From: John H. Jenkins (jenkins@apple.com)
Date: Wed Apr 01 2009 - 14:54:20 CST
It doesn't come from Mark Twain. The source of this is ultimately
Dolton Edwards' "Meihem in ce Klasrum", which first appeared in the
September 1946 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. The ISFDB notes
that this is, "short and popular, so frequently retyped / copied
online, often mutated and mis-attributed." See also <http://www.spellingsociety.org/journals/j31/satires.php
>.
On Apr 1, 2009, at 2:44 PM, Hans Aberg wrote:
> On 1 Apr 2009, at 19:13, Michael Everson wrote:
>
>> http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1449684
>
> The are out late, in view of the quote below about English spelling
> reform attributed to Mark Twain.
>
> Hans
>
> --------------
> For example, in Year 1 that useless letter "c" would be dropped to
> be replased either by "k" or "s", and likewise "x" would no longer
> be part of the alphabet. The only kase in which "c" would be
> retained would be the "ch" formation, which will be dealt with
> later. Year 2 might reform "w" spelling, so that "which" and "one"
> would take the same konsonant, wile Year 3 might well abolish "y"
> replasing it with "i" and Iear 4 might fiks the "g/j" anomali wonse
> and for all.
>
> Jenerally, then, the improvement would kontinue iear bai iear with
> Iear 5 doing awai with useless double konsonants, and Iears 6-12 or
> so modifaiing vowlz and the rimeining voist and unvoist konsonants.
> Bai Iear 15 or sou, it wud fainali bi posibl tu meik ius ov thi
> ridandant letez "c", "y" and "x" -- bai now jast a memori in the
> maindz ov ould doderez -- tu riplais "ch", "sh", and "th" rispektivli.
>
> Fainali, xen, aafte sam 20 iers ov orxogrefkl riform, wi wud hev a
> lojikl, kohirnt speling in ius xrewawt xe Ingliy-spiking werld.
>
> Mark Twain
> --------------
>
>
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