Re: Optimum number of symbols

Nik Taylor scripsit:

> [T]he {e} in -es was dropped when
> the sound was dropped, I've often wondered why we did that, but we
> didn't with -ed, writing, say, "helpd" instead of "helped"
Blame Dr. Johnson.  Before his dictionary came out, we often saw
"help'd" being written.  But for whatever reason he decided to standardize
on "-ed" regardless of pronunciation, perhaps because a minority still
used /Id/ in all cases -- we don't really know.

--
John Cowan <jcowan@...>     http://www.reutershealth.com
I amar prestar aen, han mathon ne nen,    http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
han mathon ne chae, a han noston ne 'wilith.  --Galadriel, _LOTR:FOTR_