Aug 8, 2008 11:18 pm US/Central
In The Know: How To Spell S-A-D
(WCCO)
The National Spelling Bee grabs huge ratings in the U.S., and documentaries and movies have been made about good spelling. Now, in Britain, college professors are ready to give up because students can't spell worth a darn. Don Shelby said, the common language could soon become anybody's guess.
Some academics are saying it is time to accept "variant" spellings. Students, even in college, are having such a hard time spelling correctly that teachers are just giving up. Some are now saying that the word is phonetically sound, it would stand.
Use "phonetically" as an example. In a new world where spelling doesn't count, this might be "fonetickly" correct.
Professor Ken Smith at Bucks New University has suggested starting with just a few word variants.
He suggests academia accept "ignor" for "ignore." They sound the same.
"Occured" for "occurred."
And "twelth" for "twelfth."
In fact, "varient" would be a variant for "variant."
It is not a good sign when teachers throw in the towel and admit the student's poor spelling cannot be overcome. They are up against it though. There is a new spelling book out there.
Recognize this: "wot r u doin 2nite?" Text message spelling? I have only one real complaint.
Why didn't they come up with this idea when I was in "skul?"
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