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06-03-2004, 06:04 AM
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Brains
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Our spelling 'shuud be lojical,' protesters cry
Thursday, June 3, 2004<!---##CCI#[/Property]--->
<!---##CCI#[Text Tag=head Group=All Convert=HeadConv]--->Our spelling 'shuud be lojical,' protesters cry<!---##CCI#[/Text]---> <HR width=250 noShade SIZE=1> <!---##CCI#[Text Tag=deck Group=All Convert=HeadConv]---><!---##CCI#[/Text]--->
<!---##CCI#[Text Tag=byline Group=All Convert=BylineConv]--->By Carl Weiser
Enquirer Washington Bureau
<!---##CCI#[/Text]--->
<!---###STORY###---><!---##CCI#[Text Tag=body Group=All]---><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width=180 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=middle bgColor=#cccccc><CENTER>A FEW WERDS </CENTER></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top bgColor=#eeeeee><!--- TEXT GOES HERE --->Some examples of how the American Literacy Society would change the way we spell:
• Complex would become kompleks.
• Increase, inkrees.
• Neck, nek.
• Peace, pees.
• Small, smawl.
• Wrong, rawng.
Source: "Spelling for the 21st Century: The Case for Spelling Reform" by Sanford Silverman
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>WASHINGTON - Protesters delivered a message Wednesday to the national spelling bee: Enuf is enuf!
Seven members of the American Literacy Society picketed the 77th bee, sponsored every year by Cincinnati-based Scripps Howard.
The protesters' complaint: English spelling is illogical. And the national spelling bee only reinforces the crazy spellings that lead to dyslexia, high illiteracy and harder lives for immigrants.
"We advocate the modernization of English spelling," Pete Boardman, 58, of Groton, N.Y., said. The Cornell University bus driver admitted to being a terrible speller.
Protester Elizabeth Kuizenga, 56, is such a good speller that she teaches English as a second language in San Francisco. She said she got involved in the protest after seeing how much time was wasted teaching spelling in her class.
Bee spokesman Mark Kroeger said good spelling comes from knowing the story behind a word - what language it comes from, what it means: "For these kids who understand the root words, who understand the etymology, it's totally logical."
The protesters say the illogical spelling of English words makes dyslexia more difficult to overcome and helps explain why one in five Americans is functionally illiterate.
Carrying signs reading "I'm thru with through," "Spelling shuud be lojical," and "Spell different difrent," the protesters drew chuckles from bee contestants.
"I can't believe people are picketing against something this ridiculous," said Steven Maheshwary, 14, of Houston, who successfully spelled "Zoroastrian" in the bee.
Or as 13-year-old contestant (tautologous) Rachel Karas of Flint, Mich., put it: "It's just spelling. You gotta learn it."
<!--story ends here--><HR align=center width="60%" noShade SIZE=1>http://www.enquirer.com/editions/200...rotest030.html
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06-03-2004, 07:44 AM
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unflappable
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Quote:
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The protesters' complaint: English spelling is illogical. And the national spelling bee only reinforces the crazy spellings that lead to dyslexia, high illiteracy and harder lives for immigrants.
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[censored] immigrants.
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06-03-2004, 08:11 AM
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turn your head and cough
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by vrbryant
[censored] immigrants.
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Does that include their descendents?
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Napoleon
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06-03-2004, 11:03 AM
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Moderator
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This group is assinine. Spelling in English is logical if you take the time to actually learn the the details of the language. Maybe these idiots should try to pick up an Oxford English Dictionary and study the etymology of words they find illogical. Stupidity and laziness is no reason to change the language.
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06-03-2004, 11:08 AM
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The brownest of the brown liquors
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by buckeyegrad
This group is assinine. Spelling in English is logical if you take the time to actually learn the the details of the language. Maybe these idiots should try to pick up an Oxford English Dictionary and study the etymology of words they find illogical. Stupidity and laziness is no reason to change the language.
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I couldn't agree more. Wonder why the one guy is a bus driver. |
06-03-2004, 11:34 AM
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Inside the Matrix
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haha...i laughed my ass off when i saw Cornell University bus driver.....i was like, oh god some quack from cornell thinks.....wait a second, hes a bus driver!
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06-03-2004, 02:29 PM
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True Madness Requires Significant Intelligence
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The best point of the entire story was the kids' response.
Perhaps they could help teach the bus driver how to spell, at an appropriate hourly rate.
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06-03-2004, 02:52 PM
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Our church has no bells.
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I liked the "modernization" of English comment.
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