UNDERREAD Meaning and
Definition
-
The term "underread" refers to a relatively unknown or overlooked piece of literature that has not gained widespread readership or recognition. It is used to describe books, poems, or other written works that have not achieved the level of popularity or readership that they deserve. These underread works may be overshadowed by more famous or widely celebrated pieces of literature, often resulting in a lack of awareness or appreciation from the general public.
Underread can also describe a genre or category of writing that is less commonly read or studied. For example, certain genres like speculative fiction, experimental poetry, or regional literature may be considered underread compared to more popular genres like romance or crime fiction. This classification does not reflect the quality or literary merit of the work, but rather its relative lack of exposure and acclaim.
The term is subjective as what may be underread to one person could be widely known to another. It can be used to draw attention to lesser-known authors or to encourage readers to explore new and undiscovered literary works. By recognizing and bringing attention to underread literature, it is possible to broaden one's literary horizons and discover hidden gems that may otherwise remain unnoticed.
Etymology of UNDERREAD
The word "underread" is a compound word made up of the prefix "under-" and the verb "read". The prefix "under-" in this context conveys the meaning of "insufficient" or "below a certain level".
The etymology of "read" can be traced back to the Old English word "raedan" or "redan", which meant "to interpret" or "advise". This word itself can be traced further back to the Proto-Germanic word "raedanan" and ultimately to the Proto-Indo-European root "*reHd-", meaning "to scratch" or "to scrape". This sense of scraping or scratching later evolved to mean "to explain" or "to suggest".
The combination of "under-" and "read" gives rise to the term "underread", which suggests that something has not been read sufficiently or thoroughly.
