A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg for the Degree of Master of Arts. / Phonological awareness, or the ability to manipulate sounds, has been found to be highly correlated with the acquisition of reading skills. This awareness may be influenced by the orthography or language system in which the child is learning to read. In addition, different aspects of phonological awareness may also apply to different stages of reading development. This study found that depth of orthography does not seem to influence initial levels of phonological awareness. After two years of reading instruction, readers of a transparent orthography are better at phoneme segmentation and blending and reading nonwords than readers of an opaque orthography. Afrikaans children appear to begin leading in an alphabetic stage using a nonlexical strategy of grapheme-phoneme conversion. English beginner readers seem to start reading using predominantly a logographic strategy of visual word recognition. It also seems that some levels of phonological awareness such as onset/rime detection and syllable manipulation are acquired spontaneously by prereaders of both languages, but that the manipulation of phonemic units is dependent on the acquisition of literacy. The introduction of literacy training and/or the maturation of the children's phonological systems results in a change to a greater awareness of small phonemic units than larger units. / AC2017

Durant la guerre de Sécession (1861-1865), des milliers de soldats, de chaque côté du front, prirent leur plume afin de s'enquérir de leur famille et de donner des nouvelles du front. Généralement peu lettrés, la plupart de ces soldats ne maîtrisaient que très partiellement les codes de l'écrit. Le corpus sur lequel se base la présente recherche doctorale se compose de 366 lettres (soit environ 170 000 mots) rédigées par 80 soldats de première et deuxième classes originaires de Virginie. L'orthographe idiosyncratique et approximative de leurs écrits ainsi que les nombreuses variations morphosyntaxiques non standard permettent de mieux saisir ce que pouvait être le vernaculaire des locuteurs blancs issus des couches les plus basses de la société virginienne durant la première moitié du XIXe siècle.Selon Guy Bailey (1997), certaines caractéristiques du vernaculaire du Sud des Etats-Unis (Southern American English) seraient apparues après la guerre de Sécession et seraient le fruit d'une réaction identitaire face à la domination du Nord et à l'humiliation causée par la défaite. Les variations non standard répertoriées dans le Virginia Civil War Corpus nous invitent à nuancer cette assertion. Malgré une orthographe phonétique et l'emploi de nombreuses variations morphosyntaxiques et lexicales non standard, leurs écrits révèlent la tension constante entre le registre paritaire et disparitaire. Cette perpétuelle oscillation est-elle le fruit d'un conflit interne entre différents modèles linguistiques ou est-elle, au contraire, le signe d'opérations énonciatives spécifiques ? / Throughout the Civil War (1861-1865), thousands of low ranking soldiers on both sides of the conflict took up their pens to inquire after their families and give news from the front. Usually semiliterate, most of these soldiers were far from mastering written conventions. The 170,000-word corpus, on which this thesis is based, is composed of 366 letters written by 80 privates, corporals and sergeants from Virginia. Their idiosyncratic and ingenuous spellings as well as their use of non-standard morphosyntactic variations offer a great opportunity to gain further insight into the vernacular spoken by white lower-class people in Virginia around the middle of the 19th century.According to Guy Bailey (1997), certain specificities of the Southern American Vernacular English (SAVE) appeared after the Civil War, as a reaction against Northern domination and the humiliation caused by the defeat. The non standard variations found in the Virginia Civil War Corpus tend to question this hypothesis and reveal that most of the features, that are today associated with SAVE, were already present in low ranking soldiers' writings.Despite the phonetic spelling and the use of non-standard grammatical and lexical forms, the letters reveal that the soldiers were fully aware that their vernacular speech was not in line with academic conventions. We thus observe a constant tension between the academic prescriptive norm and non-standard variations. We may wonder if this constant oscillation is only triggered by an internal conflict between different linguistic models or if, on the contrary, the presence of these dialectal variations must be understood as signs of specific enunciative operations.

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The purpose of this study was to examine first-graders' construction of knowledge of graphophonemic and orthographic relationships. Three levels of treatment were assigned randomly to three groups of first-graders in their first semester of first grade. Treatment varied in student engagement with reading and writing texts based on student interests and in the amount of interaction students had with one another and the researcher as they read, wrote, and examined words, word patterns, and graphophonemic relationships. The study was based on a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design (Campbell & Stanley, 1963) with an added within-subjects factor of 12 weekly test occasions. These weekly tests involved students writing a researcher-dictated continuous text selected by students in the full-treatment group from the larger portion of text read each week. Additional elements of qualitative research were included in the design and analyses. Quantitative analyses revealed statistically significant results. Qualitative data analyses confirmed that students who interacted daily with each other and the researcher in reading and writing activities constructed more knowledge about graphophonemic and orthographic relationships than peers from the partial-treatment group and the control group. Results led to conclusions and implications involving a reexamination of current and traditional methods of spelling instruction and assessment for young children.

