Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-07-03
SPELLING REFORM.
why benjamin Idc wheeler IL No,
In Favor of It.

why benjamin Idc Wheeler Is Not
In Favor of Ii.
President Benjamin Ide Wheeler of
the University OF California does not
favor the spelling reform advocated by
Mr.. Roosevelt. In recent address he
stated bis objections in part as follows.
The establishment for the United
States of standard OF written Eng
hsh different from that recognized else.
where in the English speaking territory
Is an isolating aud divisive movement
promising loss and waste TO inter
course and culture and Introducing con.
sciousness Of contrariety where the on
posite is desired. The needless irrita
ton caused by the minor differences
already existing points ominously to
what would result from greater. The
English language is not the property
or people OF the United States, still less
or Its government; IL Is precious DOS
session OF the English speaking world.
ana the moral authority TO interfere
IN Its regulation must arise out of the
entire body and not from segment
thereor. Every person who is born To
the use Of the language inherits there
by definite advantage In the world
or intellectual gain for influence aud
effectiveness-yes, even for commercial
success-by very reason OF its exclusive
use In uniformity OF standard. This
inherited advantage constitutes vested
interest and must not be trIfied with.
Any radical change-such as. for
instance. would be involved In phonetic
writing-would have the effect OF cut
ting us of from the language OF
Shakespeare and the English Bible
making this a semiforeign idiom. TO DE
acquired by special study. Indeed our
entire present library collections OF
English books would be placed beyond
the reach or the ordinary reader and
De as Dutch TO his eyes. The bond
uniting all the products OF the Ian.
guage from the Eliza bethan period 10
the present day creates a very precious
heritage for every speaker OF the Eng
lish tongue. Print is addressed to the
eye, and the readers eye, taking In
whole words or even the composite
form or whole phrases in rapid glance
Us disturbed and hindered by abnormal
forms OF spelling. The proposal grad
ually TO Introduce through the co-opera.
ton or volunteers n certain number OF
new spellings, and then sShen these are
well under way presumably certain 9th
ers, seems TO promise an era of ghastly
CONFUSION in printing Offices and In
private photography and heterography
as well as much Irritation to readers |
eyes and spirits
The list OF 800 words proposed by |
the simplified spelling board is some. |
what haphazard collection. following
no very clear principle of selection
One hundred and fifty-seven OF them
such as color for colour are already
IN their locked form familiar to Amer
lean usage. The remainder seem TO |
owe their inclusion In the list to their
having been misspelled a number of |
times In English literature. Thus the
y Is tabooed in 'pigmy' (for pygmy).
not III synonym the older spelling ia
resumed in 'rime' for rhyme but not
In 'gesr for iS-lest,' or tung' for
tongue There is 10 excuse. however
Tor thru for through from any point
or view. The symbol ~ generally car.
ries in English the value 'yu' Gin useY
or u I'm butt. Only very rarely. as
IN rural, 'rrmor,' has it the value soo.'
Thru has not even the authority OF
News.