The structure of graphemic representations in spelling: Evidence from a case of acquired dysgraphia

Abstract

A single-case study of an acquired dysgraphic patient is presented. On the basis of the patient's pattern of spelling errors, and especially his errors on words with geminate letters (e.g. “cross” spelled croos), it is argued that stored spelling representations are not simple linear sequences of letter tokens (e.g. C-R-O-S-S). Rather, it is proposed that the graphemic representations processed by the cognitive spelling mechanisms are multidimensional structures that encode separately letter position, letter identity, letter doubling, and consonant/vowel status.