I would be most satisfied with an economic explanation. If lectures generally explain things better, then either a) the cost to lecturers of improving their explanations is lower than for writers, or b) the benefit to readers of a better explanation is less than the benefit to lecture attendees.
I would guess its the latter, because if an author loses you, you can google it. If a lecturer loses you, you might be lost for the next hour.
I think anonym gave us the Hansonian explanation: Texts are written to boost author reputations by seeming Formal, Authoritative, and Difficult; lectures are spoken to explain things. Though Hanson might or might not agree—see the discussion Hanson and I had about how much formality is signaling.
I would be most satisfied with an economic explanation. If lectures generally explain things better, then either a) the cost to lecturers of improving their explanations is lower than for writers, or b) the benefit to readers of a better explanation is less than the benefit to lecture attendees.
I would guess its the latter, because if an author loses you, you can google it. If a lecturer loses you, you might be lost for the next hour.
I think anonym gave us the Hansonian explanation: Texts are written to boost author reputations by seeming Formal, Authoritative, and Difficult; lectures are spoken to explain things. Though Hanson might or might not agree—see the discussion Hanson and I had about how much formality is signaling.