The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-18
A NEW JAP REFORM.
Phonetic Spelling of English to
Be introduced.
ADVANTAGES OF THE CHANGE.
Prof. Carrethers VIII Teach Engiish TO
the Japs According Go New
system-His Alphabet

Prof C. carrothers, the japanese inter
prefer who has holdings on San Juan ISL
and. has leased his property for term OF
years and tn q few days viii leave Tor
Yokohsms. japan. 20 resume his work as
teacher IN the schools Of that city. and
10 promote the use Of phonst'c spelling IN
bis English classes. For twenty years
he lived IN Japan continuously, and Vas
employed in the government schools as
professor in English, and only left there
two and half years ago TO look after his
private interests in America Prof. Car
rohers Intends 10 introduce phonetic
system Of writing and spelling, so that
japanese, although ae may not De abe 10
speak English, can so write il that an Ea-
gli.hman can understand IL, and vice
versa His system is founded on the
several systems Of phonetic spelling in
augurated in this country by T. las Long
ley and Mrs. Eliza b. Burnz, both experts
in stenography. who have not only started
crusades against English spelling, but
have published works setting forth their
theories. Mr.. Longiey is the president of
the Longley Institute OF Shorthand and
Typewriting a. Los Angeles. and Mrs
Burnz is principal Of the Spelling Reform
Rooms and scool of Fonografy" in New
York city. With both of these persons
Prot. Carrothers has correspondent and
has received ample assurances that the
scheme he has for introducing the system
In Japan is in every way practicable and
entirely feasible.
At the present time the Japanese use the
Chinese characters and forty-eight of their
own syllable characters to express their
written language, making 1t one of the
hardest of languages 10 master. IL is Diff
cult to acquire by foreignesr, and, for that
matter. the Japs themselves experience
great difficulty in becoming proficient.
Prof Carrothers says that inasmuch as
the japanese language is a relic of what II
has been for thousands of years ii is time
a reform was made, aud he expresses no
doubt but that IL will be made In the near
future. Japanese professors even now
have this momentous question under con-
sideration. and before many years roll
around il is expected that the language
will be entirely reformed and simpliied.
The system of phonetic spelling which
the professor intends introducing in his
English classes in Yokohama is an in
teresting one. L nder this system the
alphabet will consist of forty EIGHT letters,
the C, q and of the English alphabet
being thrown out as unnecessary, the q
having the sound OF XIV, the of ks and
the of or k. In his former experience
in Japan he said that he found il very
difficult TO teach English. Ii is difficult
when a native born masters the language
on account of its difficult, unscientitic,
barbaric orthogFaphv. and il can be easily
understood why the Japanese should find
1t much more difficult. Although the de-
parture of Prof. Carrothers Is daring
one. he is very confident that he will meet
with success. lie has posted himself
thoroughly on the various systems in
vogue. and he has about concluded to
adopt the Burnz system, as being the
easiest and most practical. To print the
alphabet requires a cast OF several special
letters, but the following verse 10 fair
sample of what Is produced from the
phonetic spelling, and can easily be read
when one gives the matter little study:
at matt hav bin wei I'm odn raimx
Tu bi pleing widh salient letter.;
But dhar'z ia much to Turn in dhis modern
tatmz
tn bs hampered widh sni snch feters
Dhen awe widh dlset aud laiz,
Avs wtdh Ambiguous marksi
sho dbl shortest ROD tn hi thois ov dhe waiT
IL yu'd giadn aur wiri harris.
In informing himself concerning the
feasibility of introducing the phonetic
system in his English classes in Japan
Prof Carrothers wrote TO many prominent
professors in the East. among them to W.
II. Hams. commissioner of education in
Washington City, who replied:
I'm regard to the phonetic alphabet for
the japanese think you are entirely on
safe ground"
Prof Carrothers started his career In
Japan as a teacher in private college at
Tokyo and later became professor in
English in q normal school. From there
he accepted similar position In the Yoko-
hama Commercial College. and resigned
Two years and half ago to come back TO
America. The success of his departure
will be awaited with much interest by
many in this country who are interested
in educational matters.