British Prof: Throw Spelling Rules Out the Window

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British Prof: Throw Spelling Rules Out the Window

- 3 Comments

by Matthew K. Tabor | Sep 17 2008, 07:34 AM
Filed under: General, News

The Times Online carried a brief story last week that's managed to set off more than a few Brits and Americans: Let pupils abandon spelling rules, says academic.

"Children are being held back at school because they are forced to memorise irregular spellings and learn how to use the apostrophe, a leading academic will claim this week.
John Wells, Emeritus Professor of Phonetics at University College London and president of the Spelling Society, will use the society’s centenary dinner this week to call for a “freeing up” of English spelling.
“The teaching of literacy in schools is a major worry. It seems highly likely that one of the reasons Britain and other English-speaking countries have problems with literacy is because of our spelling and the burden it places on children."

I don't have firsthand knowledge of spelling instruction in the United Kingdom, but the schools I keep tabs on here in the US don't spend so much time on spelling that other subjects are ignored. This is also the first time I've heard someone claim that spending time on spelling will bring about - or is bringing about? - a literacy crisis:

"“It seems to be a great pity that English-speaking countries are holding back children in this way. There are lots of other things that are neglected in class because so much time is spent on spelling,” he said."

I wonder what type of data/evidence he's got to back up his case. Unfortunately, the Times article didn't mention any of that [it may or may not exist]. So what does Professor Wells want to see changed? The apostrophe, for one:

"Professor Wells said that the apostrophe was an equal waste of time. “Instead of an apostrophe we could just leave it out (it’s could become its) or leave a space (so we’ll would become we ll). Have we really nothing better to do with our lives than fret about the apostrophe?""

I'd guess that using the context of a sentence to figure out which its/it's you're reading is a very simple, automatic task for solid readers. Children trying to overcome the literacy crisis of which Professor Wells is so terrified might have a tougher time with these constructions. If they don't know some other words in the sentence, or can't use contextual clues, its/it's might become far more difficult than it needs to be. On to spelling:

"“Let’s allow people greater freedom to spell logically,” he said. “It’s time to remove the fetish that says that correct spelling is a principal (principle?) mark of being educated.” Professor Wells pointed towards the emerging technologies that are leading to a reevaluation of spelling, saying: “Text messaging, e-mail and internet chat rooms are showing us the way forward for English.”"

I'd call proper spelling more than a fetish. Then again, I'm not a tendentious academic looking to shake up the world of grammar.

The English language is changing - we know that. Some things are becoming streamlined and simplified, others are dropping out entirely. I don't see a need to bow down to text messaging and internet-speak to move things along. They'll happen as they need to happen.

The complexities of language - especially English - allow for creativity in usage. I'll take that flexibility and freedom over phonetic ease.

Then agin wut do i no?

3 Comments

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Nigel

09-17-2008 12:08 PM

You write about changes: "They’ll happen as they need to happen." This change needs to happen: The writing system will go the way of hieroglyphics if there is no planned change. As it is Spanish is threatening English's pre-eminent position.

We are continually on a slippery slope - should we learn to ski or do we dig in? Or perhaps we should preserve what is essential - that is good grammar and clarity of expression (which are timelessly important) and be flexible with conventions that would change over time anyway. With illiteracy rates flat-lining at 25% for the last 50 years and 25% of the work force having a reading age of 13 we need to address why it is that poor spelling is the norm.

You say: "The complexities of language - especially English - allow for creativity in usage." While the fact is that the complexity of the spelling system is excludes this 25% from the world of literacy and compromises their prospects. A scandal in a democracy. You can have a rich language with a copious vocabulary etc, and a user friendly spelling system.

The elephant in the room is the irregularity of the spelling system. Any variant spellings that are more regular could usefully be embraced.

Gary Knott

09-23-2008 4:59 AM

I wonder what the standardized testing is like in Britain. At Okaloosa Applied Technology Center, where I'm finishing high school, I'm a teacher's aid in a reading class. These students seemingly have no hope of passing the FCAT, Florida's stated mandated test required for high school graduation. Maybe we should stop holding people back for their test grades, people who have all the required credits but are not good at taking tests. Maybe we should change our testing policies instead of our language. It seems simpler, but what do I know? I'm a remedial high schooler.

words509@hotmail.com

08-13-2009 3:17 AM

Mr. Tabor:

"It seems highly likely that one of the reasons Britain and other English-speaking countries have problems with literacy is because of our spelling and the burden it places on children"?

Another problem may be that those whose judgments concerning English are respected as authoritative don't avoid pleonasms in their sentences. "One of the reasons...is because"?

I am a 65-year-old American who's living in a remote part of Asia. I came here eight years ago with US$500 in my pocket because to stay alive I had to. My talents are few. However, the evidence in the States suggested strongly that I deserved a job as a copyeditor. (That's different from a newspaper's copy editor.) But in a few decades of looking I NEVER found a full-time, permanent position. I am physically presentable enough to have had a number of stunning women in my life, I never sneezed in my interviewers' soup, and I'm a decent guy with a social conscience. But Americans were bounding headlong down the mountainside as if, as forest creatures, they'd been shown the daunting view from the mountaintop.

Kids can't learn? Well, I guess they'll simply need to be coddled until, with no standards remaining, Western civilization slides right into history's wastebasket and Islam can take over, another process the West can do no better than whistle happy tunes over.

I have been badly betrayed. Why did I go to school? Why did I pay attention in school? In the rise of civilizations, some individuals are bound to be left behind. I demonstrate decline's corollary to that process.

Most sincerely,

Bill Dix