Thursday, April 27, 2000, 7:29:45 AM, Alexander wrote:
> During ze fifz year, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou"
> and similar changes vud of kors be aplid to ozer kombinations of leters. After
> zis fifz year, vi vil hav a realy sensibl riten styl. Zer vil be no mor trubls or
> difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi to understand each ozer.
> ZE DREAM VIL FINALI KUM TRU!
> P.S. I _like_ it!
Unfortunately, like most decent jokes it has been retold, poorly, with no
credit to its lineage. I do believe Mark Twain was the man who started this
particular chuckle.
A Plan for the Improvement of English Spelling
by Mark Twain
For example, in Year 1 that useless letter "c" would be dropped
to be replased either by "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 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 bai iear
with Iear 5 doing awai with useless double konsonants, and Iears 6-12
or so modifaiing vowlz and the rimeining voist and unvoist konsonants.
Bai Iear 15 or sou, it wud fainali bi posibl tu meik ius ov thi
ridandant letez "c", "y" and "x" -- bai now jast a memori in the maindz
ov ould doderez -- tu riplais "ch", "sh", and "th" rispektivli.
Fainali, xen, aafte sam 20 iers ov orxogrefkl riform, wi wud
hev a lojikl, kohirnt speling in ius xrewawt xe Ingliy-spiking werld.
--
Steve C. Lamb | I'm your priest, I'm your shrink, I'm your
ICQ: 5107343 | main connection to the switchboard of souls.
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