If you listen to an audio book, can you claim to have read the book?

Question

Fun question. =)

Ongoing debate between my boyfriend and me. He thinks if you listen to it, then you can't say you've read it. =)

Answer 1

Interesting question! Definitions of words in the English language are always evolving. Words have literal meanings, but they also have figurative meanings.

In our times, the word "read" is going through another transition with regards to "audio books" (the name of which is another debate) If you listen to an audio book, I would say you have acquired it's information and have "read" it.

There are a lot of times we use "read" in the figurative sense, anyway: "I read you loud and clear." "I read your mind." "I can read it on your face."

In all those examples, we are acquired the "story" without reading anything written down.

So, I guess if you hear an audio book and know it's content, you can say you have read the book. Probably add that you "read the audio version." lol

Just tell your boyfriend that he is correct regarding if someone literally read a book. But equally, you are correct in the figurative sense.

Answer 2

I count it as a book read. My retention is just as good if not better. Some of the greatest times I've had are listening to an audio book while doing something else like gardening, hiking, or whatever. There are many great presentations that make me believe I actually get more out of the book than if I read it.

I wonder if the retention of a book on tape versus reading the book might depend on if you are a visual person or an auditory person. I know I am auditory. I remember much more of what I hear than what I see.

Answer 3

I would say no. Reading utilizes different sections of the brain than hearing does. When you hear something you can be distracted and "skip" a line or paragraph of text before you realize you stopped listening and go back to it. You could miss out on important plot points or character development. Not to mention other ambient noise that needs to be filtered out. Not to mention the retention level is probably a bit lower. Too much room for distraction so I'd say no. Reading forces you to focus on the words in front of you and their meaning in context with the rest of the paragraph. There's also a better shot at retention. You can't escape it so you have to absorb the entire text.

Answer 4

Depends on who is asking. If you were supposed to read it for education, then I would say no, listening to an audiobook does not count as reading it. The reason I say this is that the voice of the narrator can influence the imagination of the student whereas if the student is the reader, then all they have to influence their imagination and what they get out of the book is their own mind.
If you are talking about for entertainment sake, then I would say yes, listening to an audiobook can count as reading it.
In either case, the recording has to be unabridged, abridgements are not even worth listening to or reading, you want the original work for it to count for anything.

Answer 5

I've never "read" a book by listening to the audio, but it's my understanding that the audio is an edited version of the book. I would say that if the audio is unedited, than you can legitimately make the claim that you read the book.

Answer 6

Of course! Audiobooks are used by people while they're exercising, driving, or just using their hands and eyes for other things (cooking dinner, gardening, whatever). If you can participate in an intelligent discussion with other people who have physically read the words on paper, then you have "read" the book.

Storytelling is an oral tradition from long ago...way before they ever figured out how to write things down. The important thing is the story -- not the medium by which you learn the story.

Answer 7

Lol. I do. In a way you've read it because you have listened to the whole book.

Answer 8

technically u havnt read it but if ur in a convo with someone id just say ive read the book so i dont have to explain the whole thing to them even tho theres not rlly anything to explain but w/e
so tachnically u havnt read it but i would just say that i did or if i had to read it i would count listening to it as reading it bc ull still no the plot, theme, characters -everything u no after u read it.

PS-i think my ferret dreams r over : (

Answer 9

reading a book is NOT listening to someone speak the words written in the book. Audio books are used mainly by those who are either blind, or cannot read well if at all. the content may be the same, but not the method.

Answer 10

Your boyfriend is just arguing semantics. It's not much of a debate.