The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-02
CHANGES IN SPELLING.

4
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. Ito
pia," by Sir Thomas More. was origi-
nally printed in Latin in 1915, and was
translated into Erglyshe by Raphe
| Robinson, Citizen and Goldsmythe, of
| London, and was Imprinted at Lon
| don by Abraham Wele, dwelling in
Paul's churcheyarde at the sygne of
the Lambe, Ammo, 1851" A second
English edition was published in 1856,
and the writer has before him fac
simile copy of this second edition; and
in this we can see how the English Ian.
guage was spelled 33S years ago.
Opening the book at haphazard, we
find on page A., 337 words, of which III
are of different spelling TO that of the
present time. On page 63 there are $50
words, of which 123 are different, and
on page - there are 355 words, and of
these 1872 are different. Looking to see
what these differences are, we find
there is no j. but is used instead of it.
as periurie (perjuryl, Judgment Gudg-
meEt), iornev Journey. Then we see
that is very often used instead of /,
as bynge (beingl, standynge, hys. wyse.
Yet is also largely used, the same as
1t is now; as side, him. this. Some
times it takes the place of Y, as tiyan-
nye: and we also find V used instead of
tn, as We for the. and vat for that. And
"a of t1lz ha ,oIa 81,
the end OF works, as perfectlie, dewtie,
cite
Next we find instead of Y, as diurs
for divers, soeuer for soever, seruice
for service; and then, at the commence
ment of words, we have instead of II,
as vse for use. vnto for unto, and vnder
for under. 1t may be borne in mind
that in the familiar letter W. we see
that V was the original form of the let
ter IL. But in this book we do not find
V taking the place of in the middle OF
words, and we often find in its pres
ent form at the beginning of words, as
in vertues, vices and victory.
Many words which now end in II have
in this book only single !. as al, full and
small. On the other hand, there are
many words with II where we now have
only single |. as SEVERAL for several.
APPAREL, NATURAL. Many words which
we spell with three letters have five in
this book, as budde, fare and hyde
for hid. We see also that is often
placed at the end Of words in which we
now consider it unnecessary, as in
fishe, herbe, meate. On the contrary,
it is often let off from words in which
we now use it, as els, Their privat.
In numerous words in which we now
double the consonat. this book has only
a ssingle one, as maner, medic, sor-
row. Single o IS used in such words ss
blodshed. roted or vol. while 90 is
found in doc, gooten and wOorse. We
notice also that p follows in such words
as condempned and solempne. We also
find many compound words which are
absoletc; for instance, as-muche, as
wei and shal-be, while many words
which we compound are in this book
found separate. as in dede, an other,
where as. We also note that au is fire.
ouently placed where we are now salts
fed with q; for instance. dangerous,
perchsunce and pleasant,
II may be further noted that in this
book there IS no uniformity in the
spelling, as the same words are spelled
in two or three different ways. a. BIZ
cause. bycause and because beutie.
bewtie and bewtve. dewt.e and dewty;
foles and fooies: helth. healthe and
health; hollye and holly; IF and II;
lytle and little; myles and miles; pryde
aud pride; syknes, syeknes and sick
ness: whyche and whiche; WIFE and
wife: wyIl and viii The name Of the
printer Is in two plac-s Wele, and in .
third place Weale-