Abstract
The present study investigated the involvement of lexical knowledge in pseudoword reading by Italian children aged 8–10. In both lexical decision and reading aloud tasks, inhibitory effects were found on pseudowords derived from high-frequency words in comparison to pseudowords derived from low-frequency words. A group of adult readers showed inhibitory effects on pseudowords based on high-frequency words only in lexical decision. The inhibitory effects were interpreted as due to interference on pseudoword processing caused by lexical activation of a high-frequency base-word. The results support the view that lexical information is exploited even in the development of reading of a transparent orthography.
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Appendix
Appendix
Pseudoword | Base word | Frq | Length | Syll | Gem | Rules | N | Bigr Frq |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HF | ||||||||
GIARNO | GIORNO (day) | 2666 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10.91 |
TESPO | TEMPO (time) | 1227 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10.95 |
PAFRE | PADRE (father) | 1043 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10.56 |
TARRA | TERRA (ground) | 952 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11.12 |
STOMIA | STORIA (history) | 462 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11.26 |
PULTO | PUNTO (point) | 434 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.6 |
PRACO | PRATO (lawn) | 309 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11.22 |
BEBBO | BABBO (daddy) | 305 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9.78 |
STINZA | STANZA (room) | 272 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.96 |
ROLDO | SOLDO (coin) | 234 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.45 |
TORPO | CORPO (body) | 233 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10.66 |
CINTRO | CENTRO (center) | 204 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11.3 |
BINCO | BANCO (bench) | 198 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10.84 |
BARNE | CARNE (flesh) | 163 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10.62 |
SCABA | SCALA (staircase) | 156 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 10.63 |
CUGISO | CUGINO (cousin) | 453 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10.47 |
BAESTRO | MAESTRO (teacher) | 268 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.37 |
PAGRONE | PADRONE (master) | 201 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10.87 |
TONIGLIO | CONIGLIO (rabbit) | 145 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10.92 |
CAPPILLO | CAPPELLO (hat) | 141 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10.72 |
PIASETA | PIANETA (planet) | 138 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11.01 |
QUAFERNO | QUADERNO (copy-book) | 96 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.35 |
FARFILLA | FARFALLA (butterfly) | 96 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10.46 |
DESERCO | DESERTO (desert) | 80 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11.22 |
MERENCA | MERENDA (snack) | 74 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11.23 |
Mean | 422 | 6.08 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.52 | 1.52 | 10.78 | |
LF | ||||||||
PANTIA | PANCIA (stomach) | 48 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11.33 |
STAPIO | STADIO (stadium) | 40 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11.07 |
TUORO | TUONO (thunder) | 38 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.87 |
DIAMMA | FIAMMA (flame) | 37 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10.99 |
SCODO | SCOPO (aim) | 30 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10.85 |
RAPPO | TAPPO (cap) | 22 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10.61 |
TROSO | TRONO (throne) | 22 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11.02 |
SPIFA | SPINA (thorn) | 29 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10.45 |
PILSO | POLSO (wrist) | 16 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.47 |
TILPA | TALPA (mole) | 13 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.48 |
GIRRA | BIRRA (beer) | 11 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10.66 |
PELMO | PALMO (palm) | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.74 |
BREDO | BRODO (broth) | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10.61 |
BITRO | LITRO (litre) | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.73 |
FUCIPE | FUCILE (rifle) | 27 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10.12 |
DERCHIO | CERCHIO (circle) | 45 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11.09 |
PELCINO | PULCINO (chick) | 48 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
POSTRONA | POLTRONA (arm-chair) | 50 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11.13 |
POLGONE | POLMONE (lung) | 44 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10.5 |
CANDESA | CANDELA (candle) | 44 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11.22 |
PISTOBA | PISTOLA (gun) | 42 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.56 |
CONFONE | CONFINE (border) | 28 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10.97 |
MEFAGLIA | MEDAGLIA (medal) | 23 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10.46 |
BATTOLLO | BATTELLO (motor vessel) | 22 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10.85 |
CITOGNA | CICOGNA (stork) | 9 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10.85 |
Mean | 28.6 | 6.08 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.48 | 1.24 | 10.79 | |
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Marcolini, S., Burani, C. & Colombo, L. Lexical effects on children’s pseudoword reading in a transparent orthography. Read Writ 22, 531–544 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-008-9123-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-008-9123-0