I was curious because, as an English-based Chinese-American learner, I still find reading top-down to be slower than reading left right. English is all left to right, and almost all modern Chinese texts are left to right. Satori Reader, which I just graduated from, is also left to right. I'm really not used to reading Kanji vertically so it slows me down more than I feel like it should.
But after getting back from Japan, I noticed there's an incredible mix. Native folks are typing on Word horizontally but reading most books vertically. Do they have a preference or is it completely neutral in terms of reading speed/competence?
by kaevne