--- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "Doug Ewell" <dewell@...> wrote:

> suzmccarth <suzmccarth at yahoo dot com> wrote:
>
> > I quite like the chiastic arrangement! However, I feel the need

to

> > comment on dyslexia in Cree script societes. I refer you to this
> > text.
>
> After a bit of research, I now know what "chiastic" means. Thanks.
>
> > In any case, it is the phonemically segmental alphabet which

really

> > creates problems.
>
> *Because* the syllables are rotated and reflected, right? Surely

that

> can't be a blanket statement that syllabically oriented scripts are
> difficult.

I am not quite sure what you are commenting on here.

I was saying that segmental scripts (alphabets) are intrinsically
difficult because the reader must initially learn how to segment and
sequence phonological units of sound. In the phonological sense
syllabic systems are easier. The fundamental reason for much
dyslexia is the inability to acquire the many phonological skills
that an alphabet demands.

Only secondly can visual aspects be considered. However, the visual
load depends first on how many symbols are in the inventory,
(obviously more in a heterographic syllabary like Chinese) and then
on how easy it is to discriminate these symbols from each other on
the basis of height, complexity, orientation, predictive aspects,
etc.

So Cree has sufficient distinction between different consonant
symbols and the vowels are predictable but the orientation is
difficult for some. However, there is a small inventory of symbols
and they can be accessed cognitively without phonological
segmentation if desired. (As long as the diacritics, etc. etc. are
left out. This is why I dislike the diacritics, because they impose
a phonological load on the syllabic reader that is unnecessary)
However, there are few monoliterate Cree readers now, most would be
already familiar with an alphabet.

All in all, I would speculate that Cree must rank close to hiragana
as an accessible script. Neither have much height variation but
other factors make discrimination between units possible and
phonologically accessible.

I don't think that I have responded to your comment. I am still not
sure of the question.

Suzanne