New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-21
PHONETIC SPELLING.

GRADUAL SPREAD OF THE REFORM
MANY SCHOLARS ADVOCATES OF HE CHANGE
TWO HUNDRED SNAIL PAPERS ALREADY USING
PHONETIC IYrF.
IRON An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
BosToN. March 15.-From facts which are
readily accessible here AT the Office Of the Spelling re
form Associations it is certain that the proposed reform
OF English spelling Is making progress IN The unted
states 1t is reform which spreads quietly IL makes
little show and little noise It's supporters say that II
restsupon principles which must be acknowledgements
pies which must commend themselves with no othcrar-
cnmcut than their TRUTH and which must enforce
themselves upon the common sense OF tine people ny
their evident merit, they Will never be accepted att
From all rarls Of the country, except the South the
changes recommended hy the association are gradually
crecping mo use The West IN advance OF the East
in putting the theories and advice 10 practical test,
the Uppcr Mississippi valley Is the field when mas
yielded the quickest returns. Chicago j. really inc
centre OF the interest IN that region, ana II no city
In the country is there more cordial feeling
toward the new "h.osohcll aliabet." so many
prominent scholars and writers believe thoroughly IN
the simple way of spelling, and they bring such
pertinent answers the objections Of the conserVa-
tivcs that it impossible TO check The gradual
acceptance OF their views Judging from the progress OF
the last year Names ike those OF Professor W.
d. whitney of Yale and of Professor Max Muller carry
great weight with people who know how much right
they have TO speak with authority. Two instances
can give now of a college professor and instructor who
were shaken in their conservatism by the mere fact
that Professor Whitney spelling IefOrmer, and
who are on the same platform with him Both the
professors named above vccprosdents OF the Spell
ing Reform Association, and in the same list are
the Hon. william T. Harris. LID, OF 81. Louis
Professor f. j. Child, of Harvard University Vice
President e. X Nelson D. D.. Of -. Johns College, at
Annapolis, and Professor :. 5. Iiodeman, LID. OF
the University Of Pennsylvania, besides half
dozen titled Englshmen. The president OF the
English association for spelling reform says that
there is not a reputable scholar In England who is op
posed to IT, # Is regarded only question OF time
perhaps short al that when the Will be of the
United states An Indication Of this increasing interest
here is the publication in several monthly maya
zines OF articles the reform, some advocating II
warmly others stouy opposingi u.
Constant activity marks the friends Of the new spell
ing Yet tina; activity tempered than when sim
liar ideas were advanced twenty-five years Re
formers then attempted 10 made phonetic alpha
bet. and to be consistent In all details. Now the en-
deavor to Ind how fast people likely To adopt the
changes recommended. and go only fast, though
be at first the expense OF little consistency trust
ing 10 time to make the alphabet and all spelling abso
lutey phonetic. Whatever changes are recommended
are studied most carefully both in the roman and script
forms At first may il particular shape were
not the best which might he devised. but consideration
of every detail which had 10 be thought ot IN
choosing the form Will generally convince tho qucs-
toner that 1t IL difficult 10 improve upon the reromnen
daiun both to the suitabcness Of the new letter Tor
popular adoption, ts similarity 10 kindred letters
representing kindred sounds ia dsuctnes' Tor lts own
aud its convenience OF formation IL Is the final
conviction Of the association thn the only perfect al
phabct that IN which there f. letter for ench sound
aud sound for each letter tut the stictness of this
theory has to he sacrificed IN degree introduce
ANY change however, which stops short ~
that ideal IS incomplete and cannot he final Forms are
recommended BY the association which Hre regarded as
transitional For instance In tcad Of introducing
letter IAN with tail to the last stroke. has been
suggcstcd) for the Hg sound 81 the In finger there
stroke connecting the and the and bOth the let
ters solid III piece. The reformcrs trust To
the known tendency Of typcfOunders AID writer's 10
shorten complicated forms aud are confident that new
letter will De formed grada y out Of the OF the
two, which will take It's place In phonetic alphabet
People would reject the tailed queer, but do not
object AT all TO the connecting stroke between the ana
a. " hich T. the only feature Introduced. Similar
changes are recommended with Sh and IN. IN hard and
SOFT aud with other letters TO famarize people with
shorter rms the association has printed large mum
beers OF little slips like the Ing. which II distributes
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