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Revisiting the phonological deficit in dyslexia: Are implicit nonorthographic representations impaired?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2012

CATHERINE DICKIE*
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh
MITSUHIKO OTA
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh
ANN CLARK
Affiliation:
Queen Margaret University
*
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE Catherine Dickie, University of Edinburgh, Department of Linguistics and English Language, Dugald Stewart Building, 3 Charles Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AD, UK. E-mail: cath.ling1@gmail.com

Abstract

This study investigates whether developmental dyslexia involves an impairment in implicit phonological representations, as distinct from orthographic representations and metaphonological skills. A group of adults with dyslexia was matched with a group with no history of speech/language/literacy impairment. Tasks varied in the demands made on (implicit) phonological representations versus metalinguistic analysis/manipulation, and controlled the contribution of phonological versus orthographic representations by including both a segmental and an equivalent suprasegmental (nonorthographic) version of each task. The findings show a dissociation between metaphonological skills and implicit phonological representations, with the dyslexic group impaired in metaphonological manipulation skills in both segmental and suprasegmental tasks, but not in implicit knowledge of phonological contrasts.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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