Abstract
The study explored the different influences of roots and suffixes in reading aloud morphemic pseudowords (e.g., vetr-ezza, "glass-ness"). Previous work on adults showed a facilitating effect of both roots and suffixes on naming times. In the present study, pseudoword stimuli including roots and suffixes in different combinations were administered to sixth-grade children with dyslexia (N = 22) and skilled readers (N = 44), matched for chronological age. Indeed, the sequential reading strategy of less proficient readers (particularly for pseudowords) should favour the emergence of differences between left and right constituents (root and suffix, respectively) in reading performance. Results showed that for both children with dyslexia and skilled young readers the onset of pronunciation depended exclusively on roots,while there was no significant effect of suffixes. However, both roots and suffixes led to higher levels of accuracy than matched orthographic strings of letters. Posthoc regression analyses confirmed the morphological nature of the root and suffix effects, over and above the effects of the frequency of their orthographic patterns. Results indicate that the position of the reading units within the letter string, as well as their differential effects on latencies and accuracy, should be taken into account by models of morphological processing inword recognition and reading and by applied intervention research.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 777-793 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Language and Cognitive Processes |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 4-6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 2011 |
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Keywords
- Children with dyslexia
- Morphological structure
- Pseudowords
- Reading processing
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Linguistics and Language
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Cite this
How do roots and suffixes influence reading of pseudowords : A study of young Italian readers with and without dyslexia. / Traficante, Daniela; Marcolini, Stefania; Luci, Alessandra; Zoccolotti, Pierluigi; Burani, Cristina.
In: Language and Cognitive Processes, Vol. 26, No. 4-6, 05.2011, p. 777-793.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - How do roots and suffixes influence reading of pseudowords
T2 - A study of young Italian readers with and without dyslexia
AU - Traficante, Daniela
AU - Marcolini, Stefania
AU - Luci, Alessandra
AU - Zoccolotti, Pierluigi
AU - Burani, Cristina
PY - 2011/5
Y1 - 2011/5
N2 - The study explored the different influences of roots and suffixes in reading aloud morphemic pseudowords (e.g., vetr-ezza, "glass-ness"). Previous work on adults showed a facilitating effect of both roots and suffixes on naming times. In the present study, pseudoword stimuli including roots and suffixes in different combinations were administered to sixth-grade children with dyslexia (N = 22) and skilled readers (N = 44), matched for chronological age. Indeed, the sequential reading strategy of less proficient readers (particularly for pseudowords) should favour the emergence of differences between left and right constituents (root and suffix, respectively) in reading performance. Results showed that for both children with dyslexia and skilled young readers the onset of pronunciation depended exclusively on roots,while there was no significant effect of suffixes. However, both roots and suffixes led to higher levels of accuracy than matched orthographic strings of letters. Posthoc regression analyses confirmed the morphological nature of the root and suffix effects, over and above the effects of the frequency of their orthographic patterns. Results indicate that the position of the reading units within the letter string, as well as their differential effects on latencies and accuracy, should be taken into account by models of morphological processing inword recognition and reading and by applied intervention research.
AB - The study explored the different influences of roots and suffixes in reading aloud morphemic pseudowords (e.g., vetr-ezza, "glass-ness"). Previous work on adults showed a facilitating effect of both roots and suffixes on naming times. In the present study, pseudoword stimuli including roots and suffixes in different combinations were administered to sixth-grade children with dyslexia (N = 22) and skilled readers (N = 44), matched for chronological age. Indeed, the sequential reading strategy of less proficient readers (particularly for pseudowords) should favour the emergence of differences between left and right constituents (root and suffix, respectively) in reading performance. Results showed that for both children with dyslexia and skilled young readers the onset of pronunciation depended exclusively on roots,while there was no significant effect of suffixes. However, both roots and suffixes led to higher levels of accuracy than matched orthographic strings of letters. Posthoc regression analyses confirmed the morphological nature of the root and suffix effects, over and above the effects of the frequency of their orthographic patterns. Results indicate that the position of the reading units within the letter string, as well as their differential effects on latencies and accuracy, should be taken into account by models of morphological processing inword recognition and reading and by applied intervention research.
KW - Children with dyslexia
KW - Morphological structure
KW - Pseudowords
KW - Reading processing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79957568256&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79957568256&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01690965.2010.496553
DO - 10.1080/01690965.2010.496553
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79957568256
VL - 26
SP - 777
EP - 793
JO - Language and Cognitive Processes
JF - Language and Cognitive Processes
SN - 0169-0965
IS - 4-6
ER -