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Our spelling 'shuud be lojical,' protesters cry

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DaytonBuck

I've always liked them
Thursday, June 3, 2004<!---##CCI#[/Property]--->



[font=arial,helvetica]<!---##CCI#[Text Tag=head Group=All Convert=HeadConv]--->Our spelling 'shuud be lojical,' protesters cry<!---##CCI#[/Text]--->[/font] <HR width=250 noShade SIZE=1>[font=arial,helvetica]<!---##CCI#[Text Tag=deck Group=All Convert=HeadConv]---><!---##CCI#[/Text]--->[/font]




<!---##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>[font=verdana,arial,helvetica]<CENTER>A FEW WERDS </CENTER></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top bgColor=#eeeeee>[font=verdana,arial,helvetica]<!--- 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
[/font]</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>[/font]http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/06/03/loc_beeprotest030.html
 
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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buckeyegrad said:
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.
 
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Ah yes, the dumbing down of America continues......
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<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->Exactly...there are so many excuses for kids today but with budget cuts in education and these ridiculous "modern theories" in the field, the end is not in sight. For instance, grammar is not emphasized in most grade/middle schools now. Yet, grammar is a key component on most state writing tests. The simple solution somehow eludes these people. English is taught to emphasize deductive reasoning instead of appreciation of literacy which would lead to those deductive skills. Calculators are widely used in the most basic math courses...why should a kid want to strive to learn when the easier path is made readily available? The scary thought is considering these students will run this country one day
 
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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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Don't forget, that's an Ivy League bus he's driving. Those are the best and brightest of all the bus drivers. Those people could buy and sell CABS and COTA drivers!
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
 
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