The present paper reviews the literature on orthographic transparency, morphological complexity, and syllabic complexity of alphabetic languages. Theoretical concepts (e.g., the orthographic depth hypothesis the grain size theory) as well as empirical evidence suggest that certain orthographies are easier to learn than others. Reading is an essential skill in modern societies, yet not all learners necessarily become proficient readers. 3Niilo Mäki Institute, Jyväskylä, Finland.2Department of Psychology, Agora Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.1Center for Language and Cognition Groningen, School of Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.Maassen 1, Heikki Lyytinen 2,3 and Frans Zwarts 1
