I read more like a page at a time. Some might accuse me of being a page-at-a-time writer.

Compare the way you perceive "~~" to the way you perceive "++". I hear these as "sig sig" and "lus lus". (Or rather, as "slus," because that's a further Hoon abbreviation, but never mind.) You don't hear the former at all; but you hear the latter as "plus plus," don't you?

This is because "tilde tilde" is so heavy your brain doesn't want to do the work of hearing it out. But overriding that connection doesn't save energy, which is why you do hear "plus plus." Your brain has to think the very complicated little thought, "squiggle I don't want to pronounce." It would much rather have a sound.

It's torture enough to read McGonagall silently. Out loud? Who would try that? It's tantamount to suicide.