Orthographical Reform

Every month I thoroughly enjoy reading the various views expressed on the possible development of our language. It's noticeable that these views all follow one direction; may I suggest an advocation rather than a prognosis?

George Bernard Shaw was an advocate of verbal rationalisation, and urged spelling reform, suggesting that one letter be altered or deleted each year; this method would give the populace time to absorb the change.

For example in year 1, that useless letter 'c' would be dropped, to be replased by either 'k' or 's', and likewise 'x' would no longer be part of the alphabet. The only kase in which 'c' would be retained would be the 'ch' formation which will be dealt with later.

Year 2 might well reform 'w' spelling, so that 'which' and 'one' would take the same konsonant, wile Year 3 might well abolish 'y', replasing it with 'i', and Iear 4 might fiks the 'g-j' anomali wonse and for all.

Jenerally then, the improvement would kontinue iear bi iear, with Iear 5 doing awei with useles double konsonants, and Iears 6-12 or so modifaiing vowlz and the rimeining voist and unvoist konsonants. Bi Ier 15 or so, it wud fainali bi posibl tu meik ius ov thi ridundnt letez 'c', 'y', and 'x' - bi now just a memri in the maindz ov ould dodererz - tu repleis 'ch', 'sh', and 'th' rispektivli.

Fainali xen, aafte sum 20 iers ov orxografikl riform, wi wud hav a lojikl, kohirnt speling in ius xrewawt xe Ingliy-spiking werld. Haweve, sins xe Airiy, xe Wely, and xe Skotz du not spik Ingliy, xei wud hev to hev a speling suitd tu xer oun langwij. Xei kud haweve, orlweiz lern Ingliy az a sekund langwij at skul.

(I got this from the UK Mensa magazine in August '84, but it's been seen in various places)