The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-07-09

petic system OF Spelling Dis
cussed, and the Metric system of
Weighs and Measures Recon-
mended, &C., &c.
PUr-N-BAY, July 5. 1877.
Editors OF the Register.
In the afternoon of yesterday j. y.
Vale, of Cincinnati, presented the sub
ject of spelling reform. The points made
in his paper were these: The most dis
tingulshed student of language of the
age, Max Muller, iavors the simplitica-
ton of our spelling. VIM. +, Gladstone,
the English statesman, and many ether
distinguished literary and scientific mer,
favor the change. 1t has the weight OF
authority IN its favor Several assOcia-
tions have been formed by eminent
scholars of our own country and Eng.
land to promote this movement. Great
difficulties attend the progress of this re-
form, but it is practical, and should be
accomplished. Directors will say that
We will destroy great value in the
millions of dollars invested now IN
type and plates Tor books, We
would have TO learn our language over
q .sin fthe spelling were changed now.
We would destroy our libraries and
make them unrcsdabie by the scholars
of the future without lexicon in hand
But these difficulties are more imaginary
than real.
The change must be gradual, not
abrupt. They say that phor etic spell
ling would look odd. but address is not
an argument Of force against anything.
As to the objection that we would for
lent the glories of our English literature
and classics, it is bsseless. That glory
consists in Thoughts that breathe and
words that burn" not in the mere
written forms of the words. That we
obscure the derivation OF word by
changing its spelling is another obiec-
ton, but language WAS not made for the
use of of etymologists, it is tor the people
We do not destroy historical SPELL
ing rs some sllege, for the spelling of
many words in the days of SHAKESPEARE
aud before was much nearer phonetic
than it is now. Numerous examples were
cited to show this.
Mere chance, ignorance and caprice has
had much to do in forming our present
system of spelling 1t is not q change
less system but Is constantly changing
Why not change it always towards the
phonetic2 Some may say that we could
not discriminate between words of differ
eat meaning, which would then all have
the same spelling but this objection is
futile, tor We already hsve hundreds of
words of the same spelling with different
meanings and no one is COZ fused thereby.
The only argument of weight against
the change Is that OF pare conservatism.
The language with all Its imperiectiOns,
rs absurditIeS, Is ours; we have learned
IL,
and 50 we wish OF To change.
Yet the advantages 10 be be gained
overbaance even this argument. The
objections against our present system of
spelling are strong. 1t furnishes g'eat
practical Inconvenience both in learning
and in using the language The spread
of our language in iorcign lands is great
ly hiudered by its eccentricities in syaIi-
ing. This reLards the missionary
work. There is great loss OF
time in teaching spelling, ail of
which would be saved if our
system were phonetic, rs also the saIa-
ries of the teachers engaged in this work.
1t would shorten our school course to
change. \ lsir estimate makes our let
t.rs silent seven per cent. OF all used.
This seven per cent. would be saved in
the time of every writer and type-setter,
ami would reduce by so much the cost
OF copying and printing. Another great
advantage of the phonetic spelling is that
it would give US q uniformity of pro-
nunciatiOn which is now SO diverse. The
teaching of our present cumbrous spell.
ing tends TO stupefy rather than enliven
the minds of those who have II To learn.
This great reform will come, and it
must come through the school master
certain simple estures of the reform
upon which all could agree must be
adopted first and from these we progress
gradually to others. The speech closed
n. follows: AT all events, whether or
not we heartily endorse the movement, 1t
Is our bounden duty TO make 1t certain
that the next generation shall not look
with the same superstltious reverence ~
tue present generation upon what Max
Muller calls Our unhistorical, unsystem-
auc. unintelligible and unteachsbl mode
Of spelling The paper WAS received
with hearty applause, and its convincing
arguments met The approval of many OF
the members of the association.
Mr.. John W. Dowd, who was to open
the discussion had mad the privilege of
reading Mr. Wales address before its de.
livery and hence was well prepared to
discuss 1t.
In opening the discussion OF Mr..
Wales paper Mr.. DOwd said that if the
refol m prOpC sed by Mr. Vale were prac-
ticable he might advocate 1t, but he felt
that we must rather Endure the ills we
hive than fly to others that we know not
Of"
Any new system of spelling to be sue
cessful, Mr. Vale admits, must use the
alphabet we now have and not introduce
new character for each sound.
The difficulties of our present system
are largely exaggerated They are not
SO great as to repress the growth OF
literature.
The difficulties of spelling are not
proportlonsIly lessened as words APP
proach the phonetic in character. Pho.
netic spelling would have to be learned,
and even it would not be a perpetual
d light The difficult spelling has its
advantages in the very pecuiarites of
tae words. We remember them better
b. contrast. Everyone,can spell phtdiUc
fbara 10