This study examines orthographic variation in synchronous computer-mediated French discourse. All nontraditional variations of selected frequently occuring items are quantified in order to provide an etic (i.e., from an external perspective) analysis. The primary variable of interest is age since this study focuses on providing a comparison of chat participants in their twenties versus those in their fifties. The widespread claim is that younger people communicate using more informal and/or nontraditional forms than older people; however, the results of the present study suggest that this is not always the case. The main finding of the present study is that the twentysomethings and the fiftysomethings produce the nontraditional orthography in a similar fashion in 52.2% of the terms, and in a non-similar fashion in 47.8% of the terms. Following the presentation and discussion of the results, directions for future research are provided.

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The current study investigates the effect of auditory and visual speech information and orthographic information on second/foreign language (L2) acquisition. To test this, native speakers of Turkish (a language with a transparent orthography) and native speakers of Australian English (a language with an opaque orthography) were exposed to Spanish (transparent orthography) and Irish (opaque orthography) legal non-word items in four experimental conditions: auditory-only, auditory-visual, auditory-orthographic, and auditory-visual-orthographic. On each trial, Turkish and Australian English speakers were asked to produce each Spanish and Irish legal non-words. In terms of phoneme errors it was found that Turkish participants generally made less errors in Spanish than their Australian counterparts, and visual speech information generally facilitated performance. Orthographic information had an overriding effect such that there was no visual advantage once it was provided. In the orthographic conditions, Turkish speakers performed better than their Australian English counterparts with Spanish items and worse with Irish terms. In terms of native speakers' ratings of participants' productions, it was found that orthographic input improved accent. Overall the results confirm findings that visual information enhances speech production in L2 and additionally show the facilitative effects of orthographic input in L2 acquisition as a function of orthographic depth. Inter-rater reliability measures revealed that the native speaker rating procedure may be prone to individual and socio-cultural influences that may stem from internal criteria for native accents. This suggests that native speaker ratings should be treated with caution. / Master of Arts (Hons)

Thesis (Ph. D. (Tshivenda)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016. / This study sought to identify problems concerning Pan South African Language Board spelling rules in respect of Tshivenḓa orthography. A qualitative descriptive research method was chosen. The study population consisted of Pan South African Language Board spelling rules. The rules dealt with nine indigenous languages that were Tshivenḓa, isiZulu, Siswati, Sesotho, Setswana, Xitsonga, isiXhosa, isiNdebele and Sesotho sa Leboa. Each of the nine indigenous languages had between 12 and 56 rules. Altogether there were 255 rules which constituted the study population of this project. A small but sufficient sample of about twenty rules in Tshivenḓa orthography was selected. Data were collected by means of unstructured interviews with forty-four purposely selected participants which include linguists as well as document analysis. Ethical considerations were ensured in order to protect participants from any harm or discomfort that might arise from being involved in an investigation. The researcher explained the aim and nature of the study to respondents, to get their informed consent before the interviews. Several strategies to prevent defects, challenges and problems in Tshivenḓa orthography were recommended based on the results. The strategies focused on aspects which deal with spelling and orthography rules. Key concepts: orthography, indigenous languages, rules, writing systems.

This Diploma Thesis is concerned with the research on pupils? conception of orthographical questions, importance and relevance to grammatical phenomena and grammatical correctness in current communication used by pupils in secondary schools. The Thesis is divided into three parts. The theoretical part deals with the definition of term ?orthography?, orthographical principles and functions, the importance of orthography and its types. There is also a section in the theoretical part which is concerned with the main tendencies and the newest approaches to orthography in secondary schools. In this part attention is focused on history of orthography, orthographical limitations and analysis of mistakes in current school, further the influence of computer on spelling and its educational usage, types of orthographical exercises, its correction and marking. It also contains a cross-section of orthographical questions in the Slovak Republic and foreigners? spelling problems. The practical part deals with the analysis of theoretical curriculum converted into practical tasks. There are also the most frequent mistakes and pupils? attitude to orthography education in this part, which we got on the basis of questionnaire evaluation. In the third part, which is also practical, there are some methods for pupils? motivation which should help to raise the efficiency of orthography education in secondary schools.

