New-York tribune., 1906-09-17
ADVOCATES PHONETIC SPELLING.
Minister Says Presidents Action Confers a
Boon on Rising Generation.

To the Editor of The Tribune:
Sir; cordially approve Of President Roosevelts
order 20 government officials TO spell 500 words in
accordance with system of orthography approxi-
mating pure phOnetics. A pure phonetic alphabet
will follow in due time. Though in my eighty-ninth
year. yet hope to live the adoption Of the
system which spells all words as they are pro-
nOunced. know Of no reason that they should be
spelled differently. Till the time that the phonetic
system is adopted let all spell in accordance with
the Roosevelt order.
The change in spelling IS admirable one. How
incomparaby better is IT 20 change the orthography
of the following sentence: Though the tough cough
and hiccough plough me through '"Tho the tut
cof and hicup plOw me thru" Nine-tenths of
those who object TO the Roosevelt improved spell
ing Of the 300 words must believe with Lord
Shaftesbury that "Rdicue Is the test OF truth" as
they assail the reformed spelling with ridcule and
ignore argument.
Why not spell phthisic thus tizk? Why not omit
all silent letters? Why adopt a purely phonetic
system and spell all words they pronounced? i?
Use and not derivation is the law Of language" A
Greek scholar will know that tizik. II spelled IN
that form. is derived from the Greek language
Greek scholar he will not know. even with the aid
Of the phth. that IL IS derived from the Greek Our
eminent photographers mourn over the fact that
the orthography of the English is 'unphiosophieal.
barbarOus and uncOuth beyond that of any Ian
guage under heaven" The editors of websters In
ternational Dictionary thus express their disap-
proval. Vide webster's International Dictionary.
page xxxiI section SS OF the article "a Brief His
tory OF the English Language" in the preface to
the dictionary.
The defects of English spelling have to a great
extent arisen from the mixture Of different elements
in the language. Neither the Anglo Saxon orthog-
raphy nor the Norman French was distinguished
for its regularity. But when the two were thrown
together. the result was a mass OF confusion and
anomaly hardly be paralleled. except perhaps in
the spelling of the native Irish. The present sys-
perhaps, too firmly fixed for extensive changes such
as could alone effect material improvement. But
cOrdant with the practical spirit of the English
people. With a multitude of signs for the same
sign. II poorly fuls the original and proper office
OF Orthography, 10 indicate pronunciation. nor does
would assert for it. OF a guide 10 etymology. II
imposes needless burden the native learner.
To foreigner II seriously aggravateS the difficulty
of acquiring the language. and thus restricts the
influence OF English literature on the mind OF the
word-Webster's International Dictionary, page S3-
Worcester also favOrs the phonetic system as
also does the editor of the Standard Dictionary DIR.
the writer has perfected phonetic alphabet script
and print which will soon be published. BY the
able to learn TO read and write in many months
requires years by the use OF the present alpha
bet In common use. Cultured people can learn this
system In an hour. Some can read II sight.
The words "thro' and thru 20 which greatest
objection has been made. have been In common use
by the educated for many years. Nearly all my
correspondents use those forms. and doubtless will
glad TO adopt the Roosevelt OrthOgraphy for many
more than the three hundred words. Its only de
phonetic system will come In due time The
800 words the harbinger Of the only philo-
this change the President becomes a benefactor OF
humanity. especially of the rising generation. which
will be liberated from the drudgery Of learning 20
read and write by the absurd and unphiOsOphical
method insisted upon by the eonseTvattyes Cor
Newton. y. J.