What sort of spelling could be mor user frendly for everyone - readers, writers, lerners and internationaly?

Cutting out Surplus Letters, as a first spelling improvement

with exampls, definitions, how spelling is changing,

and a set of experiments

Definition of surplus letters in words: Surplus letters serve no purpose in representing pronunciation or meaning of words. They are redundant.

Over 56% of literat adults omit one or both surplus letters in ACCOMMODATE, so ACOMODATE makes sense.

1. Exampl of surplus letters
2. How spelling is changing by cutting surplus letters
3. Which letters are surplus? surplus
4. Advantages of cutting surplus letters
5. Cutting surplus letters as a reform
6. Letters that are not omitted
7. The 16 word spelling text
8. Further #exampls
9. Experimental texts. U be the master mind.
10. Fastr spellling

Petition  –  a trial of help in the literacy crisis. Petition to press, public and spellcheckers –  a trial of help to readers and speller.  Experiment! Sign the Petition if u agree with it!   Tell yr frends. http://www.change.org/petitions/spellcheckers-the-press-the-public-trial-cutting-out-useless-letters-from-words

1. EXAMPLE - THE TOURISTS

 Redundant letters are in grey. 


It will be marvellous when it is possible for more visitors who were tourists on journeys to learn about research to receive brilliant and exciting catalogues and programmes that explained more fully the exceptionally delicate character of the expensive antiques hidden in the little cupboard that belonged to the mysterious people in the old-fashioned castle. This recommendation would answer their mischievous guests’ curious questions without the double trouble of travelling back to interrogate the guards. They are often stuck if suddenly asked to discourse on difficult matters.

 

HOW SPELLING IS CHANGING

The trend in dictionaries and in popular spelling is to slowly remove redundant letters. Dictionaries now accept scores of 'cut spellings' as in

demon, omelet, economy error, ether, exotic, horror, medieval, music, program, develop, salad, satin and toxin,
which are increasingly replacing the old spellings of
daemon, omelette, oeconomy, errour, aether, exotick, horrour, mediaeval, musick, programme, develope,
sallad and satin.

Other spellings that have had their surplus letters dropped include:
abominable, adrenalin, author, characteristics, control, critic, deposit, domestic, employe, energetic, exorbitant, exotic, fabric, falter, frolic, gelatin, gothic, governor, havoc, iambics, judgment, lanolin, mirror, octet , paltry, paraffin, phenomenon, phlegmatic, physic, politics, public, quartet, quintet, reneg, reostat, rhetoric, rustic,  septet,  sextet, shallot, sheik, superior, tenor, tepee, teutonic, toxin, traffic,
and translator


Which are the surplus letters in words that can be cut?

1. Dubld consonants that do not indicate stress or short vowels. Examples of preferred spellings are RECOMEND COMUNICATION
These are a constant hassle for spellers and lerners - a main cause of 'tears for schoolboys', observed H W Fowler.

2. Silent final 'e' when it misleads pronunciation as in


MINUTE, SIEVE, MUSCLE, PEOPLE, DISCIPLINE, PRIVATE, PERMISSIVE, DELICATE

MINUT, SIV, MUSL, PEPLE, DISIPLIN, PRIVAT, PERMISSIV, DELICAT

3. Other silent letters when they mislead pronunciation, as in


HEAD, DEBT, VIGOUR, FOREIGN, TECHNOLOGY, GUARD, QUEUE, MANOEUVRE

HED, DET, VIGOR, FORIN, TECNOLOGY, GARD, Q, MANUVRE


Advantages of cutting surplus letrs from words

  • Cutting waste. Up to 15% of writing costs time, energy, paper, money and hassl.
  • Removes many traps for learners and spellers 'when in dout, leave it out'.
  • Follows current trends to streamlining in English spelling
  • Modern tecnological and business trends towards streamlining in general are also appearing in spelling, as shown in 'Advertising spellings' and trends in spelling change such as DEVELOP and PROGRAM replacing DEVELOPE and PROGRAMME.
  • Useful for compact hedlines, labels, email subject titles where space is tight.
  • Empirical reserch backing.

    Experimentl reserch (1972, 1980, 1982,1986, 1989, 1991) shows that although normal reading is often slowed when letters in text are changed, omission of surplus letters may be barely noticed or not at all. The most acceptable introduction to spelling reform indicated by experimental research is to clear clutter from present spelling by omitting useless letters from words (Yule 1991). Surplus letters are least missd when cut from towards the end of words and sentences and from less frequent words, so these are the best sites to initiate omissions and to introduce readers to spelling reform.

  • SurplusCut spelling takes account of cognitiv and educationl reserch into children's 'natural spelling', how beginners lern literacy (which is not necessarily how they are taught), adult reading processes and spelling preferences, and popular trends (1986, 1991).

  • A practical place to start reform.

