New-York tribune., 1891-05-25
AMERICAN SPELLING.
wEBSTERs DICTIONARY IN ENGLAND.
ITS STANDING WITH THE CRITICS AND ITS
VOGUE WITH THE PEOPLE.

ITS STANDING WITH THE CRITICS AND ITS
VOGUE WITH THE PEOPLE.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
SIR Your London correspondent "G. W. ST. In
letter published In The Tribune Of Sunday, May D.
makes some observations on the new "webster's In
ternaonal Dictionary the conclusion OF which Is sna'
English criticism Of It's spelling OF certain words or
classes Of words adds the dislike with when to
good American views such work" II was BOSTON
wit that said that good Americans when tney oe ~
to Paris. Perhaps very good Americans. the hA'anS
Of the race are In translated to LONDON "'a
out dying.
According to your correspondent the persons who
,r~ stirred "a fresh protest. by the appearance In
England OF the new dictionary some Of the critics
who set value upon English pure and undenieo
md he adds: at has never been thought mere thac
English as she wrote and spelled by Noah weoster'
answers 10 either definition. No more does 1t now'
improved though the BOOK has been by Dr. Porters
conscientious editing The familiar line,
Dan Chaucer, well OF English undenled
was written BY Edmund spenser, and II Chaucers OF
Sponsors photography is English undeled, all England
IS now SHINING in this respect as gevousiy as Dr'
-WebSter or DR.. Porter. But whoever who mas ac-
ouaintance with the history Of the English language
knows that its orthography has been subject TO rc
quent changes. 1t is not many years since conserVa
tive critics were as fastdous about preserving nna
I'm such words as crtck and musick as they now are
about spelling honour and favour and colour Win q
useless u.
ave hear says @. W. s.. "of American speling'
II 10 not Americap, 1t is wcbsterese" what MAKES
anything American II acceptance. adoption, use oy
Amercans generally constitutes American1sm there Is
hardly anything else universally American as the
photography of Webster's dictionary In It's later co
tons and IL Is also gaining acceptance IN Engianu'
The vast majority, overwhelming proporton OF the
books ana newspapers published In the United states
conform substantially to the webserian standards.
OK 900 rh00f-h
this standard are published annually, ana otherwise
they could not be sold except In few places The
assumption by &C. w. s." that Dr. w. d. Wmuey'
Editor OF The Century Dictionary" adopted the Web-
tereser spelling in that work against his Judgment ana
for business reasons, "The Century Company having
,ommitted itself to q propagation Of these solecsms,
< an ,muntation upon that eminent phologist which,
Tor mpudenoe is worthy born British philsane ana
his opinion that the adoption OF this spelling VIII nc
strict its sale hero is vastly amusing. lie may DO
recommended to institute an inquiry into the compare
tive sales Of webster's Dictionary and the one which
he more affects.
put a. &c when G. w. ST. supports his ortbographi-
cal preerenoes by argument that he becomes most en-
tertaining For example, consider his remarks on tne
word traveller" "The Engishman disliBes 10 see
honour spelled honor almost as much as ne us
Ines the greater and more ntolerable barbarism OF
traveller for traveller He. an American either
might naturally pronounce the former as If 1t were
rpelled f1ayveler'" Why? By what rule or prin-
cipe of pronunciation would he naturally 90 SO, un-
less he also pronounces travel rayveI"f feIlous Is
spelled by all authorities with single /; does anyDodS
therefore pronounce II "peerilous'f Whatever goou
reasons there may be for doubling the In traveller
the one given by "G. W. S." is certainly absurd Ac-
eordng to the analogy Of other final letters In similar
cases 1t should not be doubled. In fact tho oouphhs
of the letter is precisely what would Suggest ch"eo
In the pronunciation Of the first two syDaoies' IL
would more conform TO the analoges OF the language W
pronounce traveller with the accent on inc secona
syIable which would naturally attract the TO that
syllable causing a lengthening of the In the same
yay as prophet becomes pro phetic Most American
authorities Worcester included, discard the Honl
color, honor and similar words one "eos'eroee
spelling which regarded as particularly shocklhs
was axD instead Of axe" There Is note on inns
word IN that ultimate English authority, 1.-THE New
English Dictionary" published by the British Philoiog
cal Association which commended to the attention OF
cood Americans Having mentioned this WORK. u Is
pertinefft to say that In the case OF all uhe ospueu
words IL gives both FORMS that with tile double nrst
being preferred, but without any sagmaazms Oh 'ns
other. ,o hod q cer.
ein vorue In England At the date Of the Goodrich eoi
ton ii was in respects, the best ohe-'oiunie
dictionary TO be had. Lexcography mas maze great
strides since then and the learned German 10 whom
Websters etymologes contded FOR repair uiu ho'
keep pace with them. 1t is reproach 70 Dr. forer
of whom would never speak without adnirng respect
10 say that the he has taken Of his duties as eor
OF s soSh oad have Se ssed him to take Commonly
1t would be thought procn f9T an 1aS to fall in
respect proper understanding Of his & p1
IL may be questioned whether G w. D N thls Icneo
ton views the general judgment OF Enshsh ana Ai'oi
The Goodrich edition" of websters Dictionary was
published in 1s47 SORsees SOmPiee in sseo sss it Was
; Sss D Mh Il hSd
some English dictionary Of that date or within decade
of H. that was superior to 1t in this department Ills
disparagement would be entitled to more consideration
iaarnins M to that time The book is corrected
In this department by the acquisitions since maze:
had in ENGLAND is not limited but extensive. The
CLASSES q words not interfere seriously with an an
Writer has read as many English critical notices Of
the new edition as "G. W. So has read Few OF
hr% TRe aaHs Tmes i1s indesd alluded to It with
but not withstandng said Me6ser The %nr
% ins Postu spoke Of it as "a work too familiar to
nssed ns rS Sescrpton The Daily telegraph called II
HsgfSSsIS sesS esSer said q the side Of eymOogy
the demands Of the modeTn peS5o have ecrSeS. Seg.
with &C. W. s." in It's eye. so TO speak said wll
supply every reasonable requirement OF all scholars
employed in compiling than in consulting lexicons'
SThe Standard said "The new name does not
happily tend to disguise the features Of an old and
will especially interest the good American who feels
obliged to view such work With eisae Sc
tonary for Official within these Islands and on
all English ground whatsoever bnt there asv does o not
lexicon Of similar extent comprehensiyeness and a.
curacy. within the compess OF single manageable
NAV even feel grateful to receive from American
scholars such an elaborate and splendid memorial Of
New-York. May 1s. 1891. WALTER ALLEN.