Subvocalization, or silent speech, is defined as the internal speech made when reading a word, thus allowing the reader to imagine the sound of the word as it is read (Carver 1990). This is a natural process when reading and helps to reduce cognitive load, and helps the mind to access meanings to enable it to comprehend and remember what is read. Reading is the process of retrieving and comprehending some form of stored information or ideas. ...

There is no evidence that normal non-observable subvocalizing will negatively affect any reading process (Carver 1990, McWhorter 2002). At the more powerful rates (memorizing, learning, and reading for comprehension) subvocalizing is very detectable by the reader. At the less powerful, faster rates of reading (skimming and scanning) subvocalization is less detectable. For competent readers, subvocalizing to some extent even at scanning rates is normal.

Advocates of "speed reading" generally claim that subvocalization "places extra burden on the cognitive resources, thus, slowing the reading down." These claims are currently backed only by controversial, sometimes non-existent scientific research; in some cases they use outright concepts drawn from pseudoscience and urban myths about the brain. Speedreading courses often prescribe lengthy practices to eliminate subvocalising when reading. Normal reading instructors often simply apply remedial teaching to a reader who subvocalizes to the degree that they make visible movements on the lips, jaw, or throat (McWhorter 2002). Speed reading is a method of reading rapidly by assimilating several words or phrases at a glance or by skimming. ... Phrenology is seen today as a classic example of pseudoscience. ... Urban Legend is also the name of a 1998 movie. ... Please help to figure out license type for the image Comparative brain sizes. For other articles about other subjects named brain see brain (disambiguation). ...

It may be impossible to totally eliminate subvocalization because people learn to read by associating the sight of words with their spoken sounds. Sound associations for words are indelibly imprinted on the nervous system, even of deaf people, as they will have associated the word with the mechanism for causing the sound. Subvocalizing is an inherent part of reading and understanding a word, and micro-muscle tests suggest that subvocalizing is impossible to eliminate. Attempting to stop subvocalizing is potentially harmful to comprehension, learning, and memory. At the more powerful reading rates (100-300wpm), subvocalizing can be used to improve comprehension.

It is important to note that subvocalization involves actual movements of the tongue and vocal coords that can be interpreted by electromagnetic sensors. NASA has developed a computer system that can interpret a limited number of English words using nervous signals gathered from the throat's exterior. NASA Logo Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from the revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ...

References

• Carver, R.P-Prof (1990) Reading Rate: A Comprehensive Review of Research and Theory. (1990)
• McWhorter, K. (2002) Efficient and Flexible Reading. Longman

Links

Wikibooks has more about this subject:

Speed reading

• A speed reading article (to give an idea of how subvocalization is spoken of in the context of speed reading) [1]
• NASA Develops System to Computerize Silent, 'Subvocal Speech' [2].