The following is reprinted from The Best of Uncle John's Bathroom Reader. At the turn of the century, Andrew Carnegie spent more than $200,000 in an attempt to simplify spelling. Here are a few of the details of that forgotten episode in American history. E-Z DUZ IT In 1906, millionaire industrialist Andrew Carnegie was approached by ENUF ALREDDEE President Theodore Roosevelt was an instant convert to the plan. On August 29, 1906, he ordered the U.S. Printer to use the new spelling on all executive branch publications. For a moment, it looked like simplified spelling would be instituted nationwide. Roosevelt’s plan made front-page news, both here and abroad. Unfortunately for TR, most of the publicity was unfavorable. U.S. newspaper mocked the idea, and the London Times ridiculed him with a headline reading “Roosevelt Spelling Makes Britons Laugh.” Congress was outraged by Roosevelt’s decree, too. In late 1906, they started to debate the idea on the floor of the House. Sensing an embarrassing political defeat, Roosevelt quickly withdrew his support for the plan. WEL, THATZ THAT. Carnegie was deeply disappointed. A practical man, he dropped his financial support for the Simplified Spelling Board, writing, “I think I have been patient long enuf … I have a much better use of $25,000 a year.” |
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Good thing they decided against it.
Here's a good one:
http://books.google.com/books?id=yxlMAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=simplified+spelling
carnegie was wrong thinking that it would be especially useful to foreigners because: "The foreigner has the greatest difficulty in acquiring it because of its spelling."
spelling is easy for foreigners. we learn words from dictionaries and textbooks. pronouncing the words is difficult tho.
phonetic alfabets would probably lessen the differences between accents (or dialects) only problem is that which accent would we choose for the phonetical basis of this great simplified spelling.
The idea of simple spellings may have died off, but that doesn't mean the English language won't change. The next big change will come from texting and web-speak.
sunil