ABSTRACT
Inthecourseof30yearsorso,theideathatreadingwordsrequiresphonology hasascendedfromaminorityviewtoonewithsuchasubstantialmajoritythat it now amounts to a conventional wisdom. This sweeping change of opinion can becelebratedasatriumphofreadingscience.Itcanalsoprovideamomentfor re—ectiontoconsidertheperilsthatcomewithbeingacomfortablemajority.In whatfollows,Iexamineboththecelebratoryandthecautionaryaspectsofthe ascendancy of phonology.
