{"id":19982,"date":"2020-10-17T13:32:43","date_gmt":"2020-10-17T13:32:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/?p=19982"},"modified":"2020-10-17T21:22:04","modified_gmt":"2020-10-17T21:22:04","slug":"spelling-reform","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/?p=19982","title":{"rendered":"Spelling Reform"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I was sent another alternative orthography for English. I receive them quite often, usually for English, but sometimes for other languages. Some involve only minor changes to the current system, while others involve significant changes, and often lots of diacritics and\/or extra letters.<\/p>\n

\"Spelling<\/p>\n

I’m also sent adaptations of other alphabets for English<\/a> (and other languages<\/a>), and original constructed scripts<\/a>, some of which use the standard spelling system, and others use reformed\/improved versions. I’m more inclinded to add the constructed and adapated scripts rather then the alternative spelling systems, if I think they are sufficiently interesting, original and elegant.<\/p>\n

Here’s is an example of Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in several alternative orthographies for English<\/a>, which appear on Omniglot.<\/p>\n

This is the original text:<\/p>\n

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

New English (N\u016b I\u014bgl\u0131x)<\/a>
\nThis is a more logical and consistent spelling for English invented by Richard Parry.<\/p>\n

\u014cl hy\u016bm\u0259n b\u012b’\u0131\u014bz \u0101 b\u014dn fr\u012b and \u012bkw\u0259l \u0131n d\u0131gn\u0131t\u012b and ru\u0131ts. \u00d0e\u0131 \u0101 \u0131ndaod w\u0131\u0111 r\u012bz\u0259n and konx\u0259ns and x\u01b0d akt t\u0259w\u014ddz wun \u0259nu\u0111\u0259 \u0131n \u0259 sp\u0131r\u0131t ov bru\u0111\u0259h\u01b0d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Tower Orthography (Tawyr Oorthaagryfii)<\/a>
\nThis is was invented by Timothy Patrick Snyder and Rebecca Spatz with the aim of making a simple and phonetic system of writing.<\/p>\n

Ol hjuumanz ar boorn frij and ikwol in dignitij and raits. Dhej ar indawd with riizon and kancints and cud akt twardz wyn ynydhyr in y spirit yv brydhyrhud.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Expressive English Alphabet (IKSP\ua78b\u03a3SI\u03fd I\u0418GLI\u01a7 \u039bL\u0492\u2c6dB\u03a3\ua786.)<\/a>
\nThis is was created by Marcel Burrows. It is designed to have one letter for each sound, and to allow people from any part of the world to write in their own accent.<\/p>\n

\u0394L HYUM\u2c6dN BEI\u0418Z A B\u0394N F\ua78bE \u039bND EK\u10b1\u2c6dL IN DIGN\u2c6d\ua786E \u039bND R\u00ceCS. \ua79c\u0466 A\ua78b IND\u03a9D WI\ua79c REZ\u2c6dN \u039bND K\ua658N\u01a7\u2c6dNS \u039bND \u01a7\u00dcD \u039bK\ua786 \ua786\u2c6d\u10b1\u0394DZ \u10b1\u00dbN \u2c6dN\u00db\ua79c\u2c6d IN \u2c6d SPI\ua78bI\ua786 \ua658V B\ua78b\u00db\ua79c\u2c6dH\u00dcD.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here are some others that I decided not to add to Omniglot:<\/p>\n

The Script<\/strong> (no other name supplied)<\/em>
\nThis was devised by Max Khovanski and seeks to make spelling completely unambiguous, and cuts out as many unnecessary letters as possible to improve typing and writing efficiency.<\/p>\n

\u0100\u0101l h\u016bman b\u0113ings ar born fr\u0113 and \u0113kwal in digniti and r\u012bghts. They ar endawd widh r\u0113son and kons’enc and sh\u00fad act tuuw\u0101\u0101rds oun anudher in \u0101 spirit of brudherh\u00fad.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Reformed English (Reformd \u0130ngl\u026a\u0283)<\/strong>
\nThis was devised by Andy B. to explore the idea of a neatly and consistently formulated English spelling reform.<\/p>\n

\u0186l hyuman biyi\u014bs \u0254r born fri and ikwal \u026an d\u026agn\u026ati and r\u0254its. \u00d0ei \u0254r endawd w\u026a\u00fe rizon and k\u0254n\u0283ens and \u0283\u028ad akt towards w\u028cn an\u028c\u00f0r \u026an a sp\u026ar\u026at \u028cv br\u028c\u00f0rh\u028ad.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

New English (N\u016b I\u014bgl\u0131x)<\/strong>
\nA more logical and consistent spelling for English invented by Richard Parry. There are two versions: the full orthography (shown first), and the new orthography (shown second).<\/p>\n

Ool hyuumeun bii’ingz aa boon frii and iikweul in dignitii and ruits. Nhei aa indaod winh riizeun and konxeuns and xu’d akt teuwoodz wun eununheu in eu spirit ov brunheuhu’d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u014cl hy\u016bm\u0259n b\u012b’\u0131\u014bz \u0101 b\u014dn fr\u012b and \u012bkw\u0259l \u0131n d\u0131gn\u0131t\u012b and ru\u0131ts. \u00d0e\u0131 \u0101 \u0131ndaod w\u0131\u0111 r\u012bz\u0259n and konx\u0259ns and x\u01b0d akt t\u0259w\u014ddz wun \u0259nu\u0111\u0259 \u0131n \u0259 sp\u0131r\u0131t ov bru\u0111\u0259h\u01b0d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

To be practical, and easy to type, I think English spelling reforms should stick to the existing letters, rather than adding accented letters, and\/or borrowing letters from the IPA or other alphabets. Using the regular aspects of the current orthography might be a good idea as well, rather than coming up with new spellings.<\/p>\n

There are alternative ways to write some words in informal contexts, especially online, such as thru for through, that could be used.<\/p>\n

What are your views on spelling reform for English, or other languages?<\/p>\n

What do you think of the alternative spelling systems I’ve shared here?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I was sent another alternative orthography for English. I receive them quite often, usually for English, but sometimes for other languages. Some involve only minor changes to the current system, while others involve significant changes, and often lots of diacritics and\/or extra letters. I’m also sent adaptations of other alphabets for English (and other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[104,10,78,80],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english","category-language","category-words-and-phrases","category-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19982"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20005,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19982\/revisions\/20005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}