4 November 2008 - writing reform

< yesterday -- tomorrow >

Advice for Certain Idealists

Thou shalt not reform the spelling, no matter how much it needs it. If you are successful and your new system is adopted, the old one will still not be abandoned, and students will curse you forever.

clue:

A dramatic example is Chinese, with both traditional and simplified characters. But English has the same problem: American and British spelling differ because the American revolutionaries tried to make a few improvements.

give me a clue so sweet and true

the Daily Whale || copyright 2008, 2024 Jay J.P. Scott <jay@satirist.org>