The Dominion. THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1911. THE TYRANNY OF SPELLING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2113, 2 April 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1911. THE TYRANNY OF SPELLING.

It is not so very hmg ago Ihnlspolling ] reformers wore gciiefftHy classed v/ii.h tlwsu jjcojrfe w)|o lαlieve that the earth is felt, and wt.r« regartlecl as lumnlcgs "crairks" w||« need not be taken voi'y s«sfio-tiHJ.y. But it has now daftnecl npvrt) many scientists, sclurfafs, itml pritct-ifc.it) kisiiißss liicn that tlw j : >i'<;vi.ulirig system of spftHiiig—if, iiK.fced, it ea-it m Ottlf-cd a system—is cftpublfi t)f ft good cteal of iihprovijMMmt. Jlefwrifi wuiiltt, of Cotir.se, 'h.w» i 6 I.M!tiiii in mir schools, where tho sirnggfc with ].lm inexplicftblc ihyst-et-ics of Enftlisli sfosilliirjg liccowicS a wojivjiifl'ss both to thy tcaebfar and tliK cliiki. 13very tibw and tlicn iin cchis of the liattle rencliqs tho outside World, but though we all syittpathisfc with tim- viqUnri, we him-*, tlie. ho{ieJ-S9S feeling th'iA ii is tlw jsriW; we iitive to pay for" oivilii&twij. fiie ftif.lowihg exti'asfc from the. annual roperb t>i tlift iaspecterg of tJjd WeMjngion Ethictl' tion District coijtairiS ii. roi.if£led ftote of pitilesfc ag/iijist the lo'og nii.d drcaty process of ieai'njng Ij(*\v ta spell;— .'

Spel.H.iiij is gpoOy tsWcl we lwro attttfe tf-lt-jt we lin<-.s*.fre(j.ui>iitiy shitei) before, tinit I.ar too mijeft. tiiiie is thkeii itp ii.i otii , sefiodls dvsi' tJlis, subject, PwijU.tmiil'y bwre tinic is giyt'i! tij tiie htarliijj riM dictaiiinj .yf: siidliti,? t*lii*U (o tjifi- ioiicliLh;? (tf. sticii ,oi.i iwp'Qrtaiit stibjcct ctijiijWr iiijbn. As bile of diir gitqtpst: citiicapjjj.iji.j ftirfliq.i'Hies points sJij.l. if it were not tliivfc wq; liflrt to wi-itfe; s-pMliftc; ivoujil !)6 ttii ;i!ttigftthef iisiileiSS WMinjirwEiiiitit,. itiitl tlf.ftt it is wily wjisn we #ntCi. ttivt fliiy ijeficieaej iii {Kk rffipcqt conits. tq li.iiiit. All .fiia.t shou.l'l be vtcfwSsii'Cj 1 , tlieii, i,» & tefttlt tlic tpffect sirdfiiigW fiwite \viiidi •ij'fc i : h ?*ety diij' fise a'w'tl woioli in ihfc otdiiiftrj V'tittefl ctfiiijvpsitiioii; ; wliilSi us ii.. iiriiittr of fdo't, vhiiwWo tiiivc* is lieiitg talcc.ii «p in titiiflihig tlrt tliildrßii in fevcit I3ie lowest StatidJiTils to sjVlill \v'ow)s tjiiit ttc.Y.«H,n*vcr lisei fitter in ffl-itteft* ov in sjKikeii ini^giiage.

