PHONETIC SPELLING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 662, 12 November 1909, Page 3

PHONETIC SPELLING.

Sir,—l noticed recently a paragraph in The ' Dominion on tho simplification of our spelling ' by an American association, and I thought you rnrhor rogarded it with ridicule I am an ' ardent advocate of complete phonetic spelling, and if you will allow, mo space I wish to toll you why Our gelling is simply barbarous and an outrasc on commonjonse Why on earth should wo write "is" when \,o want tho sound of " iz," or " eye" to represent the sound of "1"? And can you pomt mo to anything so ridiculous as tho tiso wo maU of " ough "'—dough, plounh, rongli, thought hough, etc Thoro are three reasons given for retaining our present spelling. The first amounts to this Our fathere and grandfathers used it. Second, phonotio spelling looks so comio, if not actually vulgar ana illiterate Third, phonetic spelling wul hid* or destroy tho historical etymology of out complex language. The first reason is not worth replying torn this go-ahead democratio age and place and'besides if son go a httlo fnrthw back than our grandfathors you will find they did not Bpall aa we do is many respects. Txcy-wtato.

"plow", and,wo ," plough," ct&, etc.; indeed, , .:,;-<'.'; many siMalled qdncatcd folia of consequence:''V' , thought spell as they liked. Like': : : the, old'.German lSmperor "Super gramtaativ:":': CUm.'V :'.'\..'- ; ;"....•'■■'•' ,''' ■■'■■'* : . '•"■' ■' '\,- .':C< : Of'the, second objection' I will say thaiin:■* ': "' 10 years after the adoption, of phanstio spoil- 1 ; ; ing it will be our present orthography that.will? look> comic < nnd- barbaronsi . At- present; of .'■ v course, itie.eo suggestive of Artemus Ward ,• and Pat Dooley, and ignorance. That as3ocia-j,-:■';• tion will soon pass. v tv . .. 4 ■■■ '' ■•"■'■■'■' '■'>' ": For the historical etiological reason some-;... thing may bo said; but it only applies to the.. professors '.and..students .of, languages..Whai i '.?■,'. mggestion of its Greek origin , does ■ Philip .1, instead of Klip convey to 99 out of every , : 100 persons who write it?— None. Nor do. the,.: • 9Vkhow or care ."a fig about its etymology. .;. While for the hundredth, he, will know well % ; enough and'lexicons mil preserve for him: tho knowlwigo of all -tho words' in the : where , the Greek ," ph " has been disguised;,. by the ;phonetic "f." Tins argument, ■ I think, will apply to all thtj simplincotione -■ needed for phonetic spelling in words of Latin;, j'' Greek or Saacon origin. ■ .'-' ~ ' : : . c :. : '- My, one .great argument for phonetic spell-:'._. ing, unanswerable I think, is the ononoone r "; saving of time and'toil in educating the chil- ;:i dren. .As a ieachor of, 25 years', experience,' '. I know what I speak of. The years ; spent in acquiring a decent ability in' teadinß '.' • and spoiling is a sorrow, to toadierß and ; '\l[ scholars alike. Thousands end tens of thoo-:'.- ; sands nevwr acquire the art of reading- and:•/::■' spellingi though.possessing good avcroge'intojl- ; . ligenco.'. The gain in, time, labour "and '. expense in our edncatiooal system would; be '.•'•, enormous, and the tirae and labour thus sartdj' ,■ would : bei; so serviceable, and vso' ; muoH;■'.,; needed for a more advanced standard of odn- ;'■'>., cation, that all who are interested in ( it' 'are a] I: advocating and pressing for. For ,pftonetio ; ,• j spelling fully, we Teqnire more : letters than ; w» ■; at present' use.< 'We will require simplo.die-: '•;:•■ tract signs. for the four. Bounds of '", a 'f* in j ; fate, fat, far.fall; of "e" in me;and menj:; of',' i" in pin aikl pine; of "0" in no and to,,;■■;. and several 'consonant-sounds, while wo abolish; = c,j,'g, and'.'x aS'at present >ised. :, ; . ,;>■!-.'/- Sir IsivacPitirian, tho inventor of our ; pro-,": sent system of' slibrthand and the'enthosiastio., advocate of gelling!, reform',",' suggested. a;com- ■■ ' pleto nlphahot so'medO years ago;, of ■' which' I 1,; took' and still... possess • a copy, ■ which you or;> anyone, interested have for' the asking;.; ■■■'• % As several'V V' newepapora,'• •;• in :i' America 'ht(ve -'iilriady adopted, the largely- vi simplified' iipcUilig recommended by the so-,. ciety aimins at this desirable' connnmmation,■■■.■•. it will prohfi&ly'-make headway' and ibcepme, > permanent, and I-shall: not be .frightened to '; write center,' theater, plow,',etc.., Suppose ..you:. try it, Mr,' Editor, as the rcpresentabye'or advanced' and 'h'on&t journalism?—l ..am, , etc,:,, ? y '.' '■■■;■';> V.j'.'^'i'^RjMAßTlN^OTßß.* , /:! ;, Port Aiber.tr!'November i. \^,;\;^:'; : y''^ : "-y