In this tongue-in-cheek history, Henry declares, “Learning to spell in English can be a harrowing experience”—a relatable sentiment for most. He notes, “According to a study in the British Journal of Psychology, children take 2-3 times longer to grasp English spelling compared to more phonetic orthographies like German and Spanish.” Henry mocks the rhymes, rules, and almost endless exceptions that English language learners are subjected to in an attempt to master its spelling conventions. The author also focuses on the factors that have contributed to these complexities, as well as historical attempts to simplify them. From Anglo-Saxons to the printing press, Henry contends, numerous influences contributed to anchoring spelling to “a pronunciation spoken sometime between Chaucer and Shakespeare.” Calls for reform began in Britain as early at the 12th century but slowed during the mid-1600s, as England found a new target. “American English became a lightning rod for British cultural resentment—and over the next century, it stirred linguists to a level of rage that silent letters never could.” However, calls for reform continued across the pond. Among the American members of the spelling reform movement discussed are Noah Webster, who argued for the country having an independent language from Britain; Theodore Roosevelt, whose suggestions became a “symbol of overreach, a warning against the perils of unchecked zeal in reform”; and Mark Twain, who proclaimed that he did not “see any use in having a uniform and arbitrary way of spelling words.” Regarding more modern influences, Henry discusses the popularity of phonetic spelling in the music industry, as exemplified by U2, Prince, and Def Leppard, as well as the birth of “twenty-first century textspeak.”
A well-researched and entertaining work that will likely become a new favorite among linguists.
Review Publication: Kirkus Reviews