Posted by Mike Dennis on January 20, 2008 at 09:46:08 from 84.64.1.47 user MTD.
In Reply to: Re: Introducing children to reading (was FLASHMAN) posted by Jock on January 20, 2008 at 23:33:41:
I'm afraid your argument is bordering on the nonsensical. The spelling of the English language may on occasions seem ludicrous but along with grammar it is all part of the rules of its use. We need the rules so that we all know what we are talking about, community agreement (with a nod of acknowledgement here to Wittgenstein). Yes, we could all spell in the way we find easiest or more acceptable but then you would have everyone who posted here spelling in their own way. It is all about communication, and we do so by using one language with one set of rules.
Yes, I know our USA contributors use different spelling rules but these have a basis in the English English used by their Founding Fathers so if we have a reasonable knowledge of our spelling rules we know what they mean.