The record-union., 1898-12-27
AN OLD FAD REVIVED.

peen revived, and for some months now
we may expect to hear from educators
and philologists all down the line, while
the educational journals will overflow
with essays on the subject. The Rec
ord-Union" few years ago devoted a
good deal Of attention to the subject,
corresponded with the American Spell
ing Reform Association and went to the
bottom Of all propositions, phonetic,
radical, conservative and otherwise.
While convinced at that time that our
written language is full Of absurdities
in spelling, and that there was need for
reform, this paper ceased to agitate the
matter for the reason that it became
convinced no material reform would be
possible Of accomplishment short of a
great period Of years; that it is not to
be effected by leaps and bounds, nor
by expenditure of energy in the at
tempt to hasten the application of cor
receives.
When the reform is achieved it will
be found to have resulted from slow
growth from a gradual change and at
first an almost imperceptible one. In
deed ins the last few years we have seen
such changes made, and in no small
number, as go to sustain our belief.
But not one of these reforms has been
driven down the throats of the people
though philologists have been hammer
ing away on them for many years, ap-
pealing to the press, to educators, to
Legislatures and even to Congress on
The subject for moral and material aid
in compelling adoption.
There is no doubt, as "Self Culture"
well puts it, that If the question what
do You consider the greatest defect of
the English language?" was put to a
thousand impartial students-and no
one can be SO impartial as a foreigner
learning our language hundred
and fifty would answer ''the spelling. J"
No doubt it is the chief stumbling block
in the path Of the alien studying our
tongue; no doubt it is the curse of our
children in the schools, for largely the
spelling Of English is without rhyme or
reason. It is certain that until the
slelling is radically reformed, English
cannot be adopted as the universal
commercial means Of communication,
and that it should be so adopted is
urged by very many.
It is pointed out also, and with much
pertinency, that the intricate and un-
reasonable spelling Of English fosters
alien exclusiveness and tendencies
among great part of the immigrant
population we receive. Truth is, that
so absurd is our spelling system-if it
is entitled to be so dignifed-that it is
not fully grasped and conquered by a
majority of our own people educated in
the common schools and to the tongue
{, born. To the greater multitude it is
a mystery.
Yet the English language has charac-
feristics which. were it's spelling alb
surdities eliminated, would make it the
most desirable Of tongues, and one of
the most attractive, since it is terse.
precise, easy of arrangement and ex-
ceedingly expressive. But it has a su-
perabundance of useless endings; it is
vcluminous in consonants; it is absurd
in the retention Of foreign color; it is
not true and constant to itsderivatives;
1T overffows with instances, as DR.. Ben
edict points out in his recent paper, of
entire syllables, (which have so far
lapsed from the original force of the
lettersfthat any attempt to analyze the
sounds according to the letters is use
+. less. Thus. the six letters in though
represent only two elementary sounds.
The combination 'ough' occurs in sew
eral words and with a different signifi-
canoe in almost every one, as in hic-
cough, plough, cough, slough, through,
thorough. etc.
However, without being led into de-
sbate of the details of suggested reforms,
we wish to repeat what was said in the
outset. that the reform Of English SPELL
ing is to come about through slow
growth. Reform associations will ac-
complish very little in forcing the
process. Probably they may hasten
the process of growth a little, but so
little as not to be worth the expenditure
of energy necessary. Ready-made sys-
TENS, Of which there are a dozen now
being preached through the country,
will not be adopted out of hand, nor
any one of them as a whole. We will
grow into the change, and we concur
with DR.. Benedict when he declares
that a change will have to be made in
the alphabet also. since any attempt at
spelling reform while retaining the
present Roman alphabet must result
unsatisfactory.
But the changes in the alphabet will
be slight and consist of combinations
and notifications without any actual
reflections. and these changes will be
such only as are necessary to give more
common sounds representatives OF
loaded, under the banner of a single
design. with numerous and confusing
sounds. In short, the reform of spell
Ing and Of the alphabet viii grow hand
in hand and be accomplished together.
The proceedings inaugurated by sew
eral counties to recover from the State
the percentages heretofore allowed fol
the co11aofiar of +t,a c.+o+o,e share "a