--- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@...>
wrote:

> >
> > I have read an abstract of Poser's presentation but am confused
>
> Where? His own, or someone's recollection of it?

Sorry - this is a more recent presentation but it does seem to be on
the same topic. Here is the link and the abstract.

http://lists.fas.harvard.edu/pipermail/ling-cslt/2004-
December/000057.html

"William Poser (UPenn)
"Phonological Writing and Phonological Representation"

(The time and place of this talk are different from our regular time
and
place for talks)
3:00 pm
Friday, December 10th
Sever 210
http://map.harvard.edu/level3.cfm?
mapname=camb_allston&tile=F7&quadrant=D&series=NW

Refreshments: 3rd floor, Bolyston Hall (after the talk)


Abstract:
Received opinion holds that phonological writing systems are of two
types: segmental and syllabic, and that syllabic systems are more
basic, and, when the spread of the Greek alphabet and its descendants
is discounted, far more common. A careful review of the evidence
calls
for a radical revision of this view. First, a richer typology is
required, one that includes systems based on the mora and on the
division of the sylalble into onset and rhyme. Second, the
predominance of syllabaries has been vastly over-estimated. When the
improved typology is taken into account and other erroneous analyses
are corrected, syllabaries turn out to be so rare as to be virtually
non-existant.

Like many false ideas, the received view contains a kernel of truth.
Syllables are more salient than segments to the "folk phonologist",
as
evidenced by the fact that while virtually all children become
spontaneously aware of syllables by the age of four, most do not
spontaneously become aware of segments. It is thus likely that a
person inventing a phonological writing system ab initio will devise
a
syllabic system. The reason that we see so few syllabaries is that
few
of our examples reflect the initial stage in the creation of a
writing
system. What we see is generally the result of further development,
which has proceeded in the direction of further analysis.

The improved typology simplifies the correspondance between phonology
and writing and provides additional evidence for the notions mora,
segment, rhyme, and head of syllable. The extreme rarity of
syllabaries undermines arguments for the psychological atomicity of
the syllable, and with them one source of resistance to the teaching
of reading via phonics."

Suzanne