I'm narrating an audiobook and I've come across a few lines that feature the "greater than" symbol (>) commonly seen in computer commands, particularly reminiscent of older systems like DOS. I want to read these lines accurately but I'm unsure of how to articulate this symbol while narrating. For instance, how should I phrase it when it appears in sentences like: "Meanwhile, not all the screens were displaying video feeds from the human world. There was one that simply had a small > icon flashing in the top left corner." or in commands like ">RUN>ACCESS DENIED"? Would saying something like "right angle bracket" or "terminal prompt" make sense?
5 Answers
Most folks I know just read it as the "greater than" symbol without extra fluff. It's common practice, so that would be totally fine. But remember, it might sound awkward if you say it too literally like "greater than RUN." Just keep it casual for the reading!
Honestly, I’d skip over it entirely. Most people don't say out loud what we typically don’t read in dialogue anyway. If you absolutely need to refer to it, "terminal icon" works occasionally, but don't go overboard with it. If you’re unsure, it might be helpful to ask the author or director for their take on it as this is more of a stylistic choice.
For audiobook narration, "right angle bracket" is probably your best bet! It balances clarity and keeps the flow intact. "Greater than symbol" can work, but if you want it to sound dynamic, I'd lean towards "right angle bracket". I would avoid calling it something like "right arrowhead" as it could confuse the listeners.
I'd recommend just reading "> icon" as "terminal prompt" or simply "prompt." It gives listeners a clearer idea without getting too technical. Keeping it simple will also help maintain the narrative vibe.
In this case, I’d say just ignore the chevron for the reading. It still flows fine without it. You could also go for wording like "terminal prompt" instead of over-explaining. If the appearance of the symbol isn’t crucial to the story, keeping it straightforward works best!
Yeah, that feels right! I'll stick with "command prompt icon" for the first line and treat the rest as punctuation. Thanks for the tip!