The Problem of Spelling Reform (Classic Reprint)

The Problem of Spelling Reform (Classic Reprint)
Author: W. W. Skeat
Publisher:
Total Pages: 24
Release: 2015-08-04
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9781332181575

Excerpt from The Problem of Spelling Reform I Suppose I may assume that the British Academy will at all times be ready to consider questions that relate to general education; and I am personally of opinion that there are few subjects of general interest and importance that are more deserving of attention than the often debated one of Phonetic Spelling. I do not propose to waste the time of those who are so kind as to listen to me, by stating or recommending any views that I have formed for myself, during the many years in which this subject has never been far from my thoughts; my object is rather to review the present state of the question, and to consider what progress, if any, has been made in the direction of its solution. Notwithstanding all that has been said and written upon the subject during the past forty years, I fear it must be admitted that we are still in very much the same position as we were at the beginning of the discussion; at any rate, as far as relates to the attainment of any practical results in this country. But as regards the theory of it, something has been achieved. The labors of Dr. Ellis and Dr. Sweet have by no means been lost; and, in order to see what advances have been made, a slight sketch of the history of the movement may prove useful. When it was first proposed to improve our modern system of spelling, it soon dawned upon all serious enquirers that the first step was to examine the meaning of the symbols which we employ for the purpose of representing the spoken language. There was a difficulty at the very outset; for the first impression which the very look of the written language is apt to produce - the impression, indeed, which it actually produces upon the minds of a vast multitude amongst us - is that the whole matter is inexplicable, and is not likely to be capable of explanation. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Does Spelling Matter?

Does Spelling Matter?
Author: Simon Horobin
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 281
Release: 2013-03-28
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 0199665281

The book narrates the history of English spelling from the Anglo-Saxons to the present-day. It also examines the changing attitudes to spelling, including numerous proposals for spelling reform, ranging from the introduction of new alphabets to more modest attempts to rid English of its silent letters, and the differing agendas they reveal.

Word Origins And How We Know Them

Word Origins And How We Know Them
Author: Anatoly Liberman
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2009-04-13
Genre: Reference
ISBN: 0199889015

Written in a funny, charming, and conversational style, Word Origins is the first book to offer a thorough investigation of the history and the science of etymology, making this little-known field accessible to everyone interested in the history of words. Anatoly Liberman, an internationally acclaimed etymologist, takes the reader by the hand and explains the many ways that English words can be made, and the many ways in which etymologists try to unearth the origins of words. Every chapter is packed with dozens of examples of proven word histories, used to illustrate the correct ways to trace the origins of words as well as some of the egregiously bad ways to trace them. He not only tells the known origins of hundreds of words, but also shows how their origins were determined. And along the way, the reader is treated to a wealth of fascinating word facts. Did they once have bells in a belfry? No, the original meaning of belfry was siege tower. Are the words isle and island, raven and ravenous, or pan and pantry related etymologically? No, though they look strikingly similar, these words came to English via different routes. Partly a history, partly a how-to, and completely entertaining, Word Origins invites readers behind the scenes to watch an etymologist at work.

An Analytic Dictionary of the English Etymology

An Analytic Dictionary of the English Etymology
Author: Anatoly Liberman
Publisher: U of Minnesota Press
Total Pages: 413
Release:
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1452913218

This work introduces renowned linguistics scholar Anatoly Liberman's comprehensive dictionary and bibliography of the etymology of English words. The English etymological dictionaries published in the past claim to have solved the mysteries of word origins even when those origins have been widely disputed. An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology "by contrast, discusses all of the existing derivations of English words and proposes the best one. In the inaugural volume, Liberman addresses fifty-five words traditionally dismissed as being of unknown etymology. Some of the entries are among the most commonly used words in English, including man, boy, girl, bird, brain, understand, key, ever, " and yet." Others are slang: mooch, nudge, pimp, filch, gawk, " and skedaddle." Many, such as beacon, oat, hemlock, ivy," and toad," have existed for centuries, whereas some have appeared more recently, for example, slang, kitty-corner, " and Jeep." They are all united by their etymological obscurity. This unique resource book discusses the main problems in the methodology of etymological research and contains indexes of subjects, names, and all of the root words. Each entry is a full-fledged article, shedding light for the first time on the source of some of the most widely disputed word origins in the English language. "Anatoly Liberman is one of the leading scholars in the field of English etymology. Undoubtedly his work will be an indispensable tool for the ongoing revision of the etymological component of the entries in the Oxford English Dictionary."" --Bernhard Diensberg, OED" consultant, French etymologies Anatoly Liberman is professor of Germanic philology at the University of Minnesota. He has published many works, including 16 books, most recently Word Origins . . . and How We Know Them: Etymology for Everyone."

American Journal of Philology

American Journal of Philology
Author: Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve
Publisher:
Total Pages: 524
Release: 1906
Genre: Classical philology
ISBN:

Each number includes "Reviews and book notices."