Abstract
This paper discusses the criteria used by third and fifth graders who attend a public school, in Pelotas, RS, Brazil, regarding the function of diacritical marks in the writing system. Considering the close relationship between prosodic stress and the rules of use of diacritical marks, the study reported in this paper aimed at investigating children's hypotheses concerningthese orthographic devices. Data were collected by a controlled writing instrument, which was especially designed for this research, and by clinical interviews guided by the Piagetian method (Carraher, 1989). After completing awriting task, children were induced to explain the reasons that led them to usediacritics in their spelling. The analysis of data on their written production showed that children got the diacritical mark right, mainly in contexts in which alternation of vowel timbre could occur, that is, in medium and low medium vowels. Results of the interviews highlighted the emergence of criteria based on acoustic and graphic aspects. The analysis allowed us to define a hierarchy of acoustic criteria, i. e., vocalic timbre, vowel duration and prominence.
Highlights
Instrument, which was especially designed for this research, and by clinical interviews guided by the Piagetian method (CARRAHER, 1989)
Ater completing a writing task, children were induced to explain the reasons that led them to use diacritics in their spelling. he analysis of data on their written production showed that children got the diacritical mark right, mainly in contexts in which alternation of vowel timbre could occur, that is, in medium and low medium vowels
O estudo originase de uma pesquisa que buscou investigar as respostas das crianças acerca da utilização do acento gráico na ortograia do português, a im de veriicar como se estabelecem as relações entre o conhecimento linguístico, especiicamente o fonológico, e a informação gráica disponível
Summary
Abstract his paper discusses the criteria used by third and ith graders who attend a public school, in Pelotas, RS, Brazil, regarding the function of diacritical marks in the writing system. Considering the close relationship between prosodic stress and the rules of use of diacritical marks, the study reported in this paper aimed at investigating children’s hypotheses concerning these orthographic devices. Ater completing a writing task, children were induced to explain the reasons that led them to use diacritics in their spelling. He analysis of data on their written production showed that children got the diacritical mark right, mainly in contexts in which alternation of vowel timbre could occur, that is, in medium and low medium vowels.
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