Fwd: Truespel Analysis of USA English - Book One

Tue Aug 10 15:20:35 UTC 2004

What about the ancient distinction between long o and open o before r?

dInIs

>Interestingly, the archaic distinction between
>"w" and "wh" (e.g. witch vs. which) is not
>preserved in this system but the archaic
>distinction between "short o" and "open o" (e.g.
>cot vs. caught) is maintained.
>
>BTW, "archaic" here means used by Dennis Preston. : )
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Laurence Horn
>Sent: Tue 8/10/2004 8:50 AM
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject:      Fwd: Truespel Analysis of USA English - Book One
>
>In case anyone is interested in a reformed "phonetic spelling" system
>for English based on, yes, the well-established "General American"
>dialect...
>
>--- begin forwarded text
>
>
>Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 19:12:20 -0700 (PDT)
>From: tom zurinskas <tzurinskas at yahoo.com>
>Subject: Truespel Analysis of USA English - Book One
>
>Hello,
>
>I've rewritten the English language into a simple
>phonetic system called "truespel".  The aim is to
>replace the present phonetic spelling in dictionaries
>with a simple, keyboard enterable phonetic spelling
>that will be easy to use and have many applications.
>The truespel database has been used to analyze USA
>English as shown below.  I'm looking to partner for
>testing of truespel applications for reading
>development and implementation of such truespel
>products as a dictionary with truespel as the
>pronunciation key, ESL tools, beginning reader tools,
>etc.
>
>Let me know if interested.  The truespel group address
>is  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/truespel/
>See write-up below.
>
>Tom Zurinskas
>
>
>Truespel Analysis of USA English
>
>A new book ìTruespel Book One: Analysis of the Sounds
>(Phonemes) of USA Englishî gives a new understanding
>of the sounds English.  It shows the frequency of use
>of the phonemes of English, USA accent.  It compares
>those phonemes to other languages and graphs the
>differences.  It compares how often a phoneme appears
>in the dictionary versus common usage as in news
>print.  Its biggest contribution is the detailed
>listing of the number of ways the USA English speech
>sounds are spelled, showing percentages.
>
>Things can be gleaned from Truespel Book One about USA
>English that you didnít know before:
>-       What are  the commonest and least common sounds.
>-       What sounds appear more frequently in speech than
>the dictionary.
>-       What are the commonest ways each of our speech
>sounds are spelled.
>-       Which sounds are spelled the most various ways.
>-       Which sounds are mostly ignored and not spelled at
>all.
>-       What sounds never appear next to other sounds.
>-       What various sounds can come from certain
>traditional letter combinations.
>
>To accomplish this analysis, the author, Thomas E.
>Zurinskas, has respelled the English language in a
>60k-word conversion dictionary.  Truespel is, in fact,
>a replacement pronunciation guide for USA English
>dictionaries.  The use of regular letters to spell the
>40 sounds of USA English allows computer keyboard
>entries.  English pronunciation is taken from talking
>dictionary, typical of USA media.  Thus, it can be for
>modeling USA accent.
>
>Other truespel uses are as an initial phonetic
>spelling system for learners and as a standard
>spelling for translation guides.  It integrates for
>the first time these three literacy areas
>(pronunciation guide, beginning reader, and
>translation guide).  Children using a phonetic system
>as a beginning reader can begin writing as well as
>reading.  This approach has been demonstrated  by the
>late Dr. Henry Martin with 10,000 children ages 5-6,
>using IBM's "Writing to Read" phonetic method.  They
>later transition to traditional spelling with no
>difficulty, yet maintain a new capability for
>phonetic spelling.
>
>Truespel is freely available.  A free
>English-to-truespel converter is on the web at
>http://www.foreignword.com/dictionary/truespel/transpel.htm
>   Teachers can use it to make pronunciation lessons.
>The key is on the first page at bottom (or see
>truespel.com).  Thus, any text or book file in English
>is just a conversion away from being written in
>truespel.
>
>Truespel Book One also includes the text of a tutorial
>that can be obtained as a CD for training.  It takes
>only 1-hour to achieve fair proficiency.  The CD uses
>nonsense words.  It also has an aptitude test for
>phonemic awareness at the end that can be emailed for
>grading.
>
>Truespel Book One: Analysis of the Sounds (Phonemes)
>of USA English is available at
>http://www.authorhouse.com/bookstore/itemdetail.aspx?bookid=16593
>($16.75) and as an ebook at  ($3.95) or call
>Authorhouse at 800/839-8640 (Toll Free) 812/339-6000
>(Outside USA and Canada).  ìTruespel Book Two:
>Phonetic Dictionary of USA Englishî (Authorhouse.com)
>is in production and should be out in a month or two.
>
>Interested individuals can contact the author at
>tzurinskas at yahoo.com.  The truespel group address is
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/truespel/
>
>Thomas E. Zurinskas, creator of truespel
>322 Pine Ridge Circle, B-2
>Greenacres, FL  33463
>
>
>=====
>Convert text to truespel USA accent by copy/pasting text at:
>http://www.foreignword.com/dictionary/truespel/transpel.htm
>
>For truespel discussion and phoneme frequency files go to
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/truespel/  or truespel.com
>
>Read ìTruespel Book One: Analysis of the Sounds (Phonemes)
>of USA English (Authorhouse.com)
>
>
>
>__________________________________
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>
>--- end forwarded text

--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic,
        Asian and African Languages
Wells Hall A-740
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1027 USA
Office: (517) 353-0740
Fax: (517) 432-2736