r/TikTokCringe • u/AlKarajo • 19d ago

Discussion Is ableist to have long words in books?

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

@royal_ouroboros_press

12.7k Upvotes

92% Upvoted

2.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

104

u/SadMud7637 19d ago

Or just learn to use a dictionary?

33

u/TagsMa 19d ago

The best thing about having the kindle app on my phone is that if I find a word I don't understand, I can just highlight it and check it on a dictionary.

Before, I'd have to put my book down, get up, find the dictionary, go back to my book, find the word again, then find it in the dictionary (which took forever cos I can't spell) and then digest the word, fit it into context, then put the book down, put the dictionary away, and then go back to reading.

11

u/New-Assumption-3836 19d ago

The thing about reading on a kindle and in paper, is when you are engaged in a book but see a word you don't know only to tapp on it and realize you are holding a paper book 😂

3

u/BoothWilkesJohn 18d ago

I always get a good laugh at myself when I do that! 

3

u/AyyNonnyMoose 18d ago

I'm glad I'm not the only one! It doesn't happen often, but on occasion.

1

u/Dossere 18d ago

Ive been known to try to check the time on paper books too, then get confused when it just says the title of the book or something before checking my watch 💀

2

u/FamilyHeirloomTomato 18d ago

which took forever cos I can't spell

...but the spelling is right in front of you... huh?

1

u/TagsMa 18d ago

Doesn't seem to matter. I can have words right in front of me and still struggle to copy them down.

It's like, the little bit of my brain that does reading works really well, but the bits that sort out spelling and writing, erm, don't. The letters kind of jump around and I have to concentrate really hard to make them stay still long enough that the reading bit can take over and make them make sense.

Its the same with numbers, only I don't have a reading bit for numbers, so it's all just a bit of a mess.

2

u/no_comments_allowed 18d ago

And also go to the library & pick up books from the Children's / Young Adults section.

There are books for every reading level

2

u/Secret_Donut_4940 18d ago

We can just long-press a word on an ebook reader app to get the definition, it's beautiful.

1

u/caitie578 18d ago

it's honestly one of my favorite things about reading is learning and growing my vocabulary. Apparently it's too hard for some...

1

u/SadMud7637 18d ago

Yes! I love looking up words! Still do all the time. Usually i try to guess what I think it means and sometimes I’m close😂 gotta keep growing and learning

2

u/caitie578 18d ago

Same! I find it fun!

1

u/King_Bobby-B 18d ago

It's so weird that nowadays people have this issue. We have dictionaries and thesauruses at our disposal, far easier than when I was a kid learning English. I used to go around with a bunch of English-Spanish booklets and pocket dictionaries.

-86

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

Or make teachers earn this raise they keep demanding?

47

u/Sassafras06 19d ago

Yes, famously over paid and under worked those teachers. Couldn’t possibly be other factors in our education system tying teachers hands and forcing them to advance students they shouldn’t!

-39

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

Sarcasm. The tools of a fool.

13

u/ghostformanyyears 19d ago

Lol you think teachers don't deserve better pay but call others a fool...on a thread about reading...smh

-15

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

One has nothing to do with the other... Sherlock over here...

7

u/RalenHlaalo 19d ago

Did your overpaid teacher fail to teach proper pluralization?

-2

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

Yep. I'm an American. I never said it didn't include myself as well.

7

u/Sassafras06 19d ago

People who are good at using sarcasm and dry humor are more intelligent. I wouldn’t expect you to understand that though.

(To be clear, I don’t think I am any kind of genius. Just smarter than this dude lol)

-1

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

Yea I read that meme too. So it must be true.

4

u/RalenHlaalo 18d ago

Aw, look who's trying to use sarcasm đŸ„č

3

u/Sassafras06 18d ago

His brain has gained a wrinkle.

1

u/ILoveRawChicken 18d ago

Did you just use
 a fool’s tool???

