Grapheme-phoneme Correspondences Research Articles

Cross-language facilitatory and inhibitory effects in the naming of Japanese words by Chinese-Japanese bilinguals

Abstract This study investigates the effects of orthographic and phonological overlaps between the first language (L1) and the second language (L2) during word naming by adult Chinese-Japanese bilinguals, in the light of the Orthographic Depth Hypothesis which posits that the processing of printed words depends on the extent of grapheme-phoneme correspondence in the language. We compared their naming performance of L2 Japanese words written in moraic hiragana which is not used in their L1 Chinese, morphosyllabic kanji utilized in L1, and a mixed condition. Results indicated a longer latency for naming L2 Japanese words with kun-reading which has no phonological overlap with L1, particularly when written in kanji, which has orthographic overlap with L1. Consistent with the Orthographic Depth Hypothesis, participants performed better for words in hiragana as a shallow orthography than for words in kanji as a deep orthography. Furthermore, this study examined the priming effect of L2 Japanese translation equivalents on L1 Chinese targets. We found more accurate and faster naming of L1 words semantically exposed by L2, suggesting that L2 semantic representation facilitates L1 translation equivalence.

EXPRESS: Same same but different - The graded influence of vowel quality and prosodic prominence on letter detection.

The present study investigates the impact of phonetic realization and prosodic prominence on visual letter identification, focusing on the letter <e> in German bisyllabic words. Building upon previous research, a computerized letter search task was conducted with 78 skilled adult readers. Words featuring different phonetic realizations of <e> (/eː, ɛ, e, l̩, n̩, ɐ/) in stressed and unstressed first and second syllables were systematically included. Analyses of error rates and response times revealed a graded pattern in detection of <e>, with the closed long (/eː/) and closed short (/e/) realizations being easiest to detect, open (/ɛ/) and near-open central (/ɐ/) vowels becoming incrementally harder, and silent vowels in syllabic consonants (/n̩/) being the most challenging. Results divided by position and stress of the syllable containing the target letter further indicated influences of prosodic prominence. The findings contribute to understanding the intricate interplay of grapheme-phoneme correspondences and prosodic structure in skilled readers' visual letter recognition.

Teaching methods emphasizing phonological forms enhance L2 vocabulary learning

The present study aims to measure the effects of the teaching of second language (L2) phonological forms on L2 receptive vocabulary learning. Two teaching methods were compared in a pre- and delayed post-test to evaluate their impact on L2 word learning. Participants ( n = 127; mean age = 12;6, i.e. 12 years and 6 months) were randomly divided in two groups that followed either an explicit teaching method focused on L2 phonological forms, or a communicative teaching method focused on meaning, in which L2 phonological forms were taught implicitly. The teaching methods in the two groups aimed to foster the skills and the learning of phonological forms involved in the development of receptive vocabulary. The two teaching methods trained the same skills and relied on the same vocabulary. They both targeted the phonological forms of two difficult phonemic contrasts in French as a foreign language. The two teaching sequences took place during mandatory lessons in French as a foreign language for six weeks (12 lessons), in a Swiss state school. Generalized mixed models were fitted to the data to test for differences across teaching methods in their impact on L2 word learning. Overall, the results indicate that participants made significant progress in word learning, with no significant differences between the two teaching methods. Pronunciation, discrimination, retention in verbal working memory, and the mastery of phoneme–grapheme correspondences are significant factors of vocabulary learning in French as foreign language. The teaching of L2 phonological representations and the training of their processing facilitated the learning of words in L2 French. However, the teaching of vocabulary in French as a foreign language rarely involves a focus on phonological representations.

Loanword Phonology of Spanish Anglicisms: New Insights from Corpus Data

Previous research shows that several factors influence the adaptation of English phonemes in Spanish Anglicisms: speaker age, English proficiency, and geographic distance from the U.S.A, among others.Due to globalization, increased mobility, and the ubiquitous availability of English media, the question arises whether these factors are still relevant in today’s world. For the present study, 70 speakers from Mexico and Spain read a word list containing Anglicisms aloud. A generalized linear mixed effects model was applied to analyze which factors directly influence pronunciation. Results show that the realization of Spanish grapheme-phoneme correspondences plays a major role in the adaptation process. Moreover, the analysis shows that it is exposure to the English language that mainly influences the pronunciation: the more exposure speakers from both countries have to the English language, the more likely they are to imitate the English pronunciation instead of the realization of Spanish grapheme-phoneme correspondences. Finally, the analysis revealed differences not only between the phonemes and the speakers but also between the words included in the study and once more highlighted that every word has a history of its own.

