Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-11-24
SEEM TO COME BY ACCIDENT.
Many Changes Which navc Crcpt Int the
Spelling of English Words.

Many Changes Which fave Crcpt Int the
Spelling Of English Words.
Much is said and written about the
desirability of reform In the spelling
of words, but few persons are aware
Of the great though gradual changes
which have been made already.
"Utopia," by Sir Thomas More, was
originally printed in Latin In 1913,
and was translated into Englysbe
by Raphe .RObynsOn, Citizen and
GOldsmythe Of London" and was
imprinted 1t London by Abraham
Wele, dwelling in Paul's churchyarde
at the syvne of the Lambe, Ammo,
IDOL" A second English edition was
published In 1857. and the writer has
before him a facsimile copy of this
second edition, and in this we can
see how the English language was
spelled 33S years ago Opening
the book at haphazzard, says the
Boston Transcript we find on page
u 337 words. of which III are Of dir.
ferent spelling to that of the present
time. On page 63 there are 352
words, OF which 1913 gre different,
and on page "a there are a55 words,
and of these 1872 are diilc emit Look.
Ing to see what these differences are.
we find there Is no ]. but Is used in.
stead Of IL, as perlurie (per, ury, iudg.
ment Uudgment,) iorney Journey
Then we see that y l. very often used
instead Of I, as bynge (being, stand.
ynge, hyS wyse. Yet Is also largely
used the same as 1t Is now; as side,
him, this. Sometimes II takes the
place of y, az u annye: and We also
lind y used instead OF tn. rs ye for
the and vat for that And then ie
bitten takes the place OF at the end
Of words, perfcctlie, dewtie, cite.
Next VIC tnd u instead of v, as
diuers for divers, socuer for socver,
scruice for service. and then, ut the
commencement Of words. We have v
idstead of u, as vsc for use, vnto for
unto, and vnder for under. 1t may
be borne In mind that In the familiar
letter " We see that was the orig.
inal form Of the letter u. But In
this book we do not find taking the
place Of In the middle Of words,
and we often lind In Its present
form ut the beginning of words, as
In virtues vices, and victory. Many
words which now end In II have In
this book only single |, as a, full, and
small On the other hand, there are
many words with II where we now
have only a 8 nHie as SEVERAL for
several, appraell, natural. Many
words which We spell with three let.
ters have i've In this book, as budde,
fare, and hydde for hid. We see
also that IL often placed at the end
OF words In which VIZ now consider IL
unnecessary, rs In fshe, rbe,
meate. On the contrary, 1t 10 often
left Of from words In which We now
use IL, as els, Their, privat.
In numerous words In which We
now double the consonant this book
has only single one, AZ Maner,
medic, sorrow. Single Is used Us In
such words as blOdshed, rOted, and
vol, while 90 Is found In doc, go0t-
ten, wo0rke. We notice also that D
follows In such words a. cOndcnlpncd
and solempne We also find many
compound words which are now Oh.
solete: for Instance, as muche, as.wel
ntd shal-bc, while many words which
we compound are In this book found
separate, a. In dede, an other, where
US We also note that au IL fro.
quently placed where we are now
satisfied with q; for instance, daun.
gerous, perchaunce and pleasant.
1t may 0e further noted that In this
hook there Is No uniformity In the
spelling, as the same words are
spelled In two or three different WAYS,
as ticause, BECAUSE, and because;
beutie, bewtie, and bcwtyc; dewtie
and dewty: folcs and 10 les; heleh,
healthe, aud health; hollye and holly;
VI aud II; lytle and little; myles and
miles; dryde and pride; syknes, syck.
mes, ard sickness; whyche and whiche;
wyifc and Wife; wyll and will. The
name OF the printer Is In Two places
Wcle, and Ia u third place Wcale
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