I have also noticed that spelling reformers tend to get cold feet
whenever a phonetic spelling of a word looks more complicated than the
traditional spelling. For example, 'rinsed' is always pronounced
'rintst' but one is more likely the typical reformer spelling it
'rinst'.
Another problem is what to do about the myriads of semi-erudite latin
and greek words which are best known to the literati, but pronounced by
them and the hoi polloi in diverse ways. For example, should 'phonetic'
be spelled foenetik or foenedik or funetik or funedik? Should foreign
words and phrases be respelled, and if so, using what system of
pronunciation? Latin for example is pronounced according to at least
three distinct systems, the Italian, the Restored and the Native
English. The last is never used nowadays to learn Latin, but is still
the usual system employed in pronouncing Latin words or phrases in
English.Many educated people who know French in particular take care to
pronounce recent French borrowings as in French, while the lower orders
mangle such words horribly.
|
