Push for simpler spelling

When “say,” “they” and “weigh” rhyme, but “bomb,” “comb” and “tomb” don’t, wuudn’t it maek mor sens to spel wurdz the wae thae sound?

Those in favor of simplified spelling say children would learn faster and illiteracy rates would drop. Opponents say a new system would make spelling even more confusing.

Eether wae, the consept has yet to capcher th publix imajinaeshun.

Gah, how frustrating is it to read the ‘simpler’ spelling in that document??? I think I’ll just stick to the traditional way of spelling, plus I’ll even throw in some extra ‘u’s just to annoy the Merkins! Favour, colour! He he!

Ah she is so right, plus what would happen if you had an accent, hmm? then the whole dictionary would change

I vote in my no for you right now

A couple of decades ago there was an effort to print books with ‘rational’ spelling. One of the books was a children’s book: Dhe Litl Red Hen.

With the way people spell online, I don’t doubt this will become fairly commonplace in the future.  We’ve all seen those people post who seem to have dropped out of school in the second grade.

Even though there are only a few languages with a truly standardized pronunciation and spelling (dutch), most nations can come up with a kind of agreement to teach in classes. (For French, it’s the “Parisian” version, maintained by a bunch of old guys)
Something that becomes increasingly difficult to keep consistent within nations or languages spanning large geographic areas or with too much cultural differences.

English has the added problem that about half the words are French and most English-speaking areas of the world have developed their way of speaking independent from england for hundreds of years. (Try understanding an old Texan when you’ve been taught British English ).

But this is “speaking”, not reading or writing. With people speaking different dialects (or a different language), their common ground for communications is often the written word. With recognizable mental images when reading words. And rather strict rules for combining words into sentences.

Change is only natural in a language (and indeed necessary for its spelling to keep up). But to do as these people to so drastically change it overnight, to their own way of speaking, might cause a lot of problems (e.g. different MoH sites for British and Americans ). And all just for making spelling bees easier.

Having worked in the sign industry, I can only imagine what street signs and the ilk would look like. *Shivers* And all the books would have to be rewritten! “Hippoh Eetz Dwarf” “The Wizzard ov Oz” “Gon With Thee Wind” Oh, my head hurts!!

Frost is right the spoken is often different that the written.  In Chinese I think there is one written language but several different dialects spoken, some of these not understandable to the other.  The English spelling of words did not become standard until the 1700’s with Webster (of dictionary fame) actually putting forth the effort to collect words.

I am an ex associate - 07 July 2006 11:39 PM

Frost is right the spoken is often different that the written.  In Chinese I think there is one written language but several different dialects spoken, some of these not understandable to the other.  The English spelling of words did not become standard until the 1700’s with Webster (of dictionary fame) actually putting forth the effort to collect words.

it’s true! look at the liberty bell, Pennsylvania is spelled wrong because Webster wasn’t born yet

Those in favor of simplified spelling say children would learn faster and illiteracy rates would drop

This is so true!!!!  And when you drop the poverty line from $15,000 per year to $6,000 per year, there are less poor people!!!!!

I could agree with standardizing the spelling of certain words so that words written alike sound alike, and words that sound alike are spelled alike.  But despite being a neat idea, “fonetic speling” just doesn’t seem to be the way to go about that.

As for ever simplifying english spelling, we’ll adopt it right after we convert to the metric system.

lol bebe, too true.

hmm. theres no way this would work with accents and stuff. but who am I to argue?
I found the thing quite hard to read, and had to say some words out loud before I understood.