The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-07
Smelling Reform.


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Spelling Reform.
The newspapers, having had their
laugh at DR.. Andrews, the superinten-
dent of the Chicago schools, for pro-
posing to introduce in the primary
grades the reformed spelling of twelve
common words recommended by the
National Educational association, now
owe 1t to the doctor TO explain the pur-
pose and scope OF the innovation. Al
first only these changes in spelling are
contemplated: Inplace of programme
program; "though," tho; although"
altho; thorough" thoro; thorough
fare, thorofare: through" thru;
throughout" thruout; catalogue"
catalog; prologue" prolog; "deca-
logue," decalog; "demagogue." dema-
cog; "pedagogue," pedagog. If the
economy in letters as well as the sim
plfcation here suggested shall appeal
to the public as representing sufficient
advantages, system of spelling re-
form will follow based upon the follow
ing rules:
e.--Drop silent G when fonetically
useless, writing er for re, as
In live, single, eaten, rained,
theatre, etc.
ea.-Drop a from ea having the
sound of e, as in feather
leather, etc.
o.-For 0 having the sound OF u IN
but write u in abov (abuv),
tongue (tung), and the like.
ou.-Drop from GU having the
sound of u in but. in trouble
rough ruD and the like; for
-our unaccented write or, as
in honour.
u. ue.-Drop silent after before a,
and in nativ English words,
and drop final ue; guard,
guess, catalogue. league, etc.
Dubl consonants may be sim
plifled when fonetically USE
less; baiiff mot hall. etc),
battle (batD, written (writn),
traveller, etc.
d.-Change d and ed final to t when
so pronounced, as in looked
OookD, ETC., unless the af-
fects the preceding sound, as
in chafed. etc.
gh, ph.-Change gh and phi to when so
sounded; enough (enuf,
laughter Qafter), ETC.; pho
netic (fonetic), etc.
s.-Change 5 to when so sounded,
especially in distinctive words
and in Use; abuse, verb
(abuze), advertise (advertize,
etc.
t.-Drop in tch: catch, pitch etc.
The following examples will render
these rules more ineligible:
Tha nativ laft at the fotograf and stuk
his tung at it, altho he thot the
filosofer waz as big a demagog as the
fpf far Nvh Hyicb ha
lisht.
He smokt a cigaret thruout the dialog.
He waz abuzed.
They had writn enuf abot the batl.
Abuv the thorofare waz a pedagog.
She cannot each the car.
There ar trubles enuf
She had singl fether in her hat.
1t waz a rufly writn story.
They ar wize decaogs
Certain exceptions to the rules are
necessitated, as follows:
Many amendabl words cannot be
changed for reasons such as these: O)
The changed word would not be easily
recognized, as nee for knee; or (2), let
tcrs are left in strange positions, as in
edg for edge, casq for casque. 80 The
wrong sound is suggested, as in vag for
vague, acer for acre. a. A valuable
distinction is lost; casque to cask, dost
to dust (5) The derivation is obscured; |;
nun for none, dun for done, munth for
month.
or course neither Dr. Andrews nor
any other spelling reformer proposes
| to force spelling reform on reluctant
school children; but they argue with
good deal of force that inasmuch as
| the clumsiness, wastefulness and ir-
regularity OF the existing rules of SPELL
| ing are generally conceded to stand in
need of amendment, the sooner prac-
| tical start is made the better. We saw
a computation once which purported
| to estimate the amount OF money
wasted since the discovery of the art
| OF printing by reason of the silent and
useless letters In the English language
the cost OF unnecessary type, compost
tion paper, ink, etc, with interest COM
| pounded annually. We do not remem-
Der the exact total, but it reached into
the billions Of dollars. In these days
OF superabundant printing the elision
OF superfiuous letters would constitute
a very noticeable economy.
| ---e~
| II will probablV he useless for ICstar