The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-02-13
MYSTIFIE0 SPELLING.

MISIIFltU SPELLING.
Only short time ago the Simplified
Spelling Board was reported to have de-
cided that it would remodel the English
language gradually, so that none save
the most tightly stuck-in- the-rut would
resist the gentle, even pressure of
phonetic reform. But, alasl the board
now apperrs to be going the way of
other s.revolutionists who find a large,
unwilling public thwarting their ideals;
it is chatting under the restraint of popu-
lar opinions, and, consumed with the
desire to see great strides taken toward
perfect photography, resorts to bomb
throwing.and terrorism generally. Its
second list of revised words has Just APP
peared, and among the seventy-fve
novelties which it hUrls at the head of
the innocent public there are several
internal machines expressly calculated
to blast out a deep chasm between
English literature and English diction-
aries. The chief purpose of phonetic
spelling being to assist the feeble mind
ed and the ignorant, we should like to
regard the movement as charitable
one, kindred to the war against the
sweating system, and as such beyond
the reach of criticism, according to lit
erary canons. Nevertheless, here, as
in other notable instances, gross cruel
ties are committed in the name Of
mercy
AXE, which displaces ache, " is
truly painful, as perhaps an ache should
be. 1t reduces Dr.. Aked to past par
ticiple, thus doing grave injustice to
the distinguished pastor and his native
tongue at one blow. The simplifers
divide New York City into "boros"
which are decidedly unphonetic Dor
oughs; but who could expect that sim
plitied spelling would be absolutely con-
sistent in its strivings toward ideal
phoneticisms? Is not the most highly
simplified style of spelling that which is
complicated and restrained by no rules?
We should like to know who "egd' the
board on to transform an egg into an
''eg. Doubtless an "eg" with only
one g" will smell as sweet, ceteris
paribus, but as biliteral it seems to
have lost one Of its three component
parts, yolk, white or shell. Many per
sons may approve heartily of the change
| from debt to "det' for in these
hard times it is kindly act on the part
OF richly endowed board to reduce the
debt%of all English spelling people.
This benevolent deed, it is probably
hoped,swill soon make English the uni
versal language and rob ''foren" of all
meaning. Until that day comes, how
ever, loren" will remain happy sub
stitute for foreign" expressing in its
alien spelling the meaning of the word.
The rude shock caused by the dis
placement of limb by lin, - numb"
by mum" and tongue by "tung" is
partly absorbed by the thought that in
changing ghost" to "gost" the board
has robbed spooks of all their terror. A
COST is no more awesome than a
gosling. Thus. does reason triumph
over,superstition AS we contemplate
the seventy-five revision in conjunction
with theIEannouncement that twenty
thousands( and) odd writer's of English
have sworn fealty to the boards mysti-
fled spelling fear and horror are diluted
with curious speculations over the pos
sibility of witnessing in the near future
confusion of pens more disastrous than
the mythical confusion of tongues.