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On spelling

On spelling

On spelling

(OP)
I first ran across this little gem my junior or senior year in college, pulbished in the classic collection of short essays, "A Stress Analysis of a Strapless Evening Gown".

This essay lays out a very sensible progression towards a more rationalized system of spelling for the English language.

MEIHEM IN CE KLASRUM

http://www.cise.ufl.edu/~dcc/old/chris/meihem.htm

RE: On spelling

"Flowers for Algernon" comes to mind.
Possibly from a similar Science Fiction anthology. It contains a nice gradtaion of spelling and grammar from Algernon as a simpleton to when he bacame a genius (and reverted when the treatment wore off).

RE: On spelling

"Flowers for Algernon" - probably one of the most moving of all SF stories. Thank you Daniel Keyes. I would recommend it to everyone.

(Sorry that was a bit off-topic, but the book is worth it!)

Good Luck
johnwm

RE: On spelling

What's a "gradtaion"?

 

Buy a dictionary, keep it nearby and USE it. Webster's New World Dictionary of American English is recommended, and Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.

RE: On spelling

A great one from Samuel Clemens on improving the English language:



For example, in Year 1 that useless letter "c" would be dropped to be replased either by "k" or "s", and likewise "x" would no longer be part of the alphabet. The only kase in which "c" would be retained would be the "ch" formation, which will be dealt with later. Year 2 might reform "w" spelling, so that "which" and "one" would take the same konsonant, wile Year 3 might well abolish "y" replasing it with "i" and Iear 4 might fiks the "g
j" anomali wonse and for all.

Jenerally, then, the improvement would kontinue iear bai iear with Iear 5 doing awai with useless double konsonants, and Iears 6-12 or so modifaiing vowlz and the rimeining voist and unvoist konsonants. Bai Iear 15 or sou, it wud fainali bi posibl tu meik ius ov thi ridandant letez "c", "y" and "x" -- bai now jast a memori in the maindz ov ould doderez -- tu riplais "ch", "sh", and "th" rispektivli.

Fainali, xen, aafte sam 20 iers ov orxogrefkl riform, wi wud
hev a lojikl, kohirnt speling in ius xrewawt xe Ingliy-spiking werld.

Mark Twain (1835 - 1910), "A Plan for the Improvement of English Spelling"

RE: On spelling

Is there an echo in here?

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