The Regularity of High-Frequency Words (Sight Words): Teacher Phonetic Knowledge is Key

High frequency words, commonly referred to as sight words, are often a focus of emergent reading instruction. Instructional practices abound that require emergent readers to memorize the spelling and pronunciation of the words without drawing attention to grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs) in the words. These approaches ignore a critical aspect of Ehri’s theory of orthographic mapping. This article reviews the literature on storing words in memory, in general, and the research on learning high frequency words, more specifically. Analyses of high frequency words on the widely used, Dolch list, are included that show the overwhelming regularity of the GPCs in these words. The analyses provide insight into the most common GPCs in these high frequency words, and they provide examples of GPCs that if taught, unlock the regularity of several other high frequency words. Discussion focuses practitioners gaining more advanced phonetic knowledge in order to better understand the orthographic regularity of high frequency words. Recommendations include supplementing traditional phonics programs for students with at least some advanced phonetic knowledge, ensuring practitioners have this level of knowledge in order to capitalize on teachable moments with high frequency words, and/or organizing classroom lists of high frequency more strategically.

Analysis of writing in personality disorders in prison population

AbstractWriting involves the activation of different processing modes than reading comprehension, and therefore the level of activation varies depending on the moment and the task.Objectivesto analyze the profiles in terms of the proposed coding from the PROESC in terms of personality disorders [Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) with drugs possession and consumption crimes (DPCC) and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)] with gender violence crimes (GVC) in the prisoners.DesignThe sample was composed of 194 men. The participants were divided into two groups. Group 1 (ASPD; DPCC) consisted of 81 men, and Group 2 (OCPD; GVC) consisted of 113 men.Main outcome measuresThey completed the Demographic, Offense, and Behavioral Interview in Institutions, the International Personality Disorders Examination (IPDE), and Writing Processes Evaluation Battery (PROESC).ResultsGroup 2 made more mistake than Group 1 in narratives tasks.ConclusionParticipants know phoneme-grapheme correspondence rules, language disturbances of a reiterative and persistent nature may appear in those who show compulsive behavior.

Learning to Read in an Intermediate Depth Orthography: The Longitudinal Role of Grapheme Sounding on Different Types of Reading Fluency.

Phonological processing skills, such as phonological awareness, are known predictors of reading acquisition in alphabetic languages with varying degrees of orthographic complexity. However, the role of multi-letter-sound knowledge, an important foundation for early reading development, in supporting reading fluency development remains to be determined. This study examined whether two core foundational skills, phonemic awareness and grapheme sounding, have a predictive role in reading fluency development in an intermediate-depth orthography. The participants were 62 children learning to read in European Portuguese, and they were longitudinally assessed on phonemic awareness, complex grapheme sounding, and reading fluency (decoding, word, and text) from Grade 2 to Grade 3. The results showed that grapheme sounding predicted reading fluency development controlled for nonverbal intelligence and vocabulary, short-term verbal memory, and phonemic awareness. Grapheme sounding plays a prominent role in predicting reading fluency outcomes, whereas phonemic awareness (both accuracy and time per correct item) did not contribute to any of the three types of reading fluency. The fact that grapheme-sounding predicted reading fluency is likely due to complex grapheme-phoneme correspondences being required to achieve proficient reading. These findings provide insights into the cognitive processes underlying reading development in intermediate-depth orthographies and have implications for early literacy instruction.

PHONEME- GRAPHEME CORRESPONDENCE IN READING SKILLS OF GRADE SEVEN STUDENTS: A THEMATIC ANALYSIS

PHONEME- GRAPHEME CORRESPONDENCE IN READING SKILLS OF GRADE SEVEN STUDENTS: A THEMATIC ANALYSIS

Enhancing Grapheme-Phoneme Correspondence Learning: A Single-Case Study Using Picture Mnemonics

The ability to recognize and name the sounds of alphabet letters is a crucial prerequisite for students as they embark on their journey to learn how to read. Regrettably, some children face significant challenges in this area. In this single-case multiple baseline study, we utilized mnemonic pictures to facilitate the memorization of the grapheme-phoneme correspondence of ten target letters. Our aim was to empower four struggling first-grade students to quickly and confidently retrieve this information. The results reveal that the students significantly benefited from the intervention. Furthermore, the approach was perceived as attractive and helpful by both the four children and their teacher. The study concludes by reflecting on its limitations and discussing potential implications and future avenues of research.

Visuo-Attentional and Phonological Deficits Explored in French Students with Dyslexia: Eye Movements Recorded during a Phonological Lexical Decision Task.

