Speaker
Description
Smartphones integrate text suggestion systems that offer word completion from partially typed input. These tools alter the linearity of the writing process by introducing a continuous shift between typing and reading suggestions. While they offer cognitive benefits—such as reducing spelling errors and memory load—their impact on writing fluency remains debated. One key factor may be the orthographic transparency of the language being written. Most studies have been conducted in English, a language with opaque orthography, which may limit the generalizability of their findings to more transparent languages. Previous research has shown that users engage with suggestions strategically. There is a cost-benefit trade-off: when a word is difficult to spell, it may be worth interrupting the writing flow to select a suggestion. Conversely, if the spelling is straightforward, the cognitive cost of diverting attention to the suggestion bar may outweigh the potential benefit.
To explore this, 48 Italian-speaking and 49 French-speaking young adults performed a spelling-to-dictation task on smartphones using Italo-French cognates (e.g., accrobata – acrobate) in two conditions: with and without predictive suggestions. Results showed that French participants—writing in a language with opaque orthography—exhibited longer latencies, slower typing speeds, and more frequent use of suggestions. In contrast, Italian participants—writing in a more transparent orthographic system—typed faster, initiated responses more quickly, and made significantly less use of suggestions. These findings suggest that in languages with high phoneme-to-grapheme consistency, technological support is less essential.
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