Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-04-15
WHAT TEE SPELLING kERORM FRO.
PODES.
In the following article words will be
spelt sscording 70 tho widely known
xrxs mn n NON NYsr spYYI MOE.

In the following article words will bt
spelt according 70 tho widely known
Five suLEs FOB NEW srELiSos:
1.-Omit from the digraf ca when
pronounst as e-short, as in he'd, helth
etc.
2.-Omit silent after short vowel
~ in hav, Civ. etc.
3.-Writs + for ph in such words as
alfabet, fantOm, etc.
4.-When word ends with a doubl
letter, omit the last, as in shall. elf, &C.
etc.
5.-Change ed final to where it has
the sound Of {. AZ in lasht, i'm; rest, etc.
These wer quite erly adofte ~ the
Spelling Reform Association, with DIR. +.
A. Marsh ~ President, the eminent fl
ologist and professor of English litsra-
ture At La Fayetts College, Easton, Pa.
Other rules hav NOR or less sanction
but these Ar consider as an entering
wedg, with proper names only exempt
from al changes. Under the prevailing
method, child has no greater task than
spelling and reading in which there is
no aid bat by observing and remember
ng forms of words. Al exercise of
reason il worse than nothing, as it is OBJ
servabl that the bright, clsar-minded
pupils often spoil a. il by analogy and
hence 90 amis. Here sight and not
sense governs. Beyond doubt full
year vii DO gained by each school child
before reaching tho grammar department,
when the now spelings and none others
are taught from the start.
New letters would he AIDED that thirty
two characters might NOR exactly repre-
sent the elementary sounds which are
providing our present alphabet. New
vcwels ar needed for the pure tones in
Jdt, not and but. Sh, N, Oh as digrafs
await substitution by single consonants.
With reference to the changes advo-
Gated, eitain Inconsistencies of present
orthografy may be shown. taking the
vowel v: In duel, flute, tutor and many
other words should he long, Q. z. VI in
tube il the same AZ In use but we hear
only "toOb." Conversely u IN heard con-
trary TO standard authorities, in launch,
gauntlet and jdundice. And ~ to sub
suit, Aue, few, through, etc.
The new NOV comes to tho rescu, BY
emitting silen1 vowsls ~ In guard, sieve,
friend, biscuit; and by contraction, ~
In thru, catalog and ruff (rough). The
numerous silent consonants ar dropped
a. per exRmpls. ssspter. Wednesday,
gnash, ghost, KNOCK, hymn, often,
catarrh, iSihinus.
One need not be surprised At these
changes whom noting the changes al
ready establisht ~ honor for honour,
burden for burthsn, knelt aud plead for
kneeled and pleaded.
Tho propriety Of allowing place to
letters that ad no sound to the word
may we'll be questioned n sometimes
sinol letter Affects the meaning Of q
word very much. 4. z. gait and quiet.
pity and pity ar but little different
while fast and feast, fend ana friend
are 0ppoaits. Re-vsrcd becomcV rever-
end, rsiRn-ed, rs-aignsd by. the addition
Of only an n or ..
In the words beast and died q and
might be omitted, giving other words;
while In coast, either the o, or might
b. dropped. thus: Cast, cost, coat or
complete, coast. Alter( )ation, medi-
(t)afion may read either way, while tho
word s-o-r-s-a-m would make complete
words by eucceaaiv capitation. The
doubl cOnsonAnta In dessert, hopping,
planned, aud robbed make different
words from deeert, stc. In another
clAas Of words care must DO takn to
doubl the proper letter ~ per exampl,
fell or feel, CHEEKY and cherry.
Hero are numer0oB instances where
sinRl letters CAV individuality 10 Ger
tain words but by the spelling reform
al needless vcrbia0e would be stricken
from the Language lsving essentials
only.
The Utica Herald and Chicago Trl-
bame ar reprsesutaslv journals using the
revised speline. Furthermore, elabor.
ate articles have been publisht In the
Galarv, the Atlantic, TIE fndepsndtaf,
Scribnsrss NoaiAiy, the Priaceioa Re-
rss~, the Afhexassn, the Academy, TIE
Farfnightiy Rspier; in the proceedings
Of tho spelling Reform Association, the
Pathological Association. the American
Institute OF Instruction, the National
Educational Association, and in books
like Max Mullsr's Chips from German
Workahop. Whitney, Oriental and Lin
guistic 6eudies, Hndley's Pathological
and Critical Essays, and Ellia's Works.
Two important new books have been
wholly devoted 70 phonetic and spelling
reform: A Handbook Of Fhonssioa. by
Henry Sweet, President OF the Philo-
logical 6oeisay az England, and SPELL
Ing Reform from an EdncAtiuual N0int
or View, by Hon. j. n. Gladstone; aud
oehcr ana bigger books hav bson pub
lisht on the subject. Prot. J. i. Jonn-
con, Of The univseaity Of Nissisaippi,
euS UvrH r. r. 0hpventar ~ thA 1Yns