Spelling reform
A Plan for the Improvement of English Spelling
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
Robert Allen’s Spelling explains why spelling is difficult in English, and he offers a variety of solutions to the problem. He shows you how to use dictionaries and spell checkers, unravels the tricky apostrophe, and explains word endings. Beginners in particular will find his approach very helpful, and even advanced users will probably learn a thing or two.
- English Language 3.0 (.html)
Download this program now! Everything you need to know about English — language rules, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Improve your written style. Get rid of mistakes. Quiz questions and exercises help you to check your understanding. Learn how language works. Suitable for all levels – from beginners to advanced. Latest version allows you to customize [...]
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I know old folks have a tough time with change, but it is well know that English spelling is atrociously illogical and unpredictable. Illiteracy rates in English speaking countries (all things being equal) are as much as twice as in those countries were languages are more phonemic or phonetic if you prefer like Italian or Spanish. Many intellectuals have and do agree that English spelling has to change not the learners who are learning it. The above texts are some of the ways that things could be made better. It looks funny to you. It might be sacrilegious to you, but for kids who would have not seen anything else, it would be EASY! The real sacrilege is not doing anything! The real sacrilege is asking logical kids to learn an illogical system! Educate yourself on this! A spelling reform in English makes sense! And, BTW, most reformers would not be in favour of you having to adopt the new spelling system! That would be illogical!
Peter – Many attempts have been made in the past to simplify, ‘improve’, and regularise English Spelling. Some of them have been lavishly funded and endorsed by well-known writers and intellectuals. All of them have failed. English spelling is irregular because the language itself is made up of elements of several other languages – Latin, Anglo-Saxon, French, and others. The spelling might be irregular, but fortunately it is simplified in other ways – such as not being inflected and not having gendered nouns.
I don’t know who I’m quoting but “the English language is the language that hides in dark alley ways waiting for other languages to pass so it can jump them and go through the pockets for loose grammar.”
I had not come across that one before, but from a quick Google search it looks as if it could be Oscar Wilde. Perhaps someone else could comment?