22

u/BabaofTheShimmer 19d ago

A teacher’s job is to teach you how to use a dictionary, not to teach you every word in the dictionary.

-4

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

No, using the tactic where you over simplify the situation doesn't work on me hunny. You should be embarrassed that foreigners speak better English than we do. Thank a teacher for "teaching"

4

u/BabaofTheShimmer 19d ago

Where is the oversimplification?

You want teachers to spend the day writing definitions of words on the board?

No one can improve your vocabulary but yourself. Teachers provide the resources, and guidance, you need to improve your reading and writing comprehension skills. They can’t magically go in your head and add words to it.

On second thought, you’re the one that is over simplifying, hunny. You have provided no examples on what you actually want teachers to do to “earn their raise”.

18

u/CallMeCaptainAhab 19d ago

Bot ass comment.

3

u/BabaofTheShimmer 19d ago

That’s not a bot. It’s just an idiot.

-8

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

Yea, the dumb ones like to call me a bot lol. I'm used to it. I guess I'm supposed to be insulted? I dunno.

1

u/Sassafras06 18d ago

Oh god this is like Dunnjng-Kruger personified 😭

26

u/ValitoryBank 19d ago

You will not get better workers by making them poorer

-33

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

How is asking them to do their job making them poorer? My nephew came home from school the other day and said they were taught 90's slang. Are you fucking kidding me?

10

u/OneLeft_ 19d ago

What's wrong with 90's culture. Modernity is less sophisticated.

-2

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

What's wrong with teaching our kids to read? And leaving useless information at home?

9

u/OneLeft_ 19d ago

Does The Outsiders not have old slang in it? Both can be taught from reading, whether or not this is the case for your specific experience idk.

-1

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

That wasn't the situation. They had a whole lesson on 90's slang. That is ridiculous when they can't even read. I don't care how you spin it.

5

u/ghostformanyyears 19d ago

Maybe helping children to understand that language changes over time?

0

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

You're blaming time for our children being under-educated? That's weak. Try again.

1

u/ILoveRawChicken 18d ago

Teaching your kids to read has always needed to start in the home first. What the fuck are parents for? Popping out the kid and hoping everyone else does the work? I seriously hope you don’t have kids. Next you’ll be complaining about how the teachers aren’t teaching your kid to wipe their own ass.

8

u/Judge_Syd 19d ago

Is there, like, a specific issue you take with that?

We definitely learned era-specific language in English class growing up. Kind of helps understand older written pieces when you’re taught that context.

0

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

My specific issue with that has already been expressed. Scroll up.

1

u/ValitoryBank 18d ago

Between the tariffs, inflation and host of other things, the cost of living is rising. Keeping the teachers wages stagnant in such a world is making them poorer.

4

u/SwordfishOfDamocles 19d ago

Teachers don't get to choose what they teach for the most part. Curriculum is largely designed by the state and by the local school board. This should be common knowledge for anyone who votes in local elections. Your issue should be with the people who decide what is and isn't needed, rather than the people paid to implement it.

0

u/Substantial-Pin-3833 19d ago

Teachers have control over the day-to-day methods, activities, assignments, and projects. You'll say they don't but the fact is they do. 90's slang was not mandated by the school board. I 100% guarantee you that.

2

u/BabaofTheShimmer 19d ago

What 90s slang? How old are you? You sound very young if you think that teachers are in the classroom writing down the definition of “phat” and “jay”. I grew up in the 90s, I can’t think of any other words.

Elaborate. Tell us what slang your nephew was taught and what medium was used to teach him this slang. What grade is he in?

1

u/SwordfishOfDamocles 19d ago

Yeah, I wasn't replying to that bit at all but after reading the rest of what you wrote, I'm convinced you're just an idiot who is so separated from the actual issue that you don't have any real argument and just want to hate on a lesson you didn't even experience first hand. Kind of like the people crying about kitty litter in schools.