Is it a simpler or more confusing? 

See "Push for simpler speling perzists" from LP, page 1

Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon

How'z ur wkend? What r u doing? Did u hv a gr8t day? Theez sentenzes are ritten by uezing the sms lingo — won of the most popoola waez of speling amung the sel foenz generashion.

Have I spelled the words incorrectly? Not really., This is the new trend in electronic communication. Is it confusing? (YES) I must say, and very exhausting in reading and trying to write it, too.

Here are the translation of the above sentences: How was your weekend? What are you doing? Did you have a great day? These sentences are written by using the sms lingo — one of the most popular ways of spelling among the cellphone generation.

Today's story is 'Push for simpler speling perzists'. Can you understand what it means? No, the Bangkok Post copy editor did not forget to check the spelling. It really is a new trend and it is the topic we are reading about today.

According to the story from the Associated Press (or AP), there have been growing attempts by the advocates of simplified spelling to change the way the English words are spelled. These people in favour of simplifying spelling. They say that it would make children learn faster and the rate of illiteracy would be lowered.

However, as the story tells us, would it really benefit the users of the English language as a whole, or just cause us more headaches? Those who are against it say that learning would be disrupted if children had to switch to a different spelling.

As part of the new generations who are leaders in this trend, what do you think? Are you for or against the idea of changing the way words are spelled? If such simplified spelling were introduced and widely used, what do you think would be the effects? 

The story presents two main ideas in support of and against simplified spelling. This style of writing is called argumentative writing or 'pro and con'. This means there are two main points — the advantages and disadvantages of simplified spelling. In an argumentative essay the writer presents both sides of the issue, giving the reasoning behind both plus examples.

Exercises

Once you have read the story, try to find out who the supporter(s) and opponent(s) of  simplified spelling are and the reasons that support their ideas.

I. Advocates / Proponents of simplified spelling:  _______________________________________

The advantages and benefits the global community will have if simplified spelling were officially used:
1.
2.


II. Opponents of simplified spelling: ____________________________________

The disadvantages of simplified spelling 
1.
2.
3.


Extra exercise

Try translate the following sms expressions into their proper spellings:

1. iou =
2. wot =
3. BTW =
4. gtg (or g2g) =
5. c u ltr =
6. OMG =
7. ttyl =
8. HAND =

Vocabulary from introduction

lingo - expressions used by a particular group of people (Note: jargon  refers to special or technical words that are used by a particular group of people in a particular profession and that other people do not understand)
persist - to continue doing something even though other people say that you are wrong or that you cannot do it
simplify - to make something easier to understand
advocate - a person who supports a particular plan or action, especially in public
in favour of - in agreement with
illiteracy - the inability to read and write
against - opposing or disagreeing with something
disrupt - to make it difficult for something to continue in the normal way
argumentative writing - is the act of forming reasons, making inductions, drawing conclusions, and applying them to the case in discussion. 
pros and cons - the advantages and disadvantages of something. The 'pros and cons' refers to the argument both for and against a proposal.
proponent - a person who supports an idea or course of action : synonym = advocate
opponent - a person who is against something and tries to change or stop it

Vocabulary from the story

capture - to make somebody interested in something
force - to make somebody do something that they do not want to do
publication - a book, magazine, etc. that has been published
picket - to stand outside somewhere such as your place of work to protest about something or to try and persuade people to join the strike
hoisting - to raise something up in a higher position
master - to learn how to do something well
stump - to cause somebody to be unable to answer a question or find a solution to a problem
bewildering - confusing and surprising
smattering - a small amount of something, especially knowledge of a language
alter - to make something different in some way, but without changing it completely; to become different
leap - a sudden large change or increase in something
derive -  to come from something; to have something as its origin
alternate - one of two or more things that you can choose between
rote memory - the process of memorising something by repeating it until you remember it rather than by understanding the meaning of it
logic - a sensible reason or way of thinking
preserve - to keep something safe or in good condition
object - to be against something or somebody
disrupt - to stop something happening as or when it should
exert - to make use of something, for example influence, strength, etc., to affect something
tug - a sudden hard pull
correspondence - the act of writing letters; the letters themselves
philanthropist - a rich person who helps the poor and those in need, especially by giving money
passionate - showing or caused by very strong feelings
activist - a person who takes action to cause political or social change, usually as a member of a group
playwright - a person who writes plays for the theatre, TV or radio
shorthand - a method of writing quickly that uses signs or short forms of words
high-profile - a way of behaving that does attract other people's attention
scholarly - spending a lot of time studying and having a lot of knowledge about an academic subject
effort - an attempt to do something when it is difficult to do
captivate - to attract and hold somebody's attention
embrace - to accept something with enthusiasm


For those who can translate all the texts that were written with simplified spellings correctly, you would probably be ready for the new trend. For those who cannot translate the paragraphs into the correct spelling forms, you should be aware that it is actually a simpler way of spelling. Moreover, for beginner or intermediate learners of English, I suggest you study the correct spellings of the words. This way, you can learn the meaning of the words because if you cannot spell them correctly, you will not be able to look up their meaning from the dictionary. And, of course, you will never learn to master the language.

So why not start spelling the words correctly now?

Translation of the sentences written with (supposedly) simplified spellings

(paragraph 1) wouldn't it make more sense to spell words the way they sound?

(paragraph 3) Either way, the concept has yet to capture the public's imagination. 

(paragraph 6) They say the bee celebrates the ability of a few students to master a difficult system that stumps many users who could do just as well if spelling were simpler.

(paragraph 8) Americans don't always go for what's easy — witness the failure of the metric system to catch on. But proponents of simpler spelling note that a smattering of altered spellings have made the leap into everyday use.

(paragraph 12) Learning English requires rote memory rather than logic, he said.

(paragraph 16) The country's largest teacher's union, once a supporter, also objects. 

(paragraph 19) Carnegie tried to move things along in 1906 when he helped establish and fund the spelling board. He also used simplified in his correspondence, and asked everyone who reported to him to do the same.

(paragraph 20) A philanthropist, he became passionate about the issue after speaking with Melvil Dewey, a spelling reform activist and Dewey Decimal system inventor who simplified his first name by dropping "le" from Melville.

(paragraph 22) The Chicago Tribune also got into the act, using simpler spellings in the newspaper for about 40 years, ending in 1975. Playwright George Bernard Shaw, who wrote most of his material in shorthand, left money in his will for the development of a new English alphabet.

(paragraph 24) But for all the high profile and scholarly efforts, the idea of funny-looking but simpler spelling didn't captivate the message then--or now.

(paragraph 26) Carnegie, who embraced technology, died in 1919, well before cell phones. Had he lived, he probably would have been pleased to know that millions of people send text and instant messages every day using their own forms of simplified spelling: "Have a great day!"

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 11:23 AM