The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-12-30


present day declare that phonetic mode |
of representation would tend TO the ad- |
Vaneement of etymology. Nothing can
be more obvious than that etymologists |
need some means of speaking of sounds
with the certainty of being understood;
for, as the best etymologists will inform
you. the origin or relationship of word
cannot be determined by mere literal
appearances and resemblances, unless
the sounds of the letters representing it
are known. Hence. etymology has re-
gard primarily to sounds, and secondari-
ly, to letters, as these suggest to the
mind what might have been the former
pronunciat ton of the word. Then it fol-
lows, that the primary want of etymolo-
gy is system of signs exactly cores
ponding to the vocal slements-in other
words, phonetic representation of Ian
guage. 1t wants secondsrily, the COM
mon spelling of words as suggestive of
their former pronunciation. The intel
ligent etymologist will say-"Adopt pho
netic spelling,-this is our primary want;
| l-AuO we Will secure Hi the aQYan LaRSS
of the old spelling, by placing it in our
dictionaries Immediately after the new
spelling" The difficulty of securing all
the advantages of the ordinary orthogra-
ply will not be half so great as the pres
ent difficulty of communicating the re-
suits of our chronological Investigations
by signs which have no certain signifca-
tion, and which are not sufficient for the
representation of all the elements. Most
fully do l admit that decent respect,
for mankind, should compel every one
who addresses them in print to spell ac-
cording to the best standard or usage.
English orthography is at best chaotic
labyrinth, provoking enough TO the way
farer when its fortuitous elements are
congealed into immobility; but when
they have no adhesion or continuity
moving constantly on each other like
broken floating ice, it becomes an insult
A school teacher who does not spell cor
rectly, by somebody's system, should go
abroad and stay there. But just here we
see the wrong in the English orthogra-
ply.
Why do we have SO many illiterate
school teachers? Why do applicants be-
fore boards of examination get such a
low grade-generally on spelling2 1 do
not stop to blame committees The
trouble lies higher. The great masters
of English literature, the law-givers of
our language, are such bunglers or char
latans, in their own profession, that they
ought to be ashamed to fling pebble at
the worst of spoilers, or even the invent
or of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Why in
the name of honesty, mechanical skill
and common sense, do they impose upon
the world, age after age, this false, imper-
feet, unreasonable, manner of visualizing
, the vocal tongue? They are well aware
that if alphabets were made true to the
principles on which they profess to rest
and used simply for the purpose of con
veying to the mind of the reader the
sound of the writers voice when speaking
the words, school teachers would find
little OF no difficulty in teaching children
t to read A child would then as soon az
he had learned his letters, know how to
spell, as well as to speak, and on being
} taught to speak properly, he would, Of
course. spell correctly. More than this
if the press addressed the world with 8
true phonetic alphabet, giving distinctly
the vocalization of the best usage, the
humblest reader would thereby be taught
, the right pronunciation of words
Thus our common school might begin
where now. for the most part, they are
Obliged to leave off. The difficulty of the
matter is, that it is extremely difficult tc
get a good method of teaching such q
system as our common orthography pre-
sented to US. We do well when we gel
! ing with vengeance, and perhaps the
shell of grammar
OF course / do not deny that there are
some literary saints of unquestionable
genius, who devote or doom themselves
to painful inculcation into the memo
/ ries of reluctant or rebellious youth. oi
J all the ineongruities, contradictions, rid
dies, and Sphinx-puzzles of English or
= biography, hoping only for the pleasure
of introducing his pupils to the sweet
fields that lie beyond the confounded
} chapparral.
But the people of genius who teach
spelling are few. English orthograpby
, is congenial only with stupidity; and af
ter four or five years of occasional obser
vation in regard to it, am of opinion
that good successful teachers of spelling
can seldom write page without misspell
ing several words.
Of another thing l have no doubt at
all. to wit: that learning to spell is dis
cipline, pernicious to good mental habits.
The minds of unschooled children are
eager for facts with reason for them,
and they are not satisfied with a reason
i. till they see its force. But after they
have been schooled through the inconse-
quential mysteries of the spelling book,
where reason has less chance of living