1. Grapheme-Phoneme Mapping: This is the foundation of reading. Readers must recognize individual letters (graphemes) and associate them with their corresponding sounds (phonemes). This knowledge allows them to sound out words and decipher unfamiliar vocabulary.
2. Morphology: Understanding the structure of words (morphology) is crucial for reading comprehension. Readers need to identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words and deduce their meaning within a sentence.
3. Syntax: This refers to the rules of sentence structure. Readers need to understand how words are combined to form meaningful phrases and clauses. This allows them to parse sentences and understand the relationships between different parts of the text.
4. Semantics: This involves the meaning of words and phrases. Readers need to understand the context in which words are used to determine their meaning. This includes understanding idioms, metaphors, and other figurative language.
5. Pragmatics: This is the study of how language is used in different contexts. Readers need to consider the author's purpose, tone, and audience to fully understand the message conveyed in the text.
6. Working Memory and Cognitive Processes: Reading also involves cognitive processes like working memory, attention, and inference. These allow readers to hold information in mind, follow the flow of ideas, and make connections between different parts of the text.
In essence, reading is a linguistic process because it requires the reader to actively engage with the language system in a multifaceted way. This engagement allows them to access the meaning and understanding encoded within the written text.