"I mi himtham, ath'o huhug heg jeveḍ." The statement above basically means 'in time, the world will end'. My father said this when he saw something that he did not like involving O'otham Himthag and Ñeok. I began teaching in the classroom to help in revitalizing our language and culture. Learning to read and write linked with teaching the language in the classroom. Akimel O'otham did not have an orthography until 2009 and today Gila River is still adjusting and learning to utilize this new orthography today. If Gila River Akimel O'otham wants to avoid the 'Big Ka-boom' does it mean we should start to read and write in O'otham to learn how to talk our language? While attending the University of Arizona's American Indian Language Development Institute (AILDI) I came across many tribes that have an orthography, others were working on one and some did not have one at all. I learned that reading and writing could benefit Gila River especially if we are at the point where persons 55 years and older are the only speakers. It is sad to say but these speakers will be gone one of these days. Gila River must have a plan in archiving Akimel O'otham Culture and Language in written and voice recordings to support the teaching of the language. The language and linguistics classes I took with instructors Luis Barragan and Stacey Oberly have expanded my knowledge in linguistics which encouraged me do reading and writing in the Akimel O'otham language. My language is an awesome language to study, full of surprising wonderments I never knew. I hope the Akimel O'otham world will not end; it is time to wake up, because it is time for the beginning.

published_or_final_version / English Studies / Master / Master of Arts

The scholarship on the extent of the Nahuatl writing system makes something of a sense-reference error. There are a number of occurrences in which the symbols encode a verb, three in the present tense and one in the past tense. The context of the use of calendar systems and written language in the Aztec empire is roughly described. I suggest that a new typology for is needed in order to fully account for Mesoamerican writing systems and to put to rest the idea that alphabetic orthographies are superior to other full systems. I cite neurolinguistic articles in support of this argument and suggest an evolutionary typology based on Gould's theory of Exaptation paired with the typology outlined by Justeson in his "Origins of Mesoamerican Writing" article.

The study is concerned with improving the spelling performance of below average spellers in an upper primary mainstream classroom setting. The main target group is children who do not qualify for learning support resources yet have difficulty thriving in the literacy area of spelling. It was expected that lessons designed to expand students’ knowledge about words and the English language system would generate a greater student facility with learning spellings. A quasi-experimental methodological approach was taken which also has features of a controlled trials study. Four spelling intervention lesson programs were designed and each has a different pedagogic emphasis: 1) Metacognitive and multisensory learning strategies 2) Teacher-Best-Practice 3) Teacher designed inquiry-based group work 4) Learning with a computer-based Team Learning System. The study design is both practical and pragmatic in that only resources already available to the schools were utilised; lesson formats and teaching practices can be easily replicated; and the spelling programs are compatible with NSW curriculum directives. The intervention lesson program took place for one hour per week over a two-term period and involved four schools situated in the outer areas of Sydney, Australia. Students and teachers in nine upper primary classrooms took part in the study, five of which were intervention classes and four were non-intervention classes. The classroom teachers were an important factor in the program presentation and lessons with an explicit focus on words were conducted from a constructivist perspective. Results indicate that when spelling becomes an instructional focus, substantial progress in performance levels can be made in both intervention and non-intervention classrooms. Discussion of the findings examines how pedagogic factors influenced learning outcomes for all ability groups in the literacy area of spelling. Particular attention is given to the progress in spelling age made by below average performers, as determined on pre-testing, and students with lower than normal cognitive ability. It is considered that the more interactive approach to teaching spelling, plus a high level of congruence with the Quality Teaching model (NSW DET, 2003) elements of Engagement, High-order Thinking, and Substantive Communication, assisted these target groups of students in the intervention classes. The principal conclusion that can be drawn from the findings of the study is that minimal modifications to teaching practices can bring about improvement in students’ spelling performance levels. It illustrates the capacity of children to advance their learning outcomes when lessons are designed and delivered in a manner that encourages engagement and interactive support. Such a conclusion directs the responsibility for students’ learning outcomes to their classroom teachers. The study identifies that there are implications for the providers of in-service and pre-service professional development of teachers situated in upper primary mainstream classrooms, and the pedagogic aspirations of the primary school community. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.