Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-31
THE SPELLING REFORM.
Simplification Of Spelling in Accord
With Long-Active Tendency.

Andrew Carnegie In independent
AS for the radical changes" which are
to make the new books difficult to read
and the old books, longer Ineligible
they are Pigment Of the imagination. The
most radical change possible would be the
spelling; and it is the uniform testimony
of competent observers that any phonetic
spelling In Roman letters can be read
with ease, after a few minutes attention
by any one familiar with the present spell
Ing. But simplification of the present
spelling, which means only the removal OF
its needless exceptions and anomalies Is
not radical. but conservative. and 1t will
make reading more easy and not more
difficult. If the whole of the 5000 amended
speilings recommended by the pathological
societies of Great Britain and America
were adopted today the difficulty In read
ing would be seen to be imaginary and
easier for future generations. Meanwhile
not one of our present books need go out
Of use
Others have objected to the look of the
new words or new letters. which they think
unsightly. The word thru has become a
target. An impartial judge might be
cused for finding thru quite as slightly
ough; considered merely as an object to
look at, the advantage is decidedly with
thru. The question that often arises is.
how can any person bring himself to write
the ugly ough when he Is quite thru with
the word thru when thru is written? What
reason can be given for adding three let
tiers that might as well be ply as ough. 50
far as the word thru is concerned?
In some cases 1t is claimed that the phs
and oughS show the derivation of the
word There is no necessity for writing or
printing superduous letters in order To
show the derivation of a word. The deriva-
ton is matter of history which can not
be obliterated: 1t is on record, and all who
desire to study it can do so. No one spell
ing. even the worst. CONVEYS the whole his
tory of the word. 1t is the main purpose
of spelling to show what a word is, not
what 1t was.
A celebrated author has declared 1.-The
language of Shakespeare good enough for
him" He must have spoken without think
ing. Here are some lines of Shakespeare
as spelt in the first edition of his plays:
My friend Stephen signife pray you
Within the house. your mstresse Is at hand,
And bring your musique foorth into the ayre.
How sweet the moone-light sleepes vpon this
banke.
Heers s,c xtll we SIT and let the sounds of mu
Crepe in our cares soft stilnes. and the night
Merchant OF Venice. Act V.
Hamlet-The ayre bites shrewdly; it Is very
Horatio-It is a nipping and eager syre.
Hamlet-What hover now?
Horatio-I think 1t lack Of twelve.
Horatio-Indeed / heard 1t not; then It braves
wherein the spirit held his wont to wake
In these fourteen lines there are twenty
six variations from the present prevailing
spelling, and yet we have not lost the Ian
guage of Shakespeare.
Simplification of spelling has always been
going on Take the word fish. for example.
The author of the "Treatyse OF Fysshynge
Myth An Angle" Q496) spelt the word
fysshe and Caxton did the like. and worse
Earlier writers besides fish. had used fishe,
fyshe, fsch. fysch, fishshe. FISH, fysshe.
fisshe, fyssh, f1che. fyche ffsse. flss, fZs,
ifs, fix and few more varieties. Some
one has cited from Coverdale's English
version Of the Bible Q535). which was
FISH. fyszhe fszsh. besides fysce and fish.
Within one generation most Of these super
abundant spellings were set aside, and
only four or five varieties were used, until
at length, a generation later, only
prevailed-fsS- This was simplification. 1t
was effected not by abstract growth or
evolution but by conscious human ef-
fort, guided by common sense. Some per-
sons began the change: others accepted 1t
because 1t was good.
The reformers who gave us today the
simple spelling of fish would. IL known, be
entitled to and would receive the gratitude
of the English-speaking race. They seem
to be unknown. but In this movement of
today, fortunately, the records are being
tain names In grateful remembrance:
among those the Independent will occupy
a conspicuous position In the front rank al
pioneer-with President Roosevelt.
The movement promises well: already
more than 10000 persons. including many
scientists. professional and business men.
have agreed to adopt the 300 words. Many
newspapers and many business firms have
done the same. and the list swels daily.
This is sufficient to lead to further steps
and insure ultimate success.