This study investigates whether or not instruction of English graphophonic correspondences, i.e., the link between letters and sounds, will help Chinese students in learning English vocabulary. Following other related research, I assume that Chinese students can benefit from instruction of English grapheme-phoneme correspondences in learning English words. If this assumption is true, there should be a statistically significant difference between students who have instruction of English graphophonic correspondences for learning English words and students who do not. 1. Chinese students who have been given lessons in both pronunciation and grapheme-phoneme correspondences will recall more English words on a short-term vocabulary test immediately after a vocabulary learning session than will the students who have been given only the lessons in pronunciation. 2. Chinese students who have been given lessons in both pronunciation and grapheme-phoneme correspondences will also recall more English words on a long-term vocabulary test two weeks after a vocabulary learning session than will the students who have been given ~ the lessons in pronunciation. Two groups of students who are in their second year of a junior college in Taiwan participated in this study. The control group was given the normal English course and pronunciation course which did not include the instruction of any letter-sound relationships. The experimental group was given not only the normal English course and pronunciation practice but also instruction in English graphophonic correspondences. This research examined whether or not the students given explicit instruction in English graphophonic correspondences had better performance on both short-term and long-term vocabulary recall tests after the special instruction. The experimental group recalled more words on both short-term and long-term vocabulary recall tests. Moreover, they behaved differently across time depending on which group they were in: The experimental group's performance continued to progress over time while the control group's performance fluctuated across time. The data collected during the experiment support both hypotheses.

The use of a computer-assisted assessment program to train phonological awareness skills in grade 1 First Nations students was examined. Thirty-two children ranging in age from six years four months to eight years 1 month participated in an eight-week intervention study. There were two groups involved in the study. The experimental group received approximately fifteen minutes a day, five days a week training with a phonological based computer program called Reading Edge. The comparison group received the same amount of training with a computer program called Living Books which focused on sight words. When compared to the comparison group, children in the experimental group showed significantly greater gains on measures of final phoneme isolation, total phoneme isolation, phoneme blending, initial phoneme deletion, total phoneme deletion, word identification and word attack. Thus, the computer-assisted assessment program Reading Edge was successful in improving the reading and phonological awareness skills of grade 1 First Nations students.

The use of a computer-assisted assessment program to train phonological awareness skills in grade 1 First Nations students was examined. Thirty-two children ranging in age from six years four months to eight years 1 month participated in an eight-week intervention study. There were two groups involved in the study. The experimental group received approximately fifteen minutes a day, five days a week training with a phonological based computer program called Reading Edge. The comparison group received the same amount of training with a computer program called Living Books which focused on sight words. When compared to the comparison group, children in the experimental group showed significantly greater gains on measures of final phoneme isolation, total phoneme isolation, phoneme blending, initial phoneme deletion, total phoneme deletion, word identification and word attack. Thus, the computer-assisted assessment program Reading Edge was successful in improving the reading and phonological awareness skills of grade 1 First Nations students. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

