--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The words on the screen are usually a…" description: "\"“The words on the screen are usually a distraction to the audience. If you’re reading the words, by the time you’ve gotten around to mouthing the words..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/peter-coughter-29686_language_the-words-on-the-screen-are-usually-a-di_638257.jpg" --- # The words on the screen are usually a distraction to the… ![“The words on the screen are usually a distraction to the audience. If you’re reading the words, by the time you’ve gotten around to mouthing the words, the audience has finished reading them and is getting bored by hearing you say them.” quote by Peter Coughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/peter-coughter-29686_language_the-words-on-the-screen-are-usually-a-di_638257.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/peter-coughter-29686_language_the-words-on-the-screen-are-usually-a-di_638257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/peter-coughter-29686_language_the-words-on-the-screen-are-usually-a-di_638257.jpg) > ““The words on the screen are usually a distraction to the audience. If you’re reading the words, by the time you’ve gotten around to mouthing the words, the audience has finished reading them and is getting bored by hearing you say them.”” [Peter Coughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coughter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading spoken words distracts the audience, causing boredom before the message is delivered. **In simple terms:** Reading aloud can lose audience attention. Key Takeaway Engage audience visually. Themes communication attention presentation Mood practical critical Type professional educational When to use this quote - public speaking - teaching - broadcasting Key Concepts rhetoric media studies Questions to Reflect On - How can you keep audience focus? - When is reading appropriate? A Different Perspective Sometimes reading aids comprehension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-reading-4145199/) [Distraction Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distraction-audience-5129202/) [Getting Bored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-bored/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Mouthing Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouthing-words-566338/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Words Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-audience-765955/) [Words Screen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-screen-1969725/) ## Related quotes > [There is nothing more distressing or tiresome than a writer standing in front of an audience and reading his work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/there-is-nothing-more-distressing-or-tiresome-than-a-writer-standing/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [I see things in hardcopy that I miss if I only see words on screen. 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