Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site oliveb.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!ihnp4!pesnta!hplabs!oliveb!jerry From: jerry@oliveb.UUCP (Jerry Aguirre) Newsgroups: net.physics,net.nlang Subject: Re: Re: Credibility Message-ID: <483@oliveb.UUCP> Date: Wed, 26-Jun-85 20:24:30 EDT Article-I.D.: oliveb.483 Posted: Wed Jun 26 20:24:30 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 1-Jul-85 08:15:52 EDT References: <271@sri-arpa.ARPA> Followup-To: net.nlang Organization: Olivetti ATC; Cupertino, Ca Lines: 46 Xref: watmath net.physics:2705 net.nlang:3307 > From: John H. Heimann> > I know this kind of discussion should be kept off the list, > but I can't resist the opportunity to respond. The best reason that > I can think of not to change English spelling is that it reflects the rich > tradition of the language, which includes those of Celtic, Germanic, French, > Latin, and Greek (among others). A succession of conquerers, first > Anglo-Saxon, then Roman, then Norman all had a profound influence on the > language that developed into modern day English, and added their own words and > spellings to the lexicon. The diversity that results makes English one of the > most expressive languages for any form of literature in which lyrical qualities I couldn't resist as this is one of my pet peeves. Please explain how changing the spelling of words will damage their "expressive" or "lyrical" qualities. Also explain how the written form of a language can have any "lyrical" qualities. Remember that we are talking about changing marks on a piece of paper, not the spoken words those marks represent. Is spelling "phone" as "fone" less expressive? If they are pronounced the same can one be less "lyrical"? I am constantly finding people who take arms against any change of the written language. I have always felt that the written language is primarily a representation of the spoken one. There is an easy test to tell you how you think about it. Just decide which of the following sentences is "correct". Type a "L". (or) Type an "L". I know people who argue strongly for the first form because "L" does not begin with a vowel. Our language is replete with spellings based on archaic pronunciation or the spelling rules of a foreign language. Thus to know which "rule" to use for spelling a word, one has to know what language it originated in, when that was, and how usage has modified all of that. However don't worry to much about planned changes in the language. Even the English don't use the "English" system of measurements any more. If we won't give up the inch (2.54cm) then how could we give up "Wednesday" (wenz'di). Note followup-to. This is not physics. Jerry Aguirre @ Olivetti ATC {hplabs|fortune|idi|ihnp4|tolerant|allegra|tymix}!oliveb!jerry