Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-10
THE SPELLING REFORMS.

The executive committee of the
simpllfod Spelling board, OF when
Prof. Brander Matthews is the chair
man. has Just issued circular calling
attention to the spelling reforms they
advocate as "a irst step This Is
subject II general interest sImpli-
fed spelling is very much needed, and
the process OF simpllfcatlon is stead
lily going on Perhaps the most that
can he expected OF an organized move-
ment for spelling II to follow the evo-
luton, guard against the multipliea-
tion OF Irregularities. and hx the
changes as popular usage authorizes.
In the circular referred TO a Hist or
three hundred words are given, which
now are spelled IN more than one
way, and It Is said the list could be
made TO contain three times that num-
her. But the words given illustrate
the defects that. in the opinion OF
many spelling reformers. should be
corrected Immediately. Large classes
Of words spelled in two or moro ways
are for the sake Of brevity omitted
from the list. Such are the chemical
words I'm lido or i'd. and line or In,
and the forms involving -ll-or l., or
IT. or IL, before suffixes, as travelled
or travelled. traveller or traveller. trav-
cling or travelling. etc, rtvetted or
rlveted. rivetter or riyeter, rivetting or
rivcting, etc. OF course the simpler
form Is to he preferred.
Among the classes included in the
circular are the following:
l. Words spelled with ae, oo. or e.
| Rule. choose @, as In anesthetic, es-
| thetic, and medieval
.. Words spelled with -dge-ment
or -dg-ment. Rule; Omit e. abridg.
ment, acknowledgment judgment. and
| Judgment.
| 3. Words sp elled with led or t. the
| preceding single consonant being doub-
| led before led tipped, -ssed) and left
| single before / t-pt -sD. Rule:
| Choose t IN all cases. dipt, dropt,
slept, best. prest distrest, blusht
| hUsht, wasn't.
The first two of these, We fancy have
already become quite common. The
substitution of The e for the COM
| bined letters and the elimination Of the
silent -e do not offend the eye. The
| third class however, is different. and
| 1t will take long time before the
| recommendation, Choose t in all
cases" will be acted upon.
We are told that these are genuine
Historical spellings" some being very
| ancient, az for example kst, which is
| the Anglo-Saxon cystic and mist, the
| Anglo Saxon miste. As authorities for
the proposed reform are quoted, Spen-
ser. Shakespeare, Milton, Tennyson and
| Lowell, and, further, Addison, Bacon.
the Bible, Mrs Browning, Bunyan
Burns, Collins, Cowley. Cowper. Defoe
Dryden, FitzGerad, Goldsmith Gay,
Pope Quarles, Scott, Swlnburne, Wal
ton, Whittier, and Young,
when. In spite OF such a formidable
array OF authority, the popular demand
Is for the ed, instead OF the {, Il seems
there must be some reason for this
spelling, in the very nature Of the Ian
guagc itself that reformers should no,
! overlook. Perhaps the tendency away
from the I TO the led is but in analogy
with the general tendency OF languages
from the harsher sounds to those OF a
more pleasant nature. This seems Ia
follow the advance OF civilization.
The following are other reforms sug-
sestcd
49, Words spelled with -euce or -ense
d.atin -ens-al. Rule. choose -ense, de-
Tense, uifense, pretense
~, Words spelled with -ette or -et
Rule; Omit tic, cOquet, cpaulet, Ell.
quet, omclet.
IS. Words spelled with gh or (. Rule
Choose f. draft.
~ Words spelled with gh or without
Oh -ough or low. Rule Choose low
| pluW 90 -ough or %. Rule Choos,
10 altho, tho thoro, -horo tin plac,
names).
-, Words with the verb SUNK, o
Greek origin. spelled Use or lie. Rule
Choose lie, catechize, criticize exor
CHE, logalize.
90 Words snelled with lite or 1t
Rule omit e. deposit. preterlt
10, Words spelled with II or i ell
or IN Rule: Choose |, distil. fulnl
mstl.
n. Words spelled with -li-ness or i
ness Rule; Omit one !. dulness, full
. | ness
~. Words spelled with -mmc or IN
Rule: Omit -me, gram, program.
"l3. Words spelled with 90, ac or
Rule. Choose, .. ecumenIcal ESQ
, ! phagus.
~. Words spelled with -our or 81
Rule. Choose -or favor. fervor, flavor
honor. labor, rigor rumor, tenor, tumol
Nalor, vapor, vlgor
, ~. Words spelled with phi or (. Rule
Choose {, fantasm, fantasy, fantom, SUI
fate sulfur,
"le. Words spelled with -rr or -,
, Rule: Omit one r, bur, pur.
II, Words snened with re or -er
, Rule Choose -er. center, meter, mite
inter- sepulcher theater
rs, Words spelled with or dn IN
roof, Rule; choose z, appriae assiz
= comprize, raze surprize, teazel
4 10 Words spelled with $ or sc
y Rule, Omit {, slmitaT, sithe.
: 30 Words spelled with or vithot
silent -ue Rule. Omit -ue. cataIn
decalog, demagog, pedagog, prolog"
Many OF these have been occeptc