Speech is linear in a temporal sense and writing is usually linear in
how it is arrayed in two dimensional space. But the comprehension of
either depends on assigning and processing semantic and syntactic
structures before they are perceived. This need to predict and infer
exists at every language level (Halliday calls them strata). In speech,
sounds vary depending on what follows them, in wording the meaning and
function of words depends on the contexts in which they are found. A
reader must know at the beginning of a sentence or utterance whether it
is a question, statement etc.
When a statement is being generated the speaker/writer starts with
meaning assigns the appropriate syntactic pattern and wording and
finally assigns the spelling or phonology. None of that is really
linear, nor is it learned in any linear sense,
Ken
> mike
--
Kenneth S. Goodman, Professor, Language, Reading & Culture
504 College of Education, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
fax 520 7456895 phone 520 6217868
These are mean times- and in the mean time
We need to Learn to Live Under Water