W8 VOICE, LANGUAGE, PHONETIC SPELLING. 



philologists and etymologists of note. Professor Skeat, of 

 Cambridge, author of the most valuable etymological dic- 

 tionary we have, says, " In the true interests of etymology I 

 should be glad to see all spelling purely phonetic." Rev. A. 

 H. Sayce, Deputy Professor of Philology at Oxford, says, 

 " The objection that a reformed spelling would destroy the 

 continuity of a language, or conceal the etymology of its 

 words, is raised only by ignorance and superficiality. 

 English spelling is good for little else but to disguise 

 our language, to hinder education, and to suggest false 

 etymologies." ' 



Several other high authorities were then quoted in favour 

 of phonetic spelling being an aid to etymology, and finally 

 Max Miiller's opinion : " Language is not made for scholars 

 and etymologists, and even if the whole race of etymologists 

 were really to be swept away by the introduction of spelling 

 reform, I hope they would be the first to rejoice in sacrifi- 

 cing themselves in so good a cause." 



3. The Historical objection. The simple fact, attested by 

 all scientific students of language, that there are hardly any 

 words which are now spelled " historically," as it is called, is 

 sufficient answer to the assertion that phonetic spelling 

 would destroy the history of our words. It is generally 

 supposed that the current spelling has been in existence 

 from some very remote period ; but the simple fact is that it 

 may, in the main, be traced back to Johnson's dictionary 

 (1755), and to what Max Miiller calls " the capricious sway 

 exercised by the large printing offices and publishers." 

 ^ 4. The Homonymical objection, which is that by spelling 

 phonetically words which are now spelled differently, 

 though they have the same sound, great confusion would be 

 caused. The superficiality of this objection is manifest 

 when it is remembered that we do not now get. confused 