Whether dyslexia is caused by phonological or attentional dysfunction remains a widely debated issue. To enrich this debate, we compared the eye movements of 32 French university students with (14 students) and without (18 students) dyslexia while performing a delayed phonological lexical decision task on 300 visually presented stimuli. The processing stimuli involved either a lexical (i.e., words) or a non-lexical route relying on a grapheme-phoneme correspondence (pseudohomophones and pseudowords), while other stimuli involved only a visual search (consonant and symbol sequences). We recorded the number of fixations, the duration of the first fixation and the amplitude of saccades made on the stimuli. Compared to the controls, the participants with dyslexia made more fixations while reading regardless of the type of stimulus (lexical and non-lexical). Crucially, the participants with dyslexia exhibited longer first fixations in particular while reading phonologically challenging stimuli such as pseudohomophones and pseudowords compared to stimuli involving a simple visual search (consonants, symbols). Taken together, these results suggest that both visual and phonological impairments may be implicated in dyslexia, supporting the hypothesis that dyslexia is a multifactorial deficit.

Tarefas com base na Fonotática para estimulação de consciência fonológica

The purpose of this paper is to present some fundamental phonotactic concepts and their importance in phonological awareness tasks in literacy. Only after the beginning of their schooling do children start to observe and notice the segmental elements of words. Furthermore, mastery of phonological awareness will determine children’s reading success in school, which in turn affects their proficiency in adulthood (BYRNE; LEDEZ, 1983). In this study, we present a playful way to explore the sonority scale perception with students through the recognition of geometric shapes (circle and straight line), according to the Sonority Syllable Model (SSM), proposed by Basbøll (2005). It is an alternative proposal to the phonotactic description and analysis that uses distinctive features in its sound organization. In our proposal, we use a phoneme-grapheme correspondence, but, as Basbøll (2005) suggests, we firstly establish which one is the prototypical syllable peak, i.e., main/central peak, in order to determine the implicational relations among the segment types. In addition, in a playful way to illustrate this relation, we make use of a set of concentric circles known as Euler’s diagram. This set of circles is a mathematical set used to demonstrate the intersection among elements. Lastly, we show how this adaptation may be used in a pedagogical practice with children and adults in the literacy stage.

How word semantics and phonology affect handwriting of Alzheimer’s patients: A machine learning based analysis

Using kinematic properties of handwriting to support the diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease is a real challenge: non-invasive detection techniques combined with machine learning approaches promise big steps forward in this research field. In literature, the tasks proposed focused on different cognitive skills to elicitate handwriting movements. In particular, the meaning and phonology of words to copy can compromise writing fluency. In this paper, we investigated how word semantics and phonology affect the handwriting of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease. To this aim, we used the data from six handwriting tasks, each requiring copying a word belonging to one of the following categories: regular (have a predictable phoneme–grapheme correspondence, e.g., cat), non-regular (have atypical phoneme–grapheme correspondence, e.g., laugh), and non-word (non-meaningful pronounceable letter strings that conform to phoneme–grapheme conversion rules). We analyzed the data using a machine learning approach by implementing four well-known and widely-used classifiers and feature selection. The experimental results showed that the feature selection allowed us to derive a different set of highly distinctive features for each word type. Furthermore, non-regular words needed, on average, more features but achieved excellent classification performance: the best result was obtained on a non-regular, reaching an accuracy close to 90%.

Effects of orthography and cognate status on second language Spanish lexical encoding

Abstract This study examined the accuracy of English-speaking learners of Spanish in storing L2 sounds within cognates and noncognates, specifically in words containing 〈g〉 and 〈h〉, which have differing cross-linguistic phoneme-grapheme correspondences. In the first task, participants heard Spanish words with target-like pronunciations of 〈g〉 and 〈h〉 or inaccurate pronunciations with an English-like phonemic substitution for these graphemes, and they decided whether or not they were words. The second task had participants decide between the two pronunciations of each Spanish word and select the accurate pronunciation. The findings in both tasks showed that for L2 learners, 〈h〉 cognate words had less accurate phonological representations compared to all other conditions, possibly due to the greater consistency in phoneme-grapheme correspondence for 〈h〉 in English. These results show that cognate status and orthographic (in)congruity interact to influence the accuracy of L2 lexical encoding.

