Here are some key aspects of orthography:
* Letter usage: Which letters represent which sounds, and how they are combined to form words.
* Pronunciation: How the written form of a word corresponds to its spoken form.
* Spelling rules: Rules that guide how words are spelled, including things like prefixes, suffixes, and vowel combinations.
* Capitalization: Rules regarding the use of capital letters at the beginning of sentences, names, etc.
* Punctuation: The use of commas, periods, question marks, and other marks to structure and clarify written text.
Essentially, orthography is the bridge between the spoken and written word. It allows us to communicate effectively in writing, and to understand the written form of a language.
Examples of Orthography:
* The English spelling "knight" reflects its old pronunciation, even though it's pronounced differently today. This is an example of how orthography can be inconsistent with pronunciation.
* The "c" in "cat" is pronounced differently than the "c" in "cell." This is an example of a letter having different sounds depending on its position in a word.
* The rule of adding "-ed" to form the past tense of a verb is an example of a spelling rule.
Orthography is crucial for literacy, and it's something we learn from a young age. As we learn to read and write, we become more familiar with the orthographic rules of our language.