Omitting letrs barely disrupts the appearance of text, unlike changing words by substituting or adding more letters. It is therefore the most practicabl introduction to improving English spelling. The first steps in any reform are the most dificult. Public awareness of the benefits of spelling change is an essential first step. Once useful changes can start, they can accelerate and snowball, and conventional membrs of the public start to conform to the new fashion. The wedge principl for reform is that once change begins in anything formerly monolithic, and is successful, further changes can be rapid.

In English spelling, letter-deletions are an easy start, that can then be followd later by the letter-changes that are necessary for a fully logicl, user-frendly English spelling system. During transition, while surplus-cut spellings run as alternatives to present spellings, pragmatism as well as writers' personal imperfections make temporary inconsistencies unavoidabl, as in these pages. But once users discover the benefits of improved spelling, they will want to go furthr themselvs to reduce TO's inconsistencies. After the first step, movement has begun.


Note: Letters that are not omitd

Letters aare not omitted where this could be disruptiv. Omission in each situation is according to 'what 'the market will bear' .Absolute logical consistency in streamlining spelling is not required where it might confuse lerners and users who are familiar with present spelling. Unstressd (schwa) vowels are not omitd where readers may be confused by their omission, and so, ERROR not ERR, NATURALLY not NATRLY, PSALM not SAM, CALF not CAF, WHO not HO. In this Surplus Cut spellilng differs from the rigorus and radical development of its principls in Christopher Upward's Cut Spelling (1996).


The 16-word spelling test

Hardly anyone can replace all the missing letters correctly in the sixteen words below - because they are surplus and not needed.

 

acomodate . . . . . . . . .

miniture . . . . . . . . . .

remembrd . . . . . . . . .

disapoint . . . . . . . . .

mischivus . . . . . . . . .

sovren . . . . . . . . . . .

iliterat . . . . . . . . . .

ocasion . . . . . . . .

 

exessiv . . . . . .

professr  . . . . . .

unparaleld . . . .

gardian . . . . . . .

psycology . . . . .

disiplin . . . . . . . .

recomend . . . . . . .

tecnicly . . . . .


Consonant changes

F rather than PH and J rather than G or DG to spell /dj) are changes that are becoming popular, and can be brought into mainstream spelling and made consistent. Spellings such as TELEFON, JAIL, JELL are becoming familiar thru international spellings and dictionary alternativs.

Further exampls of spelling without redundant letters.

This and following sections are written with moderat cutting of surplus letters and F replacing PH, to familiarise readers with an unobtrusiv introduction to this reform by shedding of clutr.
Trend-setters may like to go further in their personal and email correspondence, as in the exampl below:

1. EXAMPLE - THE TOURISTS

 In this example, surplus letters are in gray, and letters that can mislead are in red

It would be marvellous if it were possible for more visitors who were tourists on journeys to learn about research to receive brilliant and exciting catalogues and programmes that explained more fully the exceptionally delicate character of the expensive antiques hidden in the little cupboard that belonged to the mysterious people in the old-fashioned castle. This recommendation would answer their mischievous guests’ curious questions without the double trouble of travelling back to interrogate the guards. They are often stuck if suddenly asked to discourse on difficult matters.

2. EXPERIMENTAL TEXTS

You  be  the  master  mind ! A.

Some spellings in English have no good reason for being difficult.  They are simply out-of-date.  Slash all the words below which have spellings that you think are silly - like this:  pr/tty

It would be marvellous if it were possible for more visitors who were tourists on journeys to learn about research to receive brilliant and exciting catalogues and programmes that explained more fully the exceptionally delicate character of the expensive antiques hidden at the back of the little cupboard that belonged to the mysterious people in the old-fashioned castle. This recommendation would answer their mischievous guests’ curious questions without the double trouble of travelling back to interrogate the guards. They are often stuck if suddenly asked to discourse on difficult matters.

        You  be  the  master  mind ! B.

In the passage below, letters have been omitted if they are not really needed to show the meaning or pronunciation of words.  Suppose you could decide what the spelling should be like.  Slash the places where you think letters really need to be put back - like this   - autum/


It woud be marvelus if it wer posibl for mor visitrs who wer turists on jurnys to lern about reserch to receve briliant and exciting catalogs and programs that explaind mor fuly the exeptionly delicat caractr of the expensiv antiqes hidn at th bak of th litl cubord that belongd to th mysterius pepl in the old-fashond castl. This recomendation wud ansr their mischivous gests’ curius qestions without th dubl trubl of traveling bak to interrogate th gards. They ar oftn stuk if sudnly askd to discorse on dificult matrs.


    You  be  the  master  mind ! C.

Slash all the places where the spelling is  incorrect, like this:   il/iterat/


It would be marvelous if it were posibl for more visitrs who wer tourists on journys to learn about reserch to receive brilliant and exciting catalogs and programs that explaind more fuly the exeptionly delicat charactr of the expensiv antiqes hiddn at the back of the littl cupbord that belongd to the mysterius peopl in the old-fashiond castl. This recomendation woud anser their mischievous gests’ curious questions without the dubl troubl of traveling back to interrogate the gards. They are oftn stuck if sudnly askd to discorse on dificult matters.


