Re: irregularities

> > Is the spelling "spelt" out-dated? That's the one we learn in English
classes in
> > France! We also learn that "spelled" can be found, but must be considered
> > incorrect in formal writing! What's up with it then?
>
> It's archaic in North America, but the standard everywhere else, AFAICT.
> It also reflects an actual difference in pronunciation, unlike most
> Commonwealth vs. American spelling differences.
Let's see, I'm from New York, and I definitely have written "spelt" and I pronounce
it spelt often, but not exclusively. I also write dreamt and dreamed...I think
it's more of a stylistic matter for me. I never ever say learnt (always
learned).

Actually, I've grouped these verbs into a "class" something like this:

sleep > slept
leave > left
dream > dreamt
*learn > learnt (learned)
meet > met
keep > kept
read > read

basically the requirement is that they be weak and have the vowel /i/ in the present and
/E/ in the past. I don't know if this is a valid category for most
linguists...but I certainly classify them like that.

Elliott

Reply