New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-27

ms that IN avoid such confusion ii IS sometimes
worth while to use an extra letter or TWO. otiii
other forms disguise the etymoloGy on tue
words SO as TO make their derivation, thelf re-
ationships and even their meanings less easy
to perceive. Thus-tO cite one OF the least
serious of such cases-tO omit the "a from
health would disguise the intimate relation
ship between that word and heal.
One of the chief errors of the Simpined Spell
ing Board, it seems to us, is it's eXaSgeratoii
of the Importance of mere simplicity over all
other qualities. IL is doubtless desirable thaI
photography shall he simple, but it is still more
desirable that il shall he correct, and 10 the
making of correctness several elements essen
tally contribute. IL is desirable that children
and immigrants shall not be burdened with IN
necessary difficulties in learning the language,
but we would not make their spelling lessons
u little easier at the cost Of making more at
lcult their understanding OF the origin reia-
tiOnship and right use of words. We appreciate
as much as anybody the value OF economy OF
space, as suggested by our correspondent, but
that, after all. is not the chief desideratuin-
Whenever IL is possible we prefer to put an
item into ten lines rather than twenty. But
we should rather print it correctly II 1t re-
qulred hundred lines than compress it in
correctly into FIVE Efforts to improve our
spelling" will be more cOmmendable and more
profitable, and will certainly deserve and prob
ably command far more success, when they are
co-ordinated with general efforts to improve the
popular use of the language. In the course or
many years of scrutiny of all sorts and condi-
tons of written compositions we have observed
that errors in etymology and syntax are much
more numerous than those I'm photography.
We cordially agree with our correspondent In
loF
hitherto undergone many changes in spelling,
and also that in future there will I've further
changes, largely in the direction of simplifca-
ton. But that is to our mind an argument
against rather than for such a campaign as the
Simpliicd Spelling Board has undertaken. The
histories of VOlapuk. of Esperanto and Of lilo
remind US of the impOssibility Of artihcially
creating a new language, on matter how
scientific basis. Similarly we have no faith
in the practicabity of generally transforming
the spelling Of the language-even if 1t needed
10 be done, as il does nOt-in any artificial,
arbitrary, Come let us-dO-sO-and-sO" fashion.
New spellings, like new words. will come into
use not through the dictum of the few, however
select, hut through the common sense OF most"
and when they have gained the common APP
prevail and through their utility have demon
strated their title To existence, they will be per-
manently and universally incorporated in the
language. 1t is our firm conviction that the
efforts which are being directed solely to an
arbitrary "smplfcatiOn'' Of our spelling would
be immeasuably more beneficial if they were
directed 20 the general improvement OF current
use of the language, leaving specific spelling
changes TO the natural processes which as the
spelling reformers themselves confess. have
been so efficient In the past