ALTERNATIONS OF INDONESIAN SOUNDS IN SAMBAS MALAY

Indonesian is derived from Standard Malay, while Sambas Malay (SM), a language-code spoken by indigenous people mostly living in Sambas Regency, West Kalimantan, becomes one of Malay dialects; and SIL (2006) also explains it becomes one of standard variations of Malay. Therefore, the two language codes are assumed to be derived from the same ancestral language, i.e., Proto-Austronesian language. Consequently, Indonesian and SM share sameness which is shown by identical cognates of the two language codes. There are other cognates which show sound alternations. The sound alternations comprise changes, additions, deletions, and syllabic movements of segments and sound clusters. The data corpora are the phonological forms of the cognates of Indonesian and SM. The phonological forms of SM cognates are obtained from and/or based on a previous study on phonological aspects of SM lexical items conducted by Firman et al. (1998). Meanwhile, Indonesian cognates are Indonesian lexical items which are available in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (the Main Dictionary of Indonesian) and become the equivalents for SM lexical items afore-mentioned; and the phonological forms of Indonesian cognates are determined by referring to the rules of grapheme-phoneme correspondences in Indonesian proposed by Fauzi (2015). Sound alternations show morphophonemic alternations like consonant weakening, consonant strengthening, lenition, fortition, nasalization, de-nasalization, glottalization, de-glottalization, vowel laxing, vowel tensing, diphthongization, sound deletion, sound addition, gemination or consonant doubling, sound fusion, sound fission, metatheses, assimilation, dissimilation, word lengthening, word shortening, and de-reduplication. Certain findings show certain phonotactics in SM. The result of the discussion also shows the distribution of segments in both of two language codes.

Absence of Vowels in the English Spelling of Arabic Personal Names on Social Media

Many users of social media from different countries and speaking different languages that use non-Latin orthography such as Arabic choose to transliterate their first name and surname in Romanized script, vis English. Due to the differences between the user’s native language and English in vowels and consonants and how they are pronounced, some people make vowel and consonant errors in the English spelling of their names due to the user’s proficiency level in English and their awareness level of the grapheme-phoneme correspondences in their native as well as English language. This study aims to investigate vowel omissions in the English spelling of Arabic personal names, what kind of vowels are omitted, location of the missing vowels, why educated Arabs omit vowels in the English spelling of their names, whether vowel omissions are attributed to transfer from the native language (Arabic) or lack of competence in English spelling. Analysis of a sample of Arabic personal names with missing vowels in their English spelling showed that in the vast majority of misspelled names, one short vowel is missing. In most cases, the missing short vowel is fatha /a/ in the first syllable of the name. It seems that educated Arabs transfer the Arabic vowel system to English. The Arabic orthographic system has 3 long vowels represented by written letters ا و ي /a:, i:, u:/ and 3 short vowels that are represented by diacritics which are pronounced but not shown in the written form of Arabic words. In addition, omission of short vowels in the English spelling of Arabic names may be attributed to how the name is pronounced in the dialect of the Arabic speaker, not how it is pronounced in Standard Arabic, especially when the vowel is in the initial syllable of some surnames. Vowel deletion may also be due to insufficient proficiency in English and lack of contrastive knowledge of the Arabic and English vowel and spelling systems. Examples of transliterated personal names with missing vowels, explanations, causes, and recommendations for more accurate spelling in English are given.

İkiliğin Ötesinde: Türkçenin Merceğinden Bir İmla Derinliği Muhakemesi

In this study, we chart a course through the labyrinthine array of orthographic systems, casting aside the customary binary of ‘shallow’ and ‘deep’ orthographies. The Turkish language, commonly typecast as a quintessential shallow language, becomes our focal point, unearthing the sophisticated and layered structures that underpin orthographic depth. Our enquiry digs into linguistic elements unique to Turkish, such as the irregular representation of vowel length, a characteristic that weaves additional complexity into the ordinarily clear-cut fabric of grapheme-phoneme correspondence. The driving ambition of this enterprise is to shed light on the richly diverse, and frequently overlooked, intricacies deeply rooted in the orthography of modern standard Turkish. In this endeavor, we aim to redefine the understanding of orthographic depth and its influence on language learning and the development of literacy. Our discoveries position Turkish at an ‘intermediate’ point on the orthographic depth continuum, thus sparking a reassessment of current pedagogical strategies. We put forth a more flexible interpretation of the orthographic spectrum as a fresh approach to the study and pedagogy of orthography. By charting the fluid interplay between orthography and phonology, we craft a comprehensive narrative of their interconnectedness, a perspective vital to the comprehension and application of language. This venture seeks to enrich our communal understanding of orthographic systems and hopes to bring their pivotal role in language instruction and literacy advancement into clearer focus.

