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Learning Logographies and Alphabetic Codes

Muter, Paul and Johns, Elizabeth E. (1985) Learning Logographies and Alphabetic Codes. [Journal (Paginated)]

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Abstract

In three experiments, literate English-speaking adults learned either to identify or to extract meaning from either logographs (Blissymbols or Chinese characters) or English words written in an unfamiliar alphabetic code. Performance was substantially and reliably better in the logographic conditions than in the alphabetic conditions. Vocabulary sized ranged from 30 to 240 words per condition. In a fourth experiment, learning was slower with inconsistent mapping of graphemes to phonemes (similar to English) than with consistent mapping. These results indicate that, under a reasonably wide range of conditions, logographic writing systems may be easier to learn to read than alphabetic writing systems.

Item Type:Journal (Paginated)
Keywords:writing systems logographies alphabets learning reading ideographs Bliss Blissymbols Blissymbolics pictographs logographs
Subjects:Psychology > Applied Cognitive Psychology
Psychology > Cognitive Psychology
Linguistics > Learnability
Psychology > Psycholinguistics
ID Code:1992
Deposited By: Muter, Prof. Paul
Deposited On:20 Dec 2001
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:54

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