The daily sentinel., 1906-08-27
PHONETIC FAD.

II is hardly probable that the Or
der issued by President Roosevelt
that, all the White House official
documents should hereafter be SPELL
ed in accordance with the phonetic
system of spelling will cause any very
general abandonment of the old
style manner of spelling. Perhaps If
King Edward had issued an order of
that kind, it would be necessary for
everybody to adopt that system We
don't change our ideas of so long
standing at the whim of our presi-
dents, as Germans change the curl
of their moustaches, when the en-
peror gives his a different twirl
The attempt to push the phonetic
method has never met with much
favor We hardly think that Presf-
dent RoGsevelt's order will assist the
advancement of the movement but
very little. The contention of one
Of the most learned philologists in
this country that, by spelling words
by the phonetic method, we lose their
origin, will go a long way in nulli-
flying any movement which has been
given impetus by the presidents or
der.
In commenting upon the presi-
dents order for a change in the spell
ing of words in all White House doc
uments. President Faunce, of Brown
University says:
81 do not believe it is possible
or desirable by any act of gov
ernment, to change the orthog-
raphy of the English language.
The result of centuries of grow
tn cannot be annihilated by act
of congress or by any organiza-
tion large or small"
Prof. J. M. Hart, of Cornell univer-
sity says; Il think that President
Roosevelt was little hasty in adopt
ing the so-called phonetic system for
his state documents"
These are only two opinions of
prominent educators throughout the
country, they could be multiplied
many hundred times. But we base
our judgment upon the injury to be
done by the adoption of the phonet-
ic method. on the statement of Prof
Charles Mcmillan. of Princeton uni
versity. that changing the manner of
spelling words we lose their origin
II must be understood that our lang
uage has words stolen from. almost
all other languages and that in mang-
ling them, as is proposed by the pro-
ponents of phonetic spelling that we
obliterate the place of their source
and complicate matters to the child,
as well as the educator.
1t is to be hoped that this fad will
not be pushed to any great length. 1t
was never very grave hardship for
the old fashioned student to conquer
the most diabolical of words, so far
as spelling was concerned and we
do not think that the cause of educa-
tion Will be greatly uplifted by such
course. The English language has
found too deep root throughout the
world already, to make change
which will stand as a bar to its be-
coming a universal language.
Some words possibly could be alb
breviated to advantage, those in con-
stant use, but to change the spelling
of four or five hundred words would
mix things mp in a mess, which would
be unintelligible. One of the learned
language makers states that the men
who are back of the movement are
mot recognized leaders and do not
command very extensive follow
ing
1t is not without the realm of be-
ing true that the great text book
manufacturers and printers, who
must constantly make changes to find
| sale for their stosk, the old text
books lasting too long. that they may
be back of such a movement, as II
would overturn all text books now in
use and require complete new sets OF
books in our public schools, to con
form with the changes proposed.