Grapheme–phoneme correspondence learning in parrots

Abstract Symbolic representation acquisition is the complex cognitive process consisting of learning to use a symbol to stand for something else. A variety of non-human animals can engage in symbolic representation learning. One particularly complex form of symbol representation is the associations between orthographic symbols and speech sounds, known as grapheme–phoneme correspondence. To date, there has been little evidence that animals can learn this form of symbolic representation. Here, we evaluated whether an Umbrella cockatoo (Cacatua alba) can learn letter-speech correspondence using English words. The bird-participant was trained with phonics instruction and then tested on pairs of index cards while the experimenter spoke the word. The words were unknown to the bird and the experimenter was blinded to the correct card position. The cockatoo’s accuracy (M = 71%) was statistically significant. Further, we found a strong correlation between the bird’s word-identification success and the number of overlapping letters between words, where the more overlapping letters between words, the more likely the cockatoo answered incorrectly. Our results strongly suggest that parrots may have the ability to learn grapheme–phoneme correspondences.

Young Pashtun L1 speakers' laryngeal contrast and voicing variation in Korean word-initial stops production

While age proved to have a critical influence on learning L2 phonology, the reason behind it is yet controversial. (brain maturation, LOR, quality l2 input, crib or sequential bilingualism, etc.) This paper examines 6 young people in the same household using Pashtun as their L1. As the elder children arrived in Korea at ages 10, 8, 6, and 3 respectively, the younger two were born in Korea now aged 10 and 8. All family members have equal LOR(10 years except for the youngest), equal L1, and equal L1 and L2 use extent in the home. Examining the differences between VOT and f0 production in these young people will clarify some of the explanations behind the age effects. Moreover, the data reveals the unique L1 transfer phenomena. While Pashtun is a true voicing language, Korean is an aspirating language where all 3- way contrast stops have positive VOT values. This can lead the young people to produce word-initial Korean stops in intersonorant positions with a marked voicing-ratio and to produce allophones that neither exists in their L1 nor in L2 such as voiced aspirated stop sounds ( bɦ, d̪ɦ, gɦ). This paper will also examine whether these young people’s VOT and f0 productions would align with the current tonogenesis like sound change in Korean. This paper used picture naming tasks with easy words instead of reading non-words to not test their grapheme-phoneme correspondences. Each person produces 9 phonemes of word-initial Korean stops (3-way laryngeal contrasts in 3 POA) both in the position in isolation and carrier sentence.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a broader approach to reading instruction: A single-case study of a reading intervention

AimsThis small-scale study investigated outcomes from a reading intervention which taught a broader range of reading skills. The intervention followed recommendations made by Solity (2020), with instruction on high frequency words (HFWs), grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs), and vocabulary, taught through frequent, distributed practise of skills and real books.MethodFive students in Year Five (all with English as an Additional Language and low levels of literacy skills) from an inner London Borough primary school took part in a reading intervention delivered daily over 3 months (45 sessions). A mixed methods single-case study design was implemented. Students were assessed pre- and post-intervention using interviews, Diagnostic Reading Assessment, questionnaires on students’ reading views and confidence, and fluency reading the 100 HFWs and GPCs. Questionnaire and interview feedback were gained from education staff. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Themes and quotes from qualitative data provided an understanding of the students’ and staffs’ views.FindingsResults indicated increases in students’ knowledge of HFWs and GPCs, and students showed improvements in reading ability in at least one skill assessed. Most students felt they were better and more confident at reading, although views towards reading were mixed.LimitationsThe small sample size and lack of control group mean that results may be difficult to generalise to other school populations.ConclusionsThis research goes some way to demonstrating the efficacy of a reading intervention approach which focuses on teaching a broader range of skills compared to a sole focus on systematic synthetic phonics.

Can a Tablet Game That Boosts Kindergarten Phonics Advance 1st Grade Reading?

We report the effectiveness of using the tablet-game Kalulu Phonics immediately after intervention in kindergarten and on national evaluations the year after. In a previous intervention testing the software with 1st graders, fluency and comprehension were boosted, but only when used in concert with reading instruction at the start of the year. Here, we asked whether a similar intervention would be more efficient if it started a year earlier, in kindergarten. Forty classes (1092 = children) were randomized into playing Kalulu Phonics or the matched Kalulu Numbers control game for the first half of the year, with reversed assignments in the second half. Ten non-randomized business-as-usual classes also participated. In a cross-over effect, children who used the phonics version improved in letter naming, grapheme-phoneme correspondence (GPC) matching and fluency. Students with the number version improved in number knowledge. In a longitudinal follow-up, all intervention participants maintained an advantage in phoneme awareness and GPC matching at the start of 1st grade, but this advantage failed to translate into school literacy gains by mid-year. No longitudinal benefits were found for numbers. Our results support using tablet-based aids in spurring early reading skills but question the possibility that a short-term intervention may address the challenges of long-term educational goals.