New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-25

Says Proposed Reform Is Evolution
arg, Not Revolutionary

Hot Springs, Va. March 24-Andrevr Carnsgfs
made statement to-day giving his views on the
proposed reform OF English spelling. He said:
From Chaucer's time and before. tin now. our
1Sl5 i57 aS ofen SonsI9 1 SaaEsing and in
as occasion has required new words and new spell
The great Oxford Dictionary. now under pu5lica-
ton gives the history OF each word and shows that
hazard manner new word expresses a new
Want OF an otd Wah{. better than the word IN use
bar it out, while the word invented with the Strict
slang one year is Correct English few wears later
mus IS our la1suage enriched It IS 2 slow proc
ess, olt steSdy and sure one All the struggles
OF pedants and purlsts are helpless against ir.
illr uI Saiii1eu rlAvIt nave agreed 20 Ilalce 3
not TevoluuOnary-tar from IT, Its action VIII b
conservative Word after word. il will endeavor %
course, but fastening the pace if possible. that s
The editors who are disposed to rf5fcus the sro-.
themselves use words. and especially spellings.
when Lnelr predecessors OF a century ago would
EDITORS OF the next century Will, in turn marvel az
Since our language has been const-Tl,+a7 through
unceaslng change. literary men should welcome new
is by these alone that further impToysTisnt can
come scholars denounced pillow" for plough"
with many words that will readily occur 10 readers
and we may hope il is to become many the uni.
yersal language the most potent OF all instruments
advancing civilization The foreigner has tia
gTeaaiest difficulty in ACQUIRING It because OF its
Its grammar is easy.
Hundreds Of scholarly men have agreed 20 use
improved spelling for twelve words. These words
are already we'll started in actual use Other sim
pHiincations will be suggested If mertorious. they
Teachers have assured me that children would ta
saved more than years instruction ~ our spelling
were simplhed
Why the perverse "ough" speuings should be
continued one cannot understand When write
tho II expresses exactly the sense as
though, and expresses the sound better This
change is obviously advantageous that had
many already using II IN writing and some o. these
are British authors. Indeed. tho with the super
nuouS apoStrOphe. aboundS IN British authors from
Addison down. We just drop the apOstrophs Our
successors will smile Gt the "OuEh" speIliugs as We
90 to-day at what We call the queer spelling Of
ChauCer
II trying to hasten the use Of simpEded spelling
ard TO improve our own language for the struggle
FOR 1rst place which IS even to-day upon US are
engaged in a most useful work
II hF be a berefaCtOr who makes two blades Of
grass 20 grow where one grew before re IS no less
2 DenesaCtoT who plants a shorter and simply spell
word where a longer ana irregularlv sDe't word
cum terad the ground before
I hope that thoughtfu people VIII give this in
ro-tant and conservative reform due CCuslderatoa
and resolve 70 use at least two or three simpihed
words. and thus range themselves with US in our
EFFORT 20 carry on the unceasinE work OF lmprovng
our mother tongue, and adapting Dc for its noble
purposes and high destiny