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Writing Systems, Reading Processes, and Cross-Linguistic Influences: Reflections from the Chinese, Japanese and Korean Languages
Edited by Hye K. Pae
[Bilingual Processing and Acquisition 7] 2018
► pp. 373–390

Chapter 18
Subunit priming effects on lexical decision in Korean

Both body and rime units are important in Korean

There have been conflicting results in the literature regarding the dominant linguistic unit (body-coda units vs. onset-rime units) in reading Korean Hangul. In an attempt to resolve the contradictory views between the phonotactic constraint (support for body-coda) and the universal rime bias (support for onset-rime) in reading, this chapter examines subunit priming effects on rapid word recognition among native Korean readers. Thirty five university students participated in a lexical decision task using Korean words and nonwords as targets. Primes included related and unrelated bodies, rimes, and consonants of disyllabic targets. Results of a linear mixed model showed that both body and rime units played significant roles in response time. Rime primes also affected accuracy of rapid lexical decision. Unlike previous research that showed body primacy, the results indicated that both body and rime units are important in reading Korean.

Keywords: Korean Hangul, phonotactic constraints, universal rime bias
Article outline
  • Introduction
    • The unique characteristics of Hangul
    • Onset-rime and body-coda units in English
    • Body-coda units in Korean
    • The role of consonants and vowels in reading
    • The current study
  • Methods
    • Participants
    • Measure
    • Procedure
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgment
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 10 July 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/bpa.7.18bae
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