2. Further steps for fastr Surplus Cut spelling

i. Cut silent letrs when sylabic l, m, n, r, ng can replace them, as in letr, remarkabl
ii. Cut the barely-sounded vowels (shwas) which cause such problems for spelrs, as in observatry, difrent.
iii. Sound /f/ is speld with F and soft g with J.
Running text is 6.7% shortr than present spelling. 68% of words are unchanged.

Present Spelling Omitting surplus letrs

It was on the first day of the new year that the announcement was made, almost simultaneously from three observatories, that the motion of the planet Neptune, the outer-most of all the planets that wheel about the Sun, had become very erratic. A retardation in its velocity had been suspected in December. Then a faint, remote speck of light was discovered in the region of the perturbed planet. At first this did not cause any very great excitement. Scientific people, however, found the inteligence remarkable enough, even before it became known that the new body was rapidly growing larger and brighter, and that its motion was quite different from the ordrly progress of the planets.



It was on th first day of th new year that th anouncement was made, almost simultaneusly from three observatries, that th motion of th planet Neptune, th outr-most of all th planets that wheel about th Sun, had becom very eratic. A retardation in its velocity had been suspectd in Decembr. Then a faint, remote spek of light was discovrd in th rejion of th perturbd planet. At first this did not cause any very great exitement. Sientific peple, howevr, found th intelijence remarkabl enuf, even befor it became known that th new body was rapidly growing larjr and brightr, and that its motion was quite difrent from th ordrly progress of th planets.

Noted that in experiments, the only comon objection to Surplus-Cut is against TH for THE - and THE is the most common word in English text.
That is, the more familiar a spelling, the more that any change in it may be resisted.
When changes become familiar, they in turn may become preferred.
Or is it that the text appears visualy too compact without 'the' as a spacer?
If so, is this a temporary or a permanent discomfort?

The Story of the Beautiful Princess in Streamlined Spelling
- moderat cutting of surplus letrs


Once upon a time, the beautiful dauter of a great magician wantd mor perls to put among her tresures. "Look thru the centr of the moon when it is blu," said her mother in anser to her question. "U might find yr hart's desire." The princess laughd becaus she douted these words. Insted, she used her imagination, and went into the fotografy business, and took pictures of the lunar sfere in color."I perceve most certinly that it is almost wholly white," she thought. She also found that she cud make enough money in eit months to buy herself two lovely, huge, new jewels too.


 Back to Spelling Index Page

Further pages on spelling:

 1. Introduction
Introduction to spelling improvement. /spockham.htm. Text of a radio broadcast
Rationale. How assumptions and barriers against improving the writing system do not hold. Answering the common objections to spelling improvement. /sration.htm

2 Needs and abilities of users and learners: -

i. Needs and abilities of readers /sreadsp.htm
ii. Needs and abilities of writers to spell - /swritsp.htm
iii. Needs and abilities of learners - /slernsp.htm
iv. Needs and abilities of users of international English - /sintrnt.htm
v. Spelling reform for the Internet (an older page) http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/spinternet.htm

3. The nature and teaching of English spelling

See the online video, http://www.ozreadandspell.com.au
The underlying English spelling system that could be made more consistent - /spelsys.htm
Spelling patterns for the English vowels - /svowchart.htm
The Book of Spells & Misspells
- a treasury of spelling for everyone
22 Lessons in reading and spelling - v01acover.htm
The 16 word spelling test for anyone who thinks they can spell - 16sp.htm
Spelling and classroom practices - sclassprac.htm

4 Improving English spelling

Spelling improvement. 2002. - /spelimp.html
Seven principles to repair English spelling, 2005 - /sp7princ.htm
Cutting out the surplus letters in words.Streamline - a first step in updating spelling. /ssurplu.htm
Quik gidelines for a next step, with sampl texts, and furthr notes /sfastrs.htm. FASTR Spelling
Cutting out surplus letters. /intspel.htm 2002
Further steps you can try yourself, with f, j, consistent word endings and vowel spellings. /intspel2.htm
Further experiments to spel sensibly - Pronunciation and gramr, and a final solusion? /intspel3.htm 2000
The future of English spelling. What can be done? /sfutspe.htm

5. Spelling as an entertainment

Spelling Games - starting with a Spelling ABC - different from a Spelling BEE
16-word Spelling Test of 16 common words that few experts can spell all correctly. /16sp.htm
International English Spelling Day, October 9 /spday.html
How people spelled when they spelled as they liked before the 18th century dictionaries /spfree17c.htm
Don Quixote spells in 'Spelling without traps'. - /spquixote.htm. To come
Twelve Short Short storys about the fùtùr. Can u imagin a mor ùser-frendly speling sistem? Look at every wurd to see if u think its speling is a trap for lerners. (incomplete).