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Prof Argues for Looser Spelling

English-speaking pupils hamstrung by non-phonetic words, apostrophes

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 8, 2008 2:40 PM CDT

(Newser) – A British academic argues that English-speaking schoolchildren waste time learning the peculiarities of spelling, and should be given more freedom to spell phonetically, the Times of London reports. Children studying in languages with more phonetic writing systems, like Finnish or Italian, don’t need to waste classroom time on spelling, John Wells notes, so why should English speakers have to?

Wells is also president of University College London’s Spelling Society, and will use its centenary dinner to make the case for more liberal spelling evaluation. He proposes several changes, among them: eliminating the apostrophe altogether, embracing the American “z” in organize, and replacing the soft “g” with a “j” as in “danjer,” “stranjer.”

[Images (2)]

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"With English it%u2019s not phonetic, and there are just so many irregularities,%u201D the professor says. %u201CIt seems to be a great pity that English-speaking countries are holding back children in... (Shutterstock)

%u201CLet%u2019s allow people greater freedom to spell logically,%u201D the professor continued. %u201CIt%u2019s time to remove the fetish that says that correct spelling is a principal (principle?) mark... (AP Photo)

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Let’s allow people greater freedom to spell logically. It’s time to remove the fetish that says that correct spelling is a mark of being educated. Text messaging, e-mail and internet chat rooms are showing us the way forward. - John Wells, University College London

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Prof Argues for Looser Spelling