I agree with Glucksberg.
In my opinion the error resides in the (formulation of the) question, i.e., there is a gap between the writing system, the fonological system and the standpoint of the observer. Seemingly, the observer formulates the question without being conscious of the fact that he is making an statement from the point of view of the writing system. The question is about the differences in processing both the writing system and the fonological system.
>>Reply from Sam Glucksberg to Jose Guijarro:
>
>>Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2001 16:44:33 -0500 (EST)
>>Subject: Re: Non-member submission from [jose luis guijarro
><guijarro@wanadoo.es>]
>
>>
>>Answer comes from the psychology of reading/perception literature.
>>function words such as of are read very quickly and people often don't
>>detect the f in of. Another influence is phonology. The F in of is
>>prounounced as if it were a v. this too contributes to the error.
>>
>
>>> >Reply-To: guijarro <guijarro@wanadoo.es>
>>> >From: jose luis guijarro <guijarro@wanadoo.es>
>>> >To: relevance <relevance@linguistics.ucl.ac.uk>,
>>> > Roberto Casati <casati@idf.ext.jussieu.fr>
>>> >Subject: A strange problem
>>> >Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2001 15:48:50 +0100
>>>
>>> >
>>> >Hola!
>>> >
>>> >Some people, who consider me a professional "cognitive pragmatist" (I won=
>>> >der
>>> >why!) have asked me an explanation of the following problem which I am
>>> >unable to provide. I submit it to you people in case you do have one. If =
>>> >you
>>> >really want to experience the problem, don't cheat and proceed from the
>>> >beginning to the end.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >Please count the number of "F" in the following paragraph:
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH =
>>> >THE
>>> >EXPERIENCE OF YEARS
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >How many "F" are there?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >Have you counted three?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >There are six!
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >Count them again, please.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >Do you still have three only?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >What about the "F" at the end of the three OF? Does our mind doesn't proc=
>>> >ess
>>> >them at all, or are they really non relevant?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >WHAT IS THE REASON OF IT?
>>> >
>>> >Thanks for explaining!
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >Jos=E9 Luis Guijarro
>>> >Facultad de Filosof=EDa y Letras
>>> >Universidad de C=E1diz
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>> -------------------------------------------------
>>> Robyn Carston
>>> Department of Phonetics & Linguistics, UCL
>>> Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
>>> Tel: + 44 020 7679 3174
>>> Fax: + 44 020 7383 4108
>>> URL http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/robyn/home.htm
>>> -------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>-------------------------------------------------
>Robyn Carston
>Department of Phonetics & Linguistics, UCL
>Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
>Tel: + 44 020 7679 3174
>Fax: + 44 020 7383 4108
>URL http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/robyn/home.htm
>-------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
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