The writing system -- the transparency of orthography in alphabet-based systems and differences between logographic and phonetic-based systems -- can affect the efficiency of inferential word learning when words are introduced visually. It can also shape how people self-evaluate their learning success (we refer to such type of self-evaluation as…

Mandarin has been added to the list of second additional languages (SAL) that South African learners can choose from. The researchers proactively conducted research pertaining to SAL (Mandarin) since it is a dynamic phenomenon in South Africa. The research question was formulated as follows: "Do factors such as 1) phonemic differences between…

This study explores whether emphasizing the phonetic components of "kanji," Chinese characters used in Japanese, facilitates second language (L2) learners' novel character learning. Previous L2 studies on Chinese characters indicate that phonology plays a major part in word identification. However, this view remains controversial,…

The connections among language, writing system, and reading are part of what confronts a child in learning to read. We examine these connections in addressing how reading processes adapt to the variety of written language and how writing adapts to language. The first adaptation (reading to writing), as evidenced in behavioral and neuroscience…

Learning the sounds of letters is an important part of learning a writing system. Most previous studies of this process have examined English, focusing on variations in the phonetic iconicity of letter names as a reason why some letter sounds (such as that of b, where the sound is at the beginning of the letter's name) are easier to learn than…

This dissertation is about Chinese loanwords. It is mainly divided into two parts. Part I is a general discussion about loanwords in Chinese; Chapter I and II belong to the first part. Part II is a discussion about the analyses of Mandarin loanwords originating from English. Chapter III, IV, and V are all related to the second part. Chapter VI is…

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…

Foreign language lyric diction is a compulsory subject in all undergraduate vocal performance degrees in universities. However, the effectiveness of its teaching depends on the capacity of students to absorb the material, for which many are largely unprepared, due to their lack of previous language study. Further, native speakers of North American…

The author feels it is psychologically beneficial to permit ghetto children to spell phonetically before teaching them to use standard spellings. (AF)

This paper presents a summary of the decisions made by the members of the Marianas Orthography Committee and contains recommendations and general rules for official and formal adoption into the writing system of the Chamorro language throughout the Mariana Islands. The committee presents the general rules with the hope that they will be followed…

AN INVESTIGATION OF TWO INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS FOR BEGINNING READERS WHICH OFFER PHONETIC REGULARITY WAS CONDUCTED AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EACH WAS THEN COMPARED TO A MORE TRADITIONAL READING APPROACH. THREE METHODS STUDIED AND COMPARED WERE (1) THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET (ITA), (2) THE DIACRITICAL MARKING SYSTEM (DMS), AND (3) A BASAL APPROACH…

Article focuses on the part played by the learning medium in the acquisition of both language skills in a second language. (Author)

This short description of the sound and spelling systems of the Vietnamese language is intended for the sponsor, teacher or friend (of Vietnamese refugees) who may have difficulty in pronouncing Vietnamese names, reading handwriting, or using a Vietnamese-English dictionary or phrasebook. Focusing primarily on the Southern dialect of Vietnamese,…