[senco-forum] Re. spelling reform

I suppose if you hang around on any forum for long enough, you should expect
some threads (especially the interesting ones) to rise again, and take a
grip.  I checked, and re-read the postings that Jean, Richard and I (among
others) contributed on spelling reform...in March 2002.

I remain in the 'I can see the drawbacks and difficulties, but this is still
an interesting idea' camp.

I think Jean is a proponent of 'simplified spelling'.  I didn't read her
postings as calling for universal conversion to a phonetic spelling system
in English.

Richard - I'm still with you about the fascination and value of morphology
and etymology, and the richness of the English language (which you described
beautifully).  But if we go far enough into these, particularly etymology,
English is really quite a mess.  Some spellings (and meanings) have come to
pass through lax copying of text; some seem to have begun life in ancient
languages and changed without anyone being able to explain why or how, or
joined onto fragments of other languages.  But it's a mess.

I can't see, for example, how having a universal 'f' spelling for the sound
'f', rather than f/ph/gh/ff choice, would rob the English language of any
element
of its richness.  And it would tidy some of the mess at the same time.

Jean's grandchildren seem to have found a 'way in' to English: the jury
might be out as to how their subsequent voyage through this arcane language
will go (and I hope Jean will update us in due course) but if it makes the
journey easier, I'm in favour.

We're only passing through, so we're not charged with the task of designing
the finished product.  Like you, I enjoy the challenge of English spelling,
but we're both quite fortunate to be able to spell accurately and enjoy the
foibles.
I just think Jean can see the long-term value of making a small but useful
contribution now.

Biff