girl's handwriting - nature vs. nurture

[Flying_Monkey]

So you mean largely both.

In other words not something that is primarily genetic / 'natural'.

My handwriting has declined since I began to use computers. Once it was really quite nice, now it is very poor indeed.

 

[Abitrary]

In other words not something that is primarily genetic / 'natural'.

A bit of both then?

 

[buggi]

it's down to boredom... it's something to cheer up the page.

my handwriting is never the same, i don't have a style

 

[Flying_Monkey]

A bit of both then?

No, not just a bit of both.

 

[Abitrary]

it's down to boredom... it's something to cheer up the page.

So, you're basically saying that, if you grew in a scientific experiment, a lot of girls in one laboratory and a load of blokes in another, the girls would get bored quicker and start gratuitously decorating their handwriting?

 

[yoyo]

My husband complains that he cannot read my writing - it's anything but stylish. AS for nature v nurture; I am adopted and, when I met my 'natural' father discovered that my writing is almost identical to his.

 

[Abitrary]

My husband complains that he cannot read my writing - it's anything but stylish. AS for nature v nurture; I am adopted and, when I met my 'natural' father discovered that my writing is almost identical to his.

Is he a bit girly then, your natural father?

 

[Kirstie]

Like FM I used to have lovely copperplate style handwriting until I started to use computers for everything. Now my writing is really messy - it could improve if I used a decent pen (some people I work with still write in fountain pen), but any old biro will do so it generally looks crap.

I've never really had girly handwriting I don't think. We were told off at school for drawing circles where we should dot the 'i'

 

[alecstilleyedye]

my mum writes in a rather elegant scripted style, which could have equally been done by a man. it's a bugger to read though…

 

[02GF74]

yep - computers have killed hand writing. Likewise texting is killing pseelinng and grammar.

I write stuff then when I come to read it, minutes later, I cannot make head or tail of!!

Interesting observation but I think it may be too small a sample to make generalisations although I have never seen a man draw a circle above the 'i' or 'j', maybe subconsciously girls are trying to draw a flower?

 

[Fnaar]

I have really nice handwriting, thank you very much A woman on the till in Smiths once (in the days of writing cheques) once complimented me on it, and she wasn't on the pull.
But another question is... why do we Brits NOT have a national handwriting style. ALL French people (without exception ) write in exactly the same way. Spain too, has its own style. But we don't. If all of you adopted my style, that's be cool.

 

[ChrisKH]

I have really nice handwriting, thank you very much A woman on the till in Smiths once (in the days of writing cheques) once complimented me on it, and she wasn't on the pull.
But another question is... why do we Brits NOT have a national handwriting style. ALL French people (without exception ) write in exactly the same way. Spain too, has its own style. But we don't. If all of you adopted my style, that's be cool.

I think it's more about standardised teaching.

Of late we have been having a hand writing dilemma with my 8 year old. He broke his wrist quite badly fifteen months ago, prior to which his writing was lovely. Wrist in plaster for 3-4 months. Had to re-learn to write and his style changed. He got very demotivated being behind others in his class. He has only just got up to speed again and just got his handwriting pen at school, whereas most got it last year. In some respects the need to write is important, but tbh when now, unless you are an avid letter writer, caligrapher (sp?) or someone who needs to write for a living (rare), do you need to be able to write "nicely"? It's all a bit old hat isn't it?

 

[papercorn2000]

It is largely cultural / nurture. My wife was brought up in an entirely different country with a different language. Her English writing is very precise, very architectural, and not remotely flowery.

Shouldn't it be cultural / nurtural ?

Nurtural is a much better word.

 

[papercorn2000]

I think it's more about standardised teaching.

Of late we have been having a hand writing dilemma with my 8 year old. He broke his wrist quite badly fifteen months ago, prior to which his writing was lovely. Wrist in plaster for 3-4 months. Had to re-learn to write and his style changed. He got very demotivated being behind others in his class. He has only just got up to speed again and just got his handwriting pen at school, whereas most got it last year. In some respects the need to write is important, but tbh when now, unless you are an avid letter writer, caligrapher (sp?) or someone who needs to write for a living (rare), do you need to be able to write "nicely"? It's all a bit old hat isn't it?

I used to do a lot of calligraphy - wedding invites etc. mostly, so I can do really nice writing in a variety of styles. However, my normal handwriting isn't particularly neat.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

This thread is almost meaningless without piccies - some posted images of your handwriting for some loony to look at and tell you that perhaps you'll be a psychotic killer in the near future etc.