Page:Handbook of simplified spelling.djvu/50

 Slovenly Speech Due to Present Spelling

This dependence on oral tradition is responsible for the slovenly and slipshod pronunciation so prevalent and so deplorable, and against which those who revere the language, and who desire to preserv its purity and precision, vainly contend. It is responsible for that failure to indicate the respectiv values of the vowel sounds, especially in unstrest sillables, and of certain consonants, that now mar the speech of even the most highly educated. It is responsible for the tendency to slur over many sounds, to run words together, to adopt passing fads, and to create wide divergences in the English spoken not only in separate parts of the world, but in different sections of each country.

Better Spelling, Better Speech

If all who speak English could always hav had before their eyes in every book, magazine, and newspaper, the pronunciation of every word indicated by its spelling, it is difficult to believ that so wide departures from the accepted standards of English speech as ar prevalent today could hav occurd.

Changes in pronunciation ar inevitable in every living language, of course, and wil not be stopt by adhering to spellings that represent former rather than current values; but if spelling changed with pronunciation, the changes themselvs would rapidly become standardized, since every one who could read would speedily learn what they wer, and would be led to adopt them.

Changes in spelling made by individual writers would direct attention to the new pronunciations indicated, and would giv rize to comment and discussion. More heed would be paid to pronunciation; and with