Do we still need to write by hand? 数码时代用手写字有什么好处？

陈小将

手写书信是一门正在消亡的艺术吗？在当今的数字时代，电子通讯方便快捷，相比之下，手写文件则需要相当的专注力。除了用来练字以外，用手写字还可以帮助你巩固字的写法、单词的拼法和标点符号的用法。本期 “随身英语” 讨论用手写字为何对大脑有益。
词汇：writing 书写
When did you last write a letter? Properly write one – by hand? In a digital world, where sending a text or email is far more convenient than using snail mail, is the writing on the wall for traditional pen and paper? Well, some people claim that writing still has many benefits, so maybe it’s not time to ditch your ballpoint or fountain pen yet.
These days, when people request things in writing, a typed, electronic document will be accepted. Doing this on a computer means it could be saved, edited, duplicated and sent via email. But crafting a handwritten document is unique: It requires planning and thought, and, as well as practising your handwriting, it helps you to remember spelling and punctuation.
Some experts believe your brain benefits from using old-fashioned pen and paper. This is particularly relevant for students, where typing notes into a laptop is thought to lack the ‘tactile feedback’ to the brain that contact between pen and paper does. BBC Worklife website quotes Hetty Roessingh from the University of Calgary, who says that “taking notes by hand involves cognitive engagement in summarising, paraphrasing, organising, concept and vocabulary mapping.” Others agree that handwriting may boost fine motor skills in your hands and fingers.
There are everyday benefits to using pen and paper too. Scribbling notes, shopping lists or messages on the back of an envelope can still be useful, quick and portable. But putting pen to paper in a letter to a friend or loved one can probably have the most impact. Pen pal writer Katherine Moller told the BBC: “In a world where it is so easy to hop online to email or to send a fast text, it is so personal and so precious to know someone chose to turn off the virtual world to spend some time with you.”
So, while digital skills remain important, don’t write off your pens and pencils yet – especially if your smartphone, tablet or laptop runs out of power!