The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1915-12-10
SimpIified Spellind.
BY Prof. Edward J. Erwin. Assistant
Professor of English.

Professor of English.
When the first list of three hundred
words was published in 1906 by the
Simplitied Spelling Board, the move
ment was received with protest and
ridicule by the country at large and re-
garded as a passing fad. Since that
time, many of its proposed changes
have been accepted without really be-
ing aware of the fact; more radical
lists have been published without call
ing forth the continents which greeted
the mild suggestions of the original
list; the leading philologlsts, educators
and editors of the country have become
members of the BOARD or its Advisory
Council; several prominent periodicals
have adopted tie principles of reformed
spelling; and thousands thruout the
country have signified their approval of
the proposed changes. 1t is a subject,
therefore, that should be of interest to
every user of the English language.
Simplitied spelling is based on sound
principles From a phonetic stand
point the English language is far be.
hind all other civilized languages. The
same combination of letters is pro-
nounced differently in different words;
the same sound is expressed by differ
ent combinations of letters. The OBJ
iect that simplified spelling has in view
is to make the English language as
perfectly phonetic as the present al
phabet will permit. ''The Ideal. " says
Mr.. Lounsbury, ''is that the moment a
man sees the syllable he shall know
how to pronounce it,
The first list of three hundred words
advised the choice of the simpler of two
possible ways of spelling a word. For
instance, between quartette and quar-
tet, programme and program, cata-
logue and catolog, favour and favor,
centre and center, medieval and medi-
eval, ETC., the simpler of the two ways
is preferred. The following words
We're also simplified, plough to pillow.
through to thro and though to tho.
Most of these suggestions have been
generally adopted. The only radical
suggestions was in the case of past
participles in which the ending "ed''
takes the sound of st" In this case
the st" would be substituted. as dropt
for dropped, kist for kissed, etc.
The second, third and fourth lists
contain more sweeping changes which
affect the spelling of a large number OF
WORDS. mi d Few OF tnese can De
mentioned. The most natural change
Is the dropping of silent c%onsonants in
such words as knat, knife, wrong. debt,
solemn, and thumb, which would be-
come, nat, nife, rong, Diet, solem, thum.
In the same way unnecessary vowels
would be omitted. Thus, build would
become bid, guard would become gard.
Unstressed sc" would be dropped in
such words as facile, doctrine, prom
Use, opposite, giving facil, doctrin,
promis, opposit. The ''e" would also
be omitted in past participates where
led" has the sound Of ID" such a.
hangd for hanged, livd for lived, etc.
1t is impossible in a short paper t.
discuss the desirability of simplifieC
spelling or to answer any of the objec
tons that have been raised. The poin'
to be emphasized is that it is a seriou.
movement headed by eminent scholar.
and worthy of the attention of ever!
writer of the English language. Thu
leaders ir the movement do not expec
|. that the language will change its spelling
in a short time, but have simply pointed
out the lines which simplification in tn,