Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25
CARNEGIE IN EARNEST
Views on Proposed Reform of
English Words.
TO FINANCE THE EFFORT
Pays His Compliments to Ridiculina,
Editors.
LITERARY MEN OWE APPROVAL.
slmplihed Spelling Would Save Years
instruction for Children-Hones
Tor Thoughtful Consideration.

HOT SPRINGS. Va. March 24-Audrev
carnegie made a statement TODAY Yivin~
MS views on the proposed reform of Eng
iish spelling. He said:
FROM Chaucers time and before tny
now our language has been constantIv
changing and improving, not under anv r,,.
OF system, but simply as occasion has re-
CURED new words and new spellinrs
me great Oxford dictionary, now under
pupieation gives the history OF each xor.
Gnu SHOWS that words creep into our Ian
eoaee III ,he most haphazard manner. A
new word expresses a new want or an ola
want better than the word IN &C. ,,,, o'.
SO forces itself into use Notbtr, .|a,, -
IL OUT; while the word invented win ,h.
strlctest regard to rule NAV epnIv IN ,.a,-,
"hat is slang one year is correct E,,,.,,s,
lew years later. Thus is our lancn,a.
e"i iched' III is slow process, but a steadv
ana sure one All the struggles of nedant.
ana purists are helpless against r.
ne organized effort 1 have a.r.a6 "a
niece is not revolutionary-far from q,
its action VIII be conservative Wore 90.
"cro' IL Will endeavor to improve the smells
ing ana the language; slowly. of course
"u hastening the pace If possible. thar
is all '
words Used by Editors.
me editors who ara disposed 10 ridicnJ.
'he eHort themselves use words ana 60.
cidhy speilings which their predecessors .,
ee'i'uiy ago would have denounced as de.
e6 " literature. The editors of the
next century will. in turn marvel . -
afiCouth Spelling Cf our present s1,,t' "Ao
., iSe our laiiguage has been construed
.ha,,iS 9hceaslng change, literary man
snodd welcome new words and neyt .-,n
lngS with favorine eve s;n.a a, =. ~" Speu-
Si9he Sn that further Improvement can ,a,,as
snoiais sa.s denounced .plow for 'ploueb 70,
uitb -. pul piew has been accepted So
readers. i'"is occur 10
rs,a 1lr language is likely to prevail in t,.
vin, f1nai,,, ana tho We may hope it is to become
nneays .se universal language the most
potent or all Instruments for dra,.i .iiusI tu
lace tosether, insurlng peace ana ~
tba iors a,rs CIV. +clviii%zation % The foreigner has
cause OF Its spelling. This is. al ISoet ~.
cnieI OBSTACLE. for its grammar is easv
Help From Scholarly Men.
Hundreds of scholarly men ba,-.
agreed TO use improved spelling for twelve
words These words are already veil
started In actual use Other simplifca-
ions Will be suggested. II merltorfous
they will be accepted
Teachers have assured me that chill
aren would be saved more than a years
instruction II our spelling were sfnnliSas
Why the perverse 'ougb' sneiiinss
shouid be continued one cannot undeT-
STAND; When We write tho IT expresses
eAactly the same sense as though ana
expresses the sound better This change
Is so obviously advanta geous that I dn6
many already using it In writing ana
some or these are British authors IN
deed tho, with the superfiuous anos,ro-
phe, abounds In British authors from Ad.
uison DOWN We Just drop the apostro-
phe. That tho will get into general usa
soon Is certain. Our successors will SMILE
at the 'ough' spelIings as we do TODAY AZ
what we called the queer spelling Of
Chaucer.
A Useful Work.
TN trying to hasten the use of simpl.-
fed spelling and to improve our own lam
guage for the struggle for first place
which is even today upon us, we are en-
gagged in a most useful work.
IF he be a benefactor who makes two
blades of grass to grow where one grew
before, he is no less benefactor who
plants a shorter and simpler spelled WORD
where a longer and irregularly spelled WORD
numbered the ground before.
Il hope that thoughtful people will give
this important and conservative reform
due consideration, and resolve TO use at
least two or three simplified words, and
thus range themselves with us in our p
fort to carry the unceasing work OF
improving our mother tongue and adapt.
ing it for its noble purposes and high des-
tiny"