Spelling Matters? Follow Up

[Andre Cramblit]

Julia Sallabank wrote:

> Dear Andre and everybody
>
> I think that this reasearch is probably correct, given what is known about
> reading processes. Fluent readers do not usually decode each letter of every
> word, but use word-recognition to take a mental snapshot of words and
> phrases, and fit them to a schema of what they think the text is saying
> (Wallace 1992: 40-42). But more random spelling is a different matter and
> does interfere with processing.  Fluent readers of English can see how
> difficult it is to decode random or unexpected spelling by trying to read
> the following extract from 'Feersum Endjinn' by Iain M. Banks:
>
> Well, Ergates sez (& u can juss tel she's tryin 2 b payshint) aside from the
> fact that it is folly 2 fro away even 1 life out ov 8, & thi eekwilly
> sailyent poynt that in thi present     emerginsy it mite b fullish 2 rely on
> thi effishint funkshining ov thi reeincarnative prossess, ther is my own
> safety 2 think about. (Banks 1994: 18) (The whole book is written like
> this.)
>
> This is relevant to endangered and minority languages which have no support
> from the establishment, as it leads to yet another disadvantage for those
> who wish to express themselves in their language.
>
> I have written a paper on 'Writing in an unwritten language' in Reading
> Working Papers in Linguistics 6 (2002)
> (http://www.rdg.ac.uk/AcaDepts/cl/slals/wp6/index.htm). There is no
> accepted, consistent standard spelling for the langauge I'm studying,
> Guernsey Norman French. Although there is a dictionary that many speakers
> say they follow if they write in GNF, an analysis of recent writings shows
> that in practice they do not follow it. Since GNF is very low-status and is
> not taught in schools, nobody has had any literacy training in it; it is not
> uncommon to find the same word spelt several different ways on the same
> page. 'Feersum Endjinn' is in fact more consistent than many GNF texts.
>
> Mauvoison (1979), commenting on the multiplicity of spellings suggested for
> Norman, points out that a standard spelling makes it easier to decipher what
> is meant when reading. This is perhaps a rather obvious point, but it is
> even more true if the reader is not a native speaker and has to guess at the
> structure and pronunciation due to the lack of a standard spelling. The lack
> of consistency in spelling makes it particularly difficult to develop
> fluency in reading. I myself find it easiest to read works in Guernsey
> French aloud, in order to gauge the pronunciation and then mentally match
> what I have read with phrases I have heard spoken and thus decipher them.
>
> I would be grateful if you could give the full reference for the research
> you cite.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Julia
>
> References:
>
> Mauvoisin, J. (1979). Principes essentiels d'orthographe normand. Parlers et
> traditions populaires de Normandie 45 (reprinted on
> www.multimania.com/bulot/cauchois/ Principe.html)
>
> Wallace, C. (1992). Reading. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: "Andre Cramblit" <andrekar at NCIDC.ORG>
> To: <ENDANGERED-LANGUAGES-L at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 6:23 PM
> Subject: Spelling Matters?
>
> > Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't   mttaer in
> > waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is  taht
> > frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses
> > and you can sitll raed it wouthit  porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed
> > ervey lteter by itslef but  the wrod as a wlohe.