Phonological reading route in Portuguese: Paradoxical precise non-word decoding contrary to purported conversion grammar rules
Authors:   University of Sao Paulo, Capovilla Fernando 
Published: May 2023

Abstract It is traditionally said that the phonological reading route operates based on the application of grapheme-to-phoneme conversion rules. Indeed, know-why decoding is based on orthoepic grammatical rules that specify how grapheme pronunciation depends on grapheme position. However, know-how decoding performance may be based on intuition derived from drill-and-practice modeling and shaping. It may occur in the absence of rules, and even in opposition to the rules readers subscribe to. The present study explores that paradox. In Portuguese pronunciation, the “S” coda is uttered as /z/ when preceding voiced attacks (B, D, G, J, L, M, N, V, Z). Even though Brazilian fluent readers exhibit that assimilation phonetic process in their reading aloud, they tend to be unaware of it. When asked how “S” is to be uttered, they state the inter-vowel grammar position rule: “We always utter ‘S’ as /s/, except when it occurs in between vowels. In that case, and only in that case, we utter ‘S’ as /z/.” In the present study, 40 elementary-school students (3rd-6th grades, aged 8-11 years) read aloud 18 non-words: ASBA, ASCA, ASDA, ASFA, ASGA, ASJA, ASKA, ASLA, ASME, ASNA, ASPA, ASQUA, ASRA, ASSA, ASTA, ASVA, ASXA, ASZA. Results: Upon being interviewed before reading, each student stated the same grammar inter-vowel position rule. During reading, younger students failed to perform phonetic junctions due to syllabification. Long inter-syllabic pauses prevented phonetic junction and, thence, “S”-coda assimilation. In contrast, older students showed perfectly fluent and precise know-how decoding performance. Due to their extensive history of drill-and-practice modeling and shaping, they performed phonetic junction and thus presented perfect “S”-coda voicing. They were surprised upon realizing they performed perfectly and in perfect contrast to the rule they had just stated. Their teachers were submitted to the same task and were equally puzzled and even ashamed. In conclusion: (1) When reading fluency emerges, syllabification is replaced by a phonetic junction. Therefore, the emergence of the phonetic assimilation process of “S”-coda voicing may be regarded as a reading-fluency landmark; (2) Once reading fluency emerges, the phonetic assimilation process of “S”-coda voicing emerges with it as an unconscious process that occurs independently from grammar position rules, and in complete opposition to them; (3) Know-how decoding performance is based on intuition derived from drill-and-practice modeling and shaping. It may be dissociated from know-why decoding knowledge, which is based on orthoepic grammatical rules that specify how grapheme pronunciation depends on grapheme position. Know-how decoding performance may occur in the absence of rules, or even in total contrast to the rules that readers subscribe to, due to phonetic processes that readers are unaware of, such as assimilation. Therefore, the assumption that “the phonological route works based on the application of conversion rules” is unwarranted. Instead, phonological route works based primarily on intuitive decoding derived from the statistical distribution of grapheme-phoneme patterns in language, which is implemented by drill-and-practice modeling and shaping. Orthoepic grammar rules are secondarily added to inform intuition so that conversion is made dependent on grapheme position. Keywords: Reading, Decoding, Phonology, Phonetics, Rule, Expectancy.