mauney@ncsu.UUCP (Jon Mauney) (11/06/84)
> If it's worth modifying English spelling simply because it seems hard, > why stop there? There's lots of subjects that really are hard. Take > math, for instance. We could start with PI=3.14159... --which is awfully > tricky--and simplify it to 3.14, or maybe an even 3. And since redefining pi causes trouble, we can expect similar problems with changing the spelling of words. Right. You can do better than that. > Discourage literacy? Hey, it's hard enough to read Shakespeare as it > is, what with all those Elizabethan in-jokes, but it's clear at least > what the words themselves are. Get a new generation addicted to > "nu-spel" and you can kiss literature goodbye. OK, Mister Smarty-Pants Communist, Mister Wheelchair General, how much of the world's great literature have YOU read its original form? Tolstoy? Kafka? Homer? Virgil? Let's face it, ever since the Bible was translated into the vernacular things have been going downhill. And by the way, it is not at all clear what some of Shakespeare's words mean. So what does it matter how those words are spelled? -- Jon Mauney, mcnc!ncsu!mauney North Carolina State University "An we be in choler, we'll draw"
ken@ihuxq.UUCP (ken perlow) (11/09/84)
-- [I said] > If it's worth modifying English spelling simply because it seems hard, > why stop there? There's lots of subjects that really are hard. Take > math, for instance. We could start with PI=3.14159... --which is awfully > tricky--and simplify it to 3.14, or maybe an even 3. [Jon Mauney] >> And since redefining pi causes trouble, we can expect similar problems >> with changing the spelling of words. Right. You can do better than that. Sure, I was being cute (well, trying), and maybe with the new, macho, every-man-for-himself-(sorry, gals) mentality so infectious these days, there's nothing to worry about any more. Back in the halcyon days of wimpish New Deal liberalism, we cared so much about equal opportunity that we revised standards rather than admit to individual differences. Now, well, just tell the little buggers to pray harder. > Discourage literacy? Hey, it's hard enough to read Shakespeare as it > is, what with all those Elizabethan in-jokes, but it's clear at least > what the words themselves are. Get a new generation addicted to > "nu-spel" and you can kiss literature goodbye. >> OK, Mister Smarty-Pants Communist, Mister Wheelchair General, >> how much of the world's great literature have YOU read its original >> form? Tolstoy? Kafka? Homer? Virgil? Let's face it, ever since the >> Bible was translated into the vernacular things have been going downhill. >> And by the way, it is not at all clear what some of Shakespeare's words >> mean. So what does it matter how those words are spelled? >> Jon Mauney, mcnc!ncsu!mauney Sorry, I meant *ENGLISH* literature--I thought that would be obvious. Of course it's not always clear what Shakespeare's words mean--that's what I said--but it *IS* clear what the words *ARE*. They are at least pronounceable, and can be looked up by the inquiring student. Until nu-spel, anyway. Kids raised on that pap may find real English as incomprehensible as Aramaic. So take *THAT* Mr. John Q. Smith from Anytown, USA! -- *** *** JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** ***** ****** ****** 08 Nov 84 [18 Brumaire An CXCIII] ken perlow ***** ***** (312)979-7188 ** ** ** ** ..ihnp4!iwsl8!ken *** ***
polard@fortune.UUCP (Henry Polard) (11/15/84)
In article <1322@ihuxq.UUCP> ken@ihuxq.UUCP (ken perlow) writes: > >Of course it's not always clear what Shakespeare's words mean--that's what >I said--but it *IS* clear what the words *ARE*. They are at least >pronounceable, and can be looked up by the inquiring student. Until >nu-spel, anyway. From the Variorum edition of Henry the Fourth, Part One, Act III Sc.ii Beg. with line 9: Make me beleeue that thou art onely markt For the hot vengeance, and the rod of heauen, To punish my mistreadings. Tell me else Could such inordinate and low desires Such poore, such bare, such lewd, such mean attempts, Such barren pleasures, rude societie as thou art matcht withall, and grafted to, Accompanie the greatnesse of thy blood, And hold their leuell with thy princely heart? Lines 34-36: Which by thy yonger brother is supplide And art almost an allien to the harts Of all the Court... Ken, we are all writing in nu-spel. English othography is some 400 years out of date. It could use some tuning, and the result may well not be as frightful as you seem to think it will. -- Henry Polard (You bring the flames - I'll bring the marshmallows.) {ihnp4,cbosgd,amd}!fortune!polard N.B: The words in this posting do not necessarily express the opinions of me, my employer, or any AI project.