韻素是韻律學在分析音節輕重理論系統中的最小單位。在韻素音步系統的語言中，韻素數量的多少決定音節的輕重。韻素在韻律系統中的作用，與音節中韻素數量的多少，元音響度的大小有直接關係。 / 自清代段玉裁發現"吾輕、我重"以來，這方面的探討一直未曾間斷，之前的研究雖提供了寶貴的材料，但卻不能很好地解決諸如輕重表現形式、語音與句法位置的關係和古今演變等方面的問題。而將韻素理論引入會使很多難題迎刃而解。本文在此基礎上，以上古漢語第一人稱代詞"吾"、"我"為研究對象，研究二者在先秦及兩漢以後的分佈特點及韻律輕重的表現，指出： / "我"是先秦漢語第一人稱代詞的標準形式，"吾"是在特定語音環境要求下出現的弱化形式。當句中位置具備語音弱化條件時，才使用弱化形式"吾"，其他位置使用標準形式"我"。因此，"吾"、"我"實為一詞的兩個不同形式。 / 本文主要包括以下幾個內容： / 第一章，緒論。本章分為三小節。第一小節，韻素理論的研究概況。概述韻素理論的基本觀點及理論體系。第二小節，漢語"吾輕、我重"研究綜述。本節對之前學者研究"吾輕、我重"的歷史進行總結和評價。第三小節，提出本文的研究目的、主要內容及方法。 / 第二章，第一人稱代詞"吾"、"我"的分佈現象及數字統計。本章著重描述先秦及兩漢以後重音位置上:"吾"、"我"出現的規律，分別考察以下幾個位置的分佈：語音空拍前位置、對比結構焦點位置及"前輕式"結構。 / 第三章，"吾"、"我"互補分佈特徵的韻律分析。本章分五部份。一、引入韻律相關理論，說明韻素輕重形式實現的語音條件。二、指出上古漢語"吾"、"我"的韻素特徵及二者的差異。三、"對"、"吾"、"我"互補分佈現象及統計結果進行韻律分析和解釋。四、闡釋"吾"、"我"對立現象的古今演變機制。五、重新審視"吾"、"我"對應屬性反映出的語音機制。 / 第四章，結論。我們概括了全文的觀點，強調：在韻素理論的框架下，本文提供了一系列發掘新材料的操作方法和驗證手段。同時，本文發現的新材料支持了上古韻素敏感的語音系統的理論和假說，同時支持了漢語韻律系統轉變的觀點，進一步論證了單音節音步是如何在上古漢語韻律系統中發揮功能的，同時也為漢語語音史的討論開闢了一個嶄新的領域。 / Mora is the smallest unit in the prosodic analysis. In quantity-sensitive languages, the weight of a syllable depends on the number of morae. The realization of the morae is relevant to the quantity and sonority of the vowel in the syllable. / Since Duan Yucai 段玉裁 proposed that "Wu 吾 is weak, while Wo 我 is strong" in the Qing Dynasty, the difference between the two pronouns has been extensively discussed. Although previous research has provided us with valuable materials, they cannot answer some crucial questions such as: what is the representation of weak form and strong form, what is the correlation between the stress and the syntactic positions in classical Chinese, and why the phonological contrast disappeared in the Han Dynasty. Within the framework of prosodic phonology, this thesis discusses the rule of the distribution of the first person pronouns Wu and Wo in archaic Chinese and proposes that: / Wo is the default form of the first person pronoun in archaic Chinese, while Wu exists as its reduced form in the specified phonological environments. In the language system, Wo is chosen as the basic form. Wu only occurs when the syllable is light, Wo occurs elsewhere. Wu and Wo are variants of the same pronoun. / The first chapter briefly introduces the relevant theoretical research principles on morae in section one, and then reviews some previous accounts for the contrasts of Wu and Wo in section two. The research purpose and methodology will be proposed in section three. / The second chapter shows statistics of the complementary distribution of Wu and Wo in archaic Chinese, especially focusing on the positions before the pause, contrastive stress and iambic structure. / The third chapter mainly presents the phonological and prosodic condition analysis to the phenomena listed in the chapter two. On the basis of the prosodic theories such as Nuclear Stress Rule (NSR), Invisible Condition (IC) and Default Rule (DR), I argue that the regularities of distribution result from the phonological distinction between Wu and Wo. Wo should be analysed as the underlying form, and the Wu represents the variable form. To give an explanation for the phonological process and mechanism in the evolution of these two pronouns, I gave a preliminary description of their changes after Han dynasty. This chapter also explores several properties of Wu and Wo to rethink how their contrast reflects some basic phonologic mechanisms / The fourth chapter summarizes the prosodic study of the two first person pronouns in this dissertation and emphasizes that: a set of evidence is provided to support the prosodical explanation, as well as to validate the hypothesis of Weight-sensitive System‘ in archaic Chinese. It is also suggested that aside from its significant role in prosodic system, monomoraic syllable foot could lead to great diachronic changes of the language. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / 趙璞嵩. / Parallel title from added title page. / Thesis (Ph.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-129). / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Zhao Pusong.

Text in Afrikaans / Learners who struggle to read from the start, will stay behind. But the earlier intervention can start, the greater the chances of success. But what type of intervention is needed? Nowadays researchers overseas use phonemic awareness as a criteria to predict reading success. About 80% of pre-school children will have no trouble grasping the phonological structure of their home language, provided that they are thoroughly immersed in literacy. It is these same 80% who will not have any trouble learning to read. But literacy is a continuous process that starts at birth and there is no magical moment in a child's life that he will all of a sudden be ready to receive literacy instruction. Experience and practice will ensure that the hierarchy of phonemic awareness skills will develop. Those preschoolers who do not have that advantage, must develop phonemic awareness skills while learning to read or else face reading problems. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.(Special Needs Education)

Text in Afrikaans / Learners who struggle to read from the start, will stay behind. But the earlier intervention can start, the greater the chances of success. But what type of intervention is needed? Nowadays researchers overseas use phonemic awareness as a criteria to predict reading success. About 80% of pre-school children will have no trouble grasping the phonological structure of their home language, provided that they are thoroughly immersed in literacy. It is these same 80% who will not have any trouble learning to read. But literacy is a continuous process that starts at birth and there is no magical moment in a child's life that he will all of a sudden be ready to receive literacy instruction. Experience and practice will ensure that the hierarchy of phonemic awareness skills will develop. Those preschoolers who do not have that advantage, must develop phonemic awareness skills while learning to read or else face reading problems. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.(Special Needs Education)