Reading Aloud

Bringing the Bible to life.

Albert Joseph Moore (1841–1893)

When was the last time you read something out loud? To some extent it might depend on who you are. A parent or teacher reading to a child is probably the most likely to do it. What about the rest of us?

I think that for the great majority of us, reading something out loud is done only few-and-far-between times. When it is, it is probably only to ourselves, perhaps when checking something we have written to see if it sounds right when said. I often check my own writing like this but that is usually the only time I read aloud.

While reading an essay about Islam, I discovered that the title of the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an, means ‘recitation. It is intended to be read out loud. This reminded me that the Bible too was also intended to be read this way, aloud. Originally for the entirely practical reason that many listeners, when it was first written would be illiterate, and could not read.

The most likely time The Bible will be heard read aloud, is in church probably during a service. Occasionally the reader will bring some ‘life’ to the reading. More often than not, this is not so, the reading is flat, unemotional not evoking a reaction.

Reading aloud can be done in a number of ways. Flat, prosaic and boring, calculated to turn pretty much anyone off the subject or send them to sleep. It can also be with a touch of performance. By the reader varying intonation and phrasing, it is much more likely the listener’s attention will be kept. It is also possible that what the listener perceives in the reading can be subtly altered, by the emphasis or understatement of particular words and phrases.

Reading aloud can work equally well solo, as when reading to someone. Give it a try.