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Carpal Tunnel
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I shall paraphrase what's in the AP article (the page I found it on has lots of ads):
There is a "Support For Spelling" document being sent to primary schools saying there are too many exceptions for the "i before e, except after c" rule to be a viable one, and teachers should stop teaching it. For ex. sufficient, veil, and their.
Apparently they have a Spelling Society there(!). There are some supporters of continuing to teach the rule, saying it's one of the few that most people tend to remember.
On a personal note: I think I might actually live. I found out out the other night that Hubby's stomach upset was not food poisoning.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I shall paraphrase what's in the AP article (the page I found it on has lots of ads):
There is a "Support For Spelling" document being sent to primary schools saying there are too many exceptions for the "i before e, except after c" rule to be a viable one, and teachers should stop teaching it. For ex. sufficient, veil, and their.
Apparently they have a Spelling Society there(!). There are some supporters of continuing to teach the rule, saying it's one of the few that most people tend to remember.
On a personal note: I think I might actually live. I found out out the other night that Hubby's stomach upset was not food poisoning.
I totally support the concept of a SPELLING SOCIETY. I think it should be mandatory for teachers of English Grammar and literature. The spell check mechanisms are OK if used properly, unfortunately too many students rely on them. Give an essay test as I used to do, and see what it produces. I used to make spelling a big part of my teaching, and would do so even more were I teaching today. I am not a fan of 'texting' - and I don't care whose feelings that hurts. It is destroying the concept of spelling.
----please, draw me a sheep----
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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It is destroying the concept of spelling.
Doubtful that txting will destroy anything, and I don't care how many Casandras lament it. Doubtful even more so that "the concept of spelling" in English exists. What we have in English orthography is about the crappiest system imaginable, except perhaps Japanese or Tibetan.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Are you not a bit harsh on your English spelling? I loved English because it's grammar and spelling were clearer and had less exceptions than our own. I had better results in English than in Dutch though I like both languages equally.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Are you not a bit harsh on your English spelling?
Not at all. I, too, love the English language, but a language is not its spelling system. Our orthography causes more problems than its worth. A semi-phonetic system like Spanish or Italian would be much better suited for pedagogical reasons. And, as I've said before, it ain't going to happen any time soon, short of the destruction of anglophone nation states.
Rather than coming up with cockamamie delusional, anecdotal, ad hoc, and mnemonic spelling rules, we should just use the brute force, rote memorization process. Either way, few will ever master the system, which is pretty much how it's always been.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Joined: Dec 2006
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Dec 2006
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I don't think they should ditch the rule. Maybe modify it.
Not sure if this works but,
When following a C the I follows E?
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Joined: Mar 2000
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old hand
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old hand
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but a language is not its spelling system. Our orthography causes more problems than its worth.
I wholeheartedly agree ! This is also valid for German, which sees endless squabbles over its "new" orthography. Skills in orthography vary tremendously among people of comparable intelligence. Should the "less gifted ones" be punished?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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"Good stuff, Maynard", as the old tv commercial said, I read it weekly and have many bookmarked,thanks.
Last edited by LukeJavan8; 06/29/09 05:12 PM.
----please, draw me a sheep----
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Joined: Jun 2008
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
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but a language is not its spelling system. Our orthography causes more problems than its worth.
I wholeheartedly agree ! This is also valid for German, which sees endless squabbles over its "new" orthography. Skills in orthography vary tremendously among people of comparable intelligence. Should the "less gifted ones" be punished? So true, so true. As a high school English teacher it was a real problem, more so than spelling.
----please, draw me a sheep----
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