John, Don, et al.
I think what is titillating and unsettling about this phenomenon is that it
lays bare how deceived we are by the sense of executive control we
attribute to the conduct of our lives. We don't really have introspective
access to the processes that govern our construction of words from letters.
But we know of a logic-like algorithm of sequential phonemic decoding, and
we attribute our own competence with word forms to this executively
controlled process. The Lteter Oerdr phenomenon leaves us laughing at our
own naivete. It is a metaphor for life. We think of ourselves as
controlling and guiding our engagements in the world, but perhaps we are
more like twigs bubbling and dancing down the stream of life.
David
_________________________________
Hi David,
It is a great thing. Just an index of how little of the pattern you
need to recognize an instance. Notice that the letters and the
lengths are also part of the pattern. My bet would be that this is to
some degree learned. We have to read mangled texts all the time. I
would therefore theorize that teachers would be better at this than
members of other professions. (Except, perhaps, professional
secretaries.) :-)
John
>No idea about the research base, Don.
>But it strikes me as so funny, I'm forwarding to select friends.
>Thanks.
>David
>
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>
>"Cunningham,
> Donald James" To:
><xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
> <cunningh who-is-at indian cc: (bcc: David
>H Kirshner/dkirsh/LSU)
> a.edu> Subject: Lteter
>Oerdr?
>
>
> 09/17/2003
>10:39
>
>AM
> Please
>respond
> to
>xmca
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Has anyone ever come across the actual research on this?
>
>"Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer
>in what oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is
>that the first and last ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be
>a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. This is
>bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the
>wrod as a wlohe."
>
>Don Cunningham
>Indiana University
-- 401 St. Charles St. Lafayette, La. 70501Land Line: (337) 269-0150 Cell Phone: (337) 739-6118
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