Enjoying English like playing your favorite song is a wonderful way of thinking. I think you can continue learning it because it's fun, even if it's not for an exam. Whether you're from the generation that learned cursive writing or someone who wants to start dictation, please read on.

👉 Read the original article
[Cursive Dictation] - I tried using Chrome's text-to-speech function on the English version of a note article.
https://note.com/gentle_hawk873/n/ne2575783078f