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Is there a word that describes how the nib or tip of a pen or pencil feels or sounds on paper as one writes? It occurs to me that there might be a technical term.

Laurel
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Andrew Robulack
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  • Yes but it depends on the noise it actually makes. What noise were you thinking of? – Greybeard Dec 09 '20 at 11:19
  • We often use the relevant verb as a noun to refer to attributes like this. Particularly with verbs of perception (so we can *feel* the *feel* of fabric, or *taste* the *taste* of food), but the same principle also extends to more "functional" verbs - for example, the *bite* of your freshly-baked bread. So even if it doesn't yet have any currency, perhaps you could neologistically refer to the write* of the pen [nib]. But even if calligraphers don't currently use write* like this, I'm sure they wouldn't refer to the *scratchiness* of a favourite pen-nib. – FumbleFingers Dec 09 '20 at 12:00
  • ...but in practice, you might have to settle for something like the smoothness* of the nib. Whatever - glossary-of-fountain-pen-terminology is a very long list which I'm not going all the way through. There might* be a word there besides "balance" for the feel of the whole pen. – FumbleFingers Dec 09 '20 at 12:03
  • Single word requests should include a sentence and the context in which the word is used. – Greybeard Dec 09 '20 at 12:14
  • ...I've only got to the C's in that list, but I see there are "cursive" (smooth) nibs as well as "crisp" (good for italic writing) nibs. Maybe "cursivity" would be understood in contexts to mean the ease with which the nib rolls over the writing surface. – FumbleFingers Dec 09 '20 at 12:15

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glossary-of-fountain-pen-terminology:

Feedback
The amount of 'bite' or resistance perceived during a writing experience.
This is a consequence of the relationship between the smoothness of a fountain pen nib and the smoothness of the paper being used.
Also commonly referred to as 'tooth'.

I posted a comment pointing out the way a baker, for example, might refer to the bite of a biscuit or bread roll (how it feels to the teeth). I find it interesting to see that same "inverted verb" sense applied to the feedback of a calligraphy nib, and even more intriguing to see the alternative term tooth there.

Syntactically speaking, this use of feedback seems unexceptional (a pen gives feedback to the writer just as an audience gives feedback to a live entertainer). And I'd say bite is an example of "nounification" of a flip verb (where the verb "subject" is not the experiencer, but rather whatever is causing the sensation being experienced). But I don't know if there's a technical term for the "unusual" use of tooth in this context.

FumbleFingers
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  • I suppose the 'feel' of clothing, a snooker cue, a mouse ... a situation, the 'look' of an object or situation, and the 'taste' of food are the archetypal examples. 'Feel' as a verb is a 'flip verb'. John Lawler. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 09 '20 at 12:39
  • I'm almost certain there's a technical term for what amounts to "reversing" the normal "agent/patient" relationships implied by a verb. To be honest, I was hoping someone like you might know it (in my understanding, you're good with technical terminology at this level, which sadly I am not). – FumbleFingers Dec 09 '20 at 12:43
  • oh! is that what you meant? Is *bite* here a "flip verb"?
    • – FumbleFingers Dec 09 '20 at 12:45
  • According to one article I've stashed, there are the Causative-Ergative alternation (also the Transitive-Ergative alternation), allowed by some verbs (for one-off occurrences) (John soon sold his Monet ... John's Monet soon sold) and the identical-looking middle alternation for stative senses (One can sell Monets almost at once ... Monets sell quickly). – Edwin Ashworth Dec 09 '20 at 12:58
  • I just thought of another exanple of what I'm supposing is a "flip verb". Not only might it be *selling well* - I could say This wine is drinking well**. I think "Causative-Ergative alternation" or something similar might have been what I had in mind. "Flip verb" I might just about be able to remember, but "Causative-Ergative alternation" is a bit much for long-term retention in my limited memory. – FumbleFingers Dec 09 '20 at 13:01