Re: Part 2 Why my conlangs SUCK!!!

I didn't learn about Noah Webster in school at all. I found out about it on
my own looking for spelling reform. I figured it was needed but didn't want
to do something different than everyone else if there's was just as good.

-----Original Message-----
From: Nik Taylor [mailto:yonjuuni@EARTHLINK.NET]
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 12:40 AM
To: CONLANG@LISTSERV.BROWN.EDU
Subject: Re: Part 2 Why my conlangs SUCK!!!


David Zitzelsberger wrote:
>
> Not long after the last generation to use is has died. I've heard the
> comment that we shouldn't spell rough with an 'f' because it would make
> Shakespeare roll in his grave. Odd considering that Shakespeare spelled
ruff
> with one or two 'f's. People are taught about this older literature and
not
> told that orthography was different. They assume that we've been using the
> same "official" spellings for centures, when the "official" rules have
> slowly been changing.
Sure, when it's gradual.  But don't most American school children learn
about Noah Webster (even if most don't know about his proposals such as
"groop", etc.)?  I'm sure they'd learn about such an abrupt change.
And, even fi they do stop learning about it after a few decades, there
wouldn't be many references left.  And there's so many things they
wouldn't get, that a reference to silent letters wouldn't be that big a
deal.