Hostname: page-component-89b8bd64d-ksp62 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-12T07:10:44.399Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Recent developments which affect spelling

On the possibility of removing the unnecessary difficulties in English spelling while leaving the basic appearance of English print intact

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2011

Valerie Yule
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Recent developments in English language include the rise of many Englishes throughout the world and home dialects appearing in broadcasting, which are increasing in salience rather than diminishing with globalisation; huge increases in the international vocabulary held in common by modern languages, particularly technical and scientific words; and the increases in alternatives in communication. Two restricted English vocabularies as a way to increase the accessibility of English language have received publicity; both are called Globish, one by a Frenchman, Jean-Paul Nerrière, of 1500 words (2009), and one by an Indian of 4000 words with an accompanying Indianised spelling (Gogate, 2002).

Information

Type
Original Article
Information
English Today , Volume 27 , Issue 3 , September 2011 , pp. 62 - 67
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Bibliography

Aro, M. & Wimmer, H. 2003. ‘Learning to read: English in comparison to six more regular orthographies.’ Applied Psycholinguistics, 24, 619–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bell, Masha 2004. Understanding English Spelling. Cambridge: Pergamon Educational.Google Scholar
Gogate, M. 2002. ‘Simplified Global English.’ Journal of the Simplified Spelling Society, 31.Google Scholar
Goswami, U. 2003. ‘How to beat dyslexia.’ The Psychologist, 16(9), 462–5.Google Scholar
Hanna, P. R. et al. 1966. Phoneme–grapheme Correspondences as Cues to Spelling Improvement. Washington: US Government Printing Office.Google Scholar
Hanna, P. R. et al. 1971. Spelling Structure and Strategies. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.Google Scholar
Linnakyla, P. et al. 1993. ‘Exploring the secret of Finnish Reading Literacy Achievement.’ Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 37(1), 63–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lyytinen, H., Erskine, J., et al. 2009. ‘In search of a science-based application: A learning tool for reading acquisition.’ Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 50(6), 668–75.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Paulesu, E. E., Demonet, J. -F., Fazio, F., McCrory, E. et al. 2001. ‘Dyslexia: cultural diversity and biological unity.’ Science, 291(5511), 2165–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seymour, P. H. K., Aro, M. & Erskine, J. M. 2003. ‘Foundation literacy acquisition in European orthographies.’ British Journal of Psychology, 94, 143–74.Google Scholar
Seymour, P. H. K. & Duncan, L. G. 2001. ‘Learning to read in English.’ Psychology, 8, 281–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stanovich, K. E. 2000. Progress in Understanding Reading. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Yule, V. 1986. ‘Design of spelling to meet needs and abilities.’ Harvard Educational Review, 56, 278–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yule, V. 1991. ‘Orthography and reading: spelling and society.’ Unpublished doctoral thesis. Monash: Monash University.Google Scholar
Yule, V. 1994. ‘Problems that face research in the design of English spelling.’ Visible Language, 28(1), 26–47.Google Scholar
Ziegler, J. & Goswami, U. 2005. ‘Reading acquisition, developmental dyslexia, and skilled reading across languages: a psycholinguistic grain size theory.’ Psychological Bulletin, 131(1), 3–29.Google Scholar

Online references

All accessed 10 January 2010 to 10 February 2010.Google Scholar
Australian Government National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy 2005. Online at <http://www.dest.gov.au/nitl/report.htm>>Google Scholar
Bell, M. 2009. ‘English spelling problems.’ Online at <www.englishspellingproblems.co.uk>>Google Scholar
Bennett, M. 2009. ‘The great 2009 Portuguese spelling reform.’ Online at <http://www.matthewbennett.es/1004/the-great-2009-portuguese-spelling-reform/>>Google Scholar
Gerson, M. 2008. ‘Don't let texting get U.’ Online at <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/23/AR2008012303280.html>' href=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Gerson,+M.+2008.+‘Don't+let+texting+get+U.’+Online+at+>Google Scholar
House of Commons Committee Report 2009–2010. ‘The costs of illiteracy in Britain.’ Online at <http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmsctech/44/4405.htm>>Google Scholar
House of Commons, Science and Technology Committee 2009. ‘Evidence Check 1: Early Literacy Interventions’, HC 44, Second Report of Session 2009–10. Online at <http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/science_technology/s_t_literacy_interventions_inquiry.cfm>>Google Scholar
Liberman, M. 2008. ‘Ghotis and choughs again.’ Online at <http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=492>..>Google Scholar
Liberman, A. 2009. ‘The dumbest English spellings.’ Online at <http://blog.oup.com/2009/10/dumbest_english_spellings/>>Google Scholar
Microsoft Office Natural Language Team 2010. ‘“Old” vs. “new” spelling in French: A new speller based on the French spelling reform.’ Online at <http://blogs.msdn.com/naturallanguage/archive/2006/07/05/old-vs-new-spelling-in-french-a-new-speller-based-on-the-french-spelling-reform.aspx>>Google Scholar
National Institute for Literacy, USA 2010. Online at <http://www.nifl.gov/>>Google Scholar
Oppenheimer, Andres. 2009. Royal Spanish Academy ponders 'sexapil' Online at <http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/10/royal_spanish_academy_ponders.html>' href=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Oppenheimer,+Andres.+2009.+Royal+Spanish+Academy+ponders+'sexapil'+Online+at+>Google Scholar
Sage, A. 2008. ‘France in shock as dictionary Le Petit Robert relaxes language rules.’ Online at <http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4922834.ece>>Google Scholar
Spelling Society 2009. The costs of spelling. Spelcon 2009. Online at <http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:ZZ4PV8vsmngJ:www.spellingsociety.org/journals/j34/thespellingsociety-j34-2009.pdf+spelcon+costs+of+spelling&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au>>Google Scholar
The Times Online. 2009. ‘The Times Spelling Bee (2009).’ Online at <http://www.timesspellingbee.co.uk>>Google Scholar
Wikipedia 2010. ‘Finnish orthography.’ Online at <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_language#Orthography>>Google Scholar
Yule, V. 2004a. ‘Spelling 16 common words.’ Online at <http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/16sp.htm>>Google Scholar
Yule, V 2004b. ‘A spelling solution.’ Online at <http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/intspel.htm>>Google Scholar
Yule, V 2005a. ‘References relevant to spelling reform.’ Online at <http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/srefrens.htmGoogle Scholar
Yule, V 2005b. ‘Spelling common words.’ Online at http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/v09comonmonwords1.htm>>Google Scholar
Yule, V 2005c. ‘Spelling research relevant to reform.’ Online at <http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/spellresearch.htm>>Google Scholar
Yule, V 2008. ‘Rationale for an International Commission on English Spelling.’ Online at <http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/spelling.htm>>Google Scholar
Yule, V 2009a. ‘A dictionary guide to pronunciation.’ Online at <http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/sppronouncedictionry.htm>>Google Scholar
Yule, V 2009b. ‘The rules of English spelling – on one page.’ Online at <http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ozideas/sprules1p.htm>>Google Scholar