On 10/11/2010 11:35 AM, Bill Fairchild wrote:
The question is appropriately begged, and the answer is simple - by the time I was able to read an encyclopedia article or a dictionary entry, I had also learned how to navigate within a dictionary; viz, the pronunciation of a word is typically given within the definition. One simply looks at the bottom of the page for instructions in how to interpret the various enigmatic (for the first few times seen) symbols that are used in phonetically spelling the pronunciation of a word. After having learned how to spell three or four other words beginning with "psy", I remembered that particular rule exception. I don't remember how I learned how to pronounce or spell knowledge.
Our experiences differ, which may be topic for another group <g> But I taught myself to read when I was four (I remember the moment when I figured out that sounding out the letters in a subway sign resembled the name of my Grandmother's street). Ever since then I have been reading, at least one book a week, and acquired a sizable vocabulary of words I couldn't pronounce. I didn't find out about dictionaries until Junior High school, when we were required to buy one.
Gerhard Postpischil Bradford, VT ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
