Spelling standards and other things
Jul. 7th, 2006 07:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nyankoframeI feel very lucky today. That might be because I was allowed to leave 3 hours earlier than usual. It might also be because of some things that happened, which I won't really talk about here (but if you know me, you might be able to guess what they are). :P
I saw a link to an article, Push for simpler spelling persists while browsing Slashdot today. After reading the article, I believe that having such a system might, somehow, help more children, especially those who can't afford to read newspapers or books, learn how to spell English words. It would, however, make it even harder for American children to understand or be understood by others, particularly if they travel abroad. In my opinion, it is also a way for parents to avoid having to take the effort in correcting their children's spelling or going through English concepts such as prefixes and suffixes with them. I'm not going to touch on whether this represents a form of laziness that somehow seems to be reflective of American culture recently (for example, the increasing fast-food consumption or the declining state of American health)...
I'm not a linguist or someone who's especially interested in languages (consider, for example, the fact that I can only really speak, read and write English fluently, although I can speak and read Sinhala and I think I'm still proficient in Malay), but I never had a problem with learning how to spell simple words such as colour, or homonyms such as way and weigh even when I was young. I think that might be because I read a lot (newspapers, encyclopedias, books and novels/fiction) and because I attended a British international school for about 2 years.
Another reason is that my parents also made the effort to correct my spelling when I made mistakes, and they also taught me how to pronounce words and speak clearly. That advice may not always have fallen on receptive ears, and sometimes I resisted because it was more work to do all of that instead of speaking in a mumble, but I believe that it helped, especially when I compare myself (inevitably) to my peers and, in particular, the people I'm working with right now. I don't force others to improve, though I do suggest that they read an English newspaper (such as the Straits Times) if possible.
I saw a link to an article, Push for simpler spelling persists while browsing Slashdot today. After reading the article, I believe that having such a system might, somehow, help more children, especially those who can't afford to read newspapers or books, learn how to spell English words. It would, however, make it even harder for American children to understand or be understood by others, particularly if they travel abroad. In my opinion, it is also a way for parents to avoid having to take the effort in correcting their children's spelling or going through English concepts such as prefixes and suffixes with them. I'm not going to touch on whether this represents a form of laziness that somehow seems to be reflective of American culture recently (for example, the increasing fast-food consumption or the declining state of American health)...
I'm not a linguist or someone who's especially interested in languages (consider, for example, the fact that I can only really speak, read and write English fluently, although I can speak and read Sinhala and I think I'm still proficient in Malay), but I never had a problem with learning how to spell simple words such as colour, or homonyms such as way and weigh even when I was young. I think that might be because I read a lot (newspapers, encyclopedias, books and novels/fiction) and because I attended a British international school for about 2 years.
Another reason is that my parents also made the effort to correct my spelling when I made mistakes, and they also taught me how to pronounce words and speak clearly. That advice may not always have fallen on receptive ears, and sometimes I resisted because it was more work to do all of that instead of speaking in a mumble, but I believe that it helped, especially when I compare myself (inevitably) to my peers and, in particular, the people I'm working with right now. I don't force others to improve, though I do suggest that they read an English newspaper (such as the Straits Times) if possible.
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no subject
Date: 2006-07-07 03:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-07 03:15 pm (UTC)I'll admit that there are some benefits to such a system, but I believe the bad *much* outweighs the good.
Speaking on a purely technical level:
1) Web pages will have to be "translated" -- which is a pain in the ass for anyone that manages a large website
2) What about programming languages? will "include" become "enclood" or some such? We'll have to change our entire way of writing code.
It would also add to confusion all in all. How do we go about re-educating the 90% of the literate population that has learned the current style? Editors for magazines, newspapers, and books will have to either adapt or find another job. Businesses will have to put up new signs and advertisements, which can cost a *lot* of money. Traffic signs will have to be changed, and I certainly don't want to pay for that!
What about the greats like Shakespeare? Do we translate his words into this new "simple spelling", or do we leave his works alone so the newer generation can't read it?
Now hold on to that last thought. Does that mean the new generation of children will have to learn the old style of spelling as well? If so, then what's the point? Would we rather massacre these great works of literature?
I just don't think it's worth it just to make learning easier.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-10 03:09 pm (UTC)