. .Tftei*. is no dtnibt that}! , iHtfr order w?s pertuifefecl to ttiJco (life: ■ plijeo , of tlie . : esisCi.rtg ".chaos of tri^; Sitroiial riijtfs , ' ah-sfc&iWi blow; ■fctitiH to s&ftek at fclits df .. sfiolHngi Jirid it is eonttiiJidM that; , tnis . liijghfc do done vithoiKs . layering, the- standard, lessening; the' dignity; .or obscuring ijhe h'istbi-y of : EiiglSEsh iitera&ife This , tgt&ojpin-, loii of giteh eiiiitieii* authorities ag Losd Bf-ttveEj, .PSoMssbii Cfifcii&iW ■MwKfeAT, Mn. WiLWAM IiiCHER., aiicT ' PitomSbK. piwiiiANiJ. Bicycfi : ■ admits that the Bji.Q'rmc.rs have a long aiii fifdiiisp;s t-ask.JjSfoj'e. t:heiii», bat thiriks- ffiat in tJM tb.y, will |uc»; ■ oe&dj because reason is on their side.. ■ Bringing the- question .ctowi to ii: ' Were' tiusiaeiss . proposition':;. Be deekies'that r£f6rin;. would F6 V wqrfi) a great dell tS British, feaife, ': and he suites • that J a;jv»fiti.cse.;frl^jVtl§- ■ htivfi, de'ijlercd: td hinj fhfe diffiftiiltieg. wlii& .Eftglisii spellifigc librp ifi ihfe, .-way of tficix effofts lo spreaH ihij. language. fiiwßsS&K- MtiKßAyijeinfe. (Dtit ttevt ftup al.jjfebe.ti.iS Jjj flo Wioaiis. o perfect- ijisfeijintint f# recordj:rTg pur langiiagp.* ftiaJiijig : the best .use btf $ Uy fltfdjjtih.g Bbiriß .■ ■ siwijio ioftd;feic)jtj"fic sj;stJSnJ> vfs yia$ L (tier into «,■ cjtaos bt ira;ditjoi|sl |u'|is . as ftm#i<aipd a\s tlicy foicbiisis* ■ tent. The iiicSeiit nrctfoacte p:f spdil a child's-, ear ffiat h§ dtfe net know ijh'H't sfiited? hti'is.'prbdiiE'. : !ftgj;. aiid t^ljifcy' β-j^pjlVUts. . p6vrt!fs iri3 biHaith: sji;fe|6£io ; tlitoupfi by fixing jjis nifect diln'ngseVerAl. iinjjressioriaHe jcirS :a p^eutb-sys- ■ tem of rtsfe in: lSa,rrij;ng: whieb. Biffltv- . ery douiits ittr. ievefyaifesj rtn.3 aftj^ th,ing life re(is'dn;»ig (Jr , cleiir , thought' w@vifd straight to fi ; sg«Wi '0&. less of niai;ks. These -arc the yi6%5 ■af liien who kn<5AY ivliaf £hos. fti'e talking i-itd gi'o. able to, abroach the quesii&D Ifbhi bofcH £h» pmctf&al and tho .lifecii'a.ry pjsints. $ ; wi ; e jflajjr. bfi- sbrae lit iifc ctymoiagMftl argument fHi, the history of the iiiiiglifc be ebscured by the n&w spcilmg ;■ buS this cbnteiition largely breaks d.pwn on. dose-r' eiaral : jr#ioaj aijd Mji. itBOHSit gives sprafr interesting JfV* stahees wlijeh g.s to show that tfe jjfesiint method stjirietifflcs oblitcratiis ■ flic' cfcriva/t&n incl suggeste nitileatling iSeas by the tintieciissary jid;3ition of tetters td a *6i>d. He peiiit.j &u. : tj for instance, that the. *6r : d "spyfiHacigh" has Upthin.g t» do with.reign, »n| that MittoN wrote'■ "sdvwh. w In Oi»KESt>EAKE'S jwefts, "%K>j?" pteai'ed , mitet%B fifties, ailcf ! laort6tti'" only ibree tira:o^. Facts lite these teild to undef' mine tljte- literal'}* "jin.fj siJ-nMitiewtal dbjeetionjf ts Spelling rfefovra; bail; it is enbthiHg to fey bjire the f'cafenesses of the existing aivd quite it.iit}.t,bei' ttj fi»d ft logjca-l an 9 satisfftctory fep.fclwd to take ite plac& The keen eriticism which., the consteuqtive wark of the Simplified Speifing Soeifitf has evoked givfes an indica.t.t&n of the diifieii.liy t)f the task it has uirdertakqn.. Sift IL H. JaijjistftN is of opinion that its system is "fully., as iinrtAsoiiftMe,. and jnftiilar as tho estw lisfel spelling,, tthjie the bis* tayi-6 aad pliilslogiral the fetter nitet be lield to possess." fliis. iSj ©f coitrSfc, tiriiy ati exjre-ssian of personat opinion: But Sir It, H. jDHSa'oN is an liiiteh fifrticr groiiml wheii ho ai'gues tliat. thb noCessiLvy prelttiitiitry to the jjjgposcd felerps ii the ata&4ardisfition of Inghsh iJKmutGJa.tto, vfhieh emild fenliy, bo brdught,.about by an Anglb-Ainci'i-iian coui&'encfi and A task of such timg : nitu : de is net lightly to be but the- prbbaMc i-eweit wduld be. great, for ifc lnighb lead to lbs addptidn (if oiif -'as the i;niversa.l . \y"6rW*3ipeebh.' of intefeotoliiunieation, siricb it is a natural Mend of tte .languages \thich mt<} those of tho Ebtiian Eninii* ftt its greatasfc joined with tho Edftiance. and Isj-'w 'Ge-rpian tsngufes d tho iatidtle -AgeS SwJ tho Omsades." Prqeessoß. Bi&PiiAiJN o> ; ncars to ag'roft With this point of yicSv; ■ ' fat at a fefieiit mictijig of the SinV plified Society Jip moved a );«saiatiah (*liich SyaSi' earned), thflt English standard speech siiWld be deai-lv dfifinedj aßd. tliat the .Board off fediwatioa slioiiM H requested to SHTOUion a couforfenca for" iMh \v.iVposii. This opeits a liVttdi oigguv pi'obfem ifaii fli-R o.f eur Spelling. It is.a niftitei' \\;hicl:i roßCi>i-ns tfe wlwile Eihpire m will as flw Uhitcii States, and such ,i oonferonce aa that proposed. woiiUl havi? to b<? rfpresftiitati'Ve. of tile whole fiMß ; llsh4pßajcijig. .WpHd;.