AP: Spelling Bee protesters

RonButters ronbutters at AOL.COM
Sat Jun 5 00:09:38 UTC 2010


The myth that English spelling is particularly unsystematic (not to say  "hectic"--whatever that means!) is breathlessly repeated over and over by the linguistically naïve. If it were true, there would be no point in trying to teach English reading phonically. True, there is variability, but it is largely rule governed and accomodates many dialects, both archaic and modern. (The belief that It works better for Middle English than Modern Englishes is likewise a myth promulgated by the ignorant.)
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Barr <rickbarremail at GMAIL.COM>
Date:         Fri, 4 Jun 2010 11:15:09
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject:      Re: [ADS-L] AP: Spelling Bee protesters

There was a piece about English spelling in The Economist a few years ago.
It may be this one, but its content is blocked so I couldn't double-check:
http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=922074&story_id=E1_TTJNDRNJ

It did say something relevant to this discussion, and it is that English
takes longer to read than other European languages, precisely because of its
hectic spelling. Of course, it is unthinkable to carry through an overhaul
of English spelling. But the price paid in readability is something to take
into account.

-- Rick


On Fri, Jun 4, 2010 at 10:23 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: AP: Spelling Bee protesters
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 6/4/2010 04:47 AM, Tom Zurinskas wrote:
> >In Finland there are no spelling bees.  Finnish spelling is simple,
> >phonetic.  Simpler is better.
>
> But think of the fun they're all missing.
>
> Joel
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list