True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-03-01
For the True American.
Written Language No. s.


Anglo-Saxon; but indebted to other Ian
guages, both ancient and modern, for many
Of the words of which it is composed. In
the introduction of these words, it was
deemed necessary to retain their former
photography. Consequently we now find
incorporated in our system of orthography
all the errors, defects and gross absurdities
of these various languages. This process
has not yet ceased. New words are contin-
ually being added to ourlanguage. Every
new thought requires additional language.
Every new science, every new discovery
adds largely to our list of words. Thus
our language is becoming, every year,
more and more cumbersome, and conse-
quently more and more difficult of acquire
ment.
Hence, we find that our system of or
biography, instead of conforming to the
basis upon which written language was at
first instituted, is departure from that
basis. There are very few words in our
language that are formed according to this
principle. True, there are many words
written according to certain sounds, repre-
scented by the letters comprising them, yet
these same letters, in other combinations,
represent entirely different sounds. Hence,
I can truly say, that our whole orthogra-
PLY is departure from the original basis
of written language.
l would not, however, make this asser-
ton without some proof of its correctness.
I shall endeayor, briefly, to show the ne,
cessities of reform in our present system
of photography.
There are, in our language, forty-three
elementary sounds. And what have We to
represent them? An alphabet consisting
of twenty-six letters. But as it relates to
the representation of elementary sounds,
three Of them e, G, x,) are superfuous,
as they represent no sound, but can be rep,
resented by the other letters and theiI
combinations. Hence, we have but twenty.
three effective letters with which to repre-.
sent forty-three sounds.
We thus find our alphabet deficient in
the following particulars.
!. In the representation of vowel sounds
We have fifteen vowel sounds, eight
long and seven short ones. These are the
sounds represented by c in eel ca in earth
a in ale, al in air, in arms, in all, 0 in
oak, 90 in ooze, i in it, e in ell, in an, q
in ash, in on, u in up, sco in wood
Now, to represent these sounds, all Of
which can be uttered by the cultivated
voice, we have but five characters, a, e, i,
o,u.
2. In the representation of dipth-
thongal sounds.
We have four diphthongal sounds, viz
those represented by i in ice, OF in oil, ou
in owl, da in dupe. 10 represent these
sounds, we have but one sign, the sign i,
which is also a symbol for vowel sound
3. In the representation of consonantal
sounds.
| We have tweuty-four consonantal sounds
Considering those represented by h, W, y,
as such.) 10 represent these sounds VIC
have the characters, b, I'd, f, G, h, j, l.
m, n, PES, " w. Hence we lack
six distinct signs The III in thine, the
III in then, the ch in chair, the sh in short
the Z in azure, and the ng in sing, repre-
|
sent sounds which are specifically distinct
and simple, and consequently should have
corresponding signs.
Of necessity, therefore, to supply these
deficiencies, some Of the letters must dc
double duty. But the actual case is worse
than the necessity, for we find that the
same sound has been frequently rcpresen
ted by different characters. But of this
next week.
OHIO MEN LOOKING WESTWARD
The Hon. James Mathews, of Coshocton
Ohio, removes in the spring to Knoxville