Argues that a fast and effective writing system need not stay close to the phonemic detail of speech, and offers shorthand systems as examples of this. Some proposals for spelling reform are briefly evaluated in the light of this evidence. (HOD)

Objective data on the relative frequency of occurrence of the multifarious phoneme-grapheme correspondences of English, which the author dealt with in an earlier book, Relative Frequency of English Spellings, are applied to the learning of reading. The target audience includes the educator, the textbook author/publisher, and the classroom teacher.…

To achieve its purpose, an initial teaching orthography (i.t.o.) should be as simple in form and substance as possible; it should be phonemic rather than phonetic. The 40 sounds distinguished by Pitmanic shorthand and some provision for schwa can serve as a basic code. The symbols can be derived from either of two major sources--standardizing the…

The Choctaw orthography described here is designed to (1) be as accurate a representation of the spoken language as possible, (2) provide a more or less uniform spelling for each morpheme without sacrificing the first condition, and (3) be acceptable to the speaker of Choctaw and easy for him to learn. It is essentially phonemic, with deviations…

Discusses the effect of orthographical systems on literacy attainment; the uses and advantages of phonemic spelling are presented. (Author)

This paper seeks to define the relationship between speech and writing as two separate media within language, and suggests the use of the term translation to describe moving from one medium to another. Such a view acknowledges the independence of speech and writing, the possibility of translation in either direction, the possible untranslatability…

Two criteria for a phonemic notation--assignment of symbols to sounds and the influence of purpose--were discussed. Also presented were three purposes of a phonemic notation: (1) as an initial teaching medium, (2) for an intermediate stage or stages of phonemic spelling reform of English, and (3) for an ultimate phonemics spelling reform. Data of…

Chinese and Japanese, although they are unrelated languages, nevertheless have similar writing systems, since Japanese writing employs a mixed system of Chinese characters and phonetic script. Because Chinese characters are difficult to learn, however, reform movements to simplify the writing system to make the task of learning easier for a…

THE 19 KOREAN FOLK TALES PRESENTED IN KOREAN ORTHOGRAPHY IN THIS READER ARE DESIGNED AS READING MATERIAL FOR ELEMENTARY- AND INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL STUDENTS OF KOREAN. EACH SELECTION IS PREFACED BY AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION AND FOLLOWED BY A PHONEMIC TRANSLITERATION WITH INTERLINEAR GLOSSES IN ENGLISH. THE ORTHOGRAPHY USED HERE FOLLOWS SAMUEL MARTIN'S…

This study examined the psycholinguistic implications of using either of two different types of orthography--syllabic and roman--in Native language programs for Cree children with regard to readability, learnability, and the transfer of reading skills to and from reading in an official language (English or French). This study can also be applied…

This report on the Conference on Navajo Orthography, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico on May 2-3, 1969 constitutes a summary of the discussion and decisions of a meeting which was convened by the Center for Applied Linguistics under contract with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to agree on an orthography for the Navajo language. The immediate purpose…