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Deborahjeong Posted 8 years ago
Grammar
What does standardization among texts mean?
Prior to Gutenberg's invention, which involved the use of moveable type, books were expensive and relatively scarce, as each text was painstakingly copied by hand over a period of weeks or months. As a result, the transmission and preservation of knowledge relied heavily upon oral, or spoken, communication and memorization, particularly among the vast majority of people who could not read or write. For those with access to manuscript books, the lack of standardization among texts and the time-consuming process of duplication limited the accuracy and speed. ("The Birth of Print Culture: The Invention of the Printing Press in Western Europe." Science and Its Times, edited by Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer, vol. 3, Gale, 2001. Student Resources in Context)
What on earth doe the underlined phrase "standardization among texts" mean? Does it refer to double space, single space, etc OR literally space between words in a sentence? Could you help me clarify it? Thanks.
What on earth doe the underlined phrase "standardization among texts" mean? Does it refer to double space, single space, etc OR literally space between words in a sentence? Could you help me clarify it? Thanks.
Top answer
Because every copy of a book was written by hand, they were not all identical -- different copies might contain different errors or omissions. Once the printing press was invented, many identical (standardized) copies of the same book could be produced. It doesn't particularly refer to the spacing.
- Because every copy of a book was written by hand, they were not all identical -- different copies might contain different errors or omissions.
- Once the printing press was invented, many identical (standardized) copies of the same book could be produced.
- It doesn't particularly refer to the spacing.
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1 Answers
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Because every copy of a book was written by hand, they were not all identical -- different copies might contain different errors or omissions. Once the printing press was invented, many identical (standardized) copies of the same book could be produced. It doesn't particularly refer to the spacing.
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