The Complete Guide to English Spelling Rules (2 page)

The English language absorbed countless thousands of these new words, and while many of them were adapted to fit English speech patterns or grammar, quite a few remained untouched. As the English people became more involved in Continental affairs more new words filtered into their language, and if these words appeared to have value they were eagerly adopted. This pattern of adopt and adapt can be traced back to the earliest years and has served the language well.

War and trade also added large numbers of new words to the English language as ships manned by English-speaking sailors, both commercial and naval, ventured far and wide and set up trading stations or military outposts. With the growth of the British Empire, the pace accelerated and the English language spread around the globe. Each contact with another culture and another language almost always resulted in the acquisition of yet more new words. Meanwhile, in the New World, English-speaking North Americans were adding their own fascinating collection of new words with new meanings and new spellings.

For centuries, the English language has thus accumulated words rather like the mythical dragon adding constantly to its hoard, no matter the origin of the treasure. Not satisfied with just one word to describe an object or an action, the language eagerly snatched yet another and another. Today the English language has more words than any of the Romance or Germanic languages and probably more than any other major language.

The Germans and Scandinavians, who invaded Britain after the Romans departed, each brought a different dialect, sometimes even a different language.

There is no disputing the fact that English is the most important language in the world today. It is an international language that has a number of advantages over most other languages. English grammar is quite simple, almost all the nouns are neuter, the subjunctive hardly exists, the difference between formal and informal address is rarely used, contractions are used extensively, the possessive is usually contracted, and we simply add a word to create the future tense. English is a simple and uncomplicated language that is easily learned and, when used correctly, permits clear communication with little chance of serious misunderstanding.

For centuries, there was general illiteracy and spelling was not important. Even after the invention of the printing press, when the ability to read and write became more common, the meaning of a word and its pronunciation were of prime importance, but how the word was spelled was not important. Well into the 18th century, most writers spelled words the way they thought they should be spelled. This, unfortunately, is reflected all too often in modern spelling.

Dr. Samuel Johnson did not, as many people believe, write the first dictionary of the English language. There had been previous attempts but they were quite limited in scope and cannot be compared to the masterpiece that Johnson produced. Unfortunately, Dr. Johnson appeared on the stage of history at the wrong time.

The 18th century was a time of turmoil and transition during which the English language was changing rapidly. Up to that time, English had not been taken very seriously by the upper classes, who learned Latin and Greek in school and greatly admired one’s ability to converse in French. However, the writers and thinkers of that period were beginning to take a careful look at the English language and especially at the sad state of English spelling. To correct obvious errors, some writers tried to apply the rules of Latin or French, whereas others looked back to Shakespeare and
some delved into the Anglo-Saxon or even German for the correct spelling of English words, producing such words as
musique
or
musick
. But their efforts were wasted. The version of English spoken in southeastern England was rapidly being accepted as the language of all England, and if it had been left alone to evolve and mature, we can speculate that English spelling would also have evolved.

However, the good Dr. Johnson, who was born in 1709, produced his masterpiece right in the middle of this period of change and, in effect, helped to freeze English spelling. There was a move at that time to standardize spelling, and one of the more famous proponents of standardization was Johnson’s patron, Lord Chesterfield. Unfortunately, he and the doctor did not agree on many matters. Johnson heaped scorn on the very idea that spelling could be regulated. He wrote,
“may the lexicographer be derided who ... shall imagine that his dictionary can embalm his language and secure it from corruption and decay....”

Today the English language has more words than any of the Romance or Germanic languages and probably more than any other major language.

Johnson contented himself with explaining the meanings of the words in his dictionary with numerous quotations and brilliant observations. He showed how the words were to be used, but as to the spelling, he preferred the status quo. Not only did he retain obvious inconsistencies, but he even added to them. His most famous was his addition of the letter
p
to
receipt
. Despite his foibles, Dr. Johnson must be recognized as one of the great men of English literature.

N
OAH
W
EBSTER

Noah Webster was born in 1758 in Connecticut almost fifty years after Dr. Johnson. A product of impeccable Puritan and Pilgrim English ancestry, he was nevertheless a staunchly patriotic Yankee and an enthusiastic supporter of the American Revolution. He was a brilliant student and a prolific writer and publisher who made many influential friends, including George Washington. Webster traveled widely throughout the young republic and, among other things, persuaded Congress to pass the first copyright laws. He was a schoolmaster with an intense interest in language reform.

In 1786, Webster was in Philadelphia listening to Benjamin Franklin’s proposal for a completely new alphabet. Franklin had even had special type made up but, fortunately, Webster rejected the idea as too radical. Webster had already produced a grammar book, and in 1783 he produced his first spelling
book, which soon became extremely popular as the
American Spelling Book
or Webster’s
Blue-Backed Speller
.

Webster made frequent revisions to his spelling book, changing, improving, and enlarging, but always striving to
“extirpate the improprieties ... to reform the abuses and corruptions which ... tincture the conversation.”
¹
His spelling book quickly became one of the best selling books in the history of American publishing. At one time there were over a hundred publishers producing the book legally and countless pirated editions. It was in continuous publication for well over one hundred years.

The version of English spoken in southeastern England was rapidly being accepted as the language of all England, and if it had been left alone to evolve and mature, we can speculate that English spelling would also have evolved.

The difference between Dr. Johnson and Noah Webster is clear. The former was primarily interested in the meaning of the words and their correct usage. To Dr. Johnson, the spelling was of little importance. The practical American, on the other hand, while stressing correct usage, was very interested in correct pronunciation and spelling. Webster, who had traveled in Europe, was fluent in a number of languages and had studied Anglo-Saxon, so his suggestions as to the “cleansing” of the English language were based on serious study. Although many of his original improvements in spelling were never adopted, it is surprising just how many of them were eventually accepted. Many of the words in our current dictionaries, on both sides of the Atlantic, are spelled according to Webster. In the introduction to his dictionary in 1806 Noah Webster wrote with uncanny foresight: