Changing the spelling of words in the English language? WTF!?

In case anyone isn't aware, there's a new push to have a plethora of words in English changed in respect to their spelling. Through = thru, night = nite, etc. Now, many of us already use shortcuts like these in everyday, non-professional communication, on cell phones, email, and chat programs. But to OFFICIALLY change the spelling of the words to make it "easier" for people learning the language (ie. children and foreigners)? That's just stupid. Something tells me the leading asian countries aren't going to be changing their millenia old ideogrammatic systems of writing to make it easier for outsiders. I don't think Arabic nor Russian script is going to change anytime soon to suit the desires of the international community. Why should American English be any different? As far as the young'uns go, children today are dumb and lazy enough as it is -- we don't need to make it easier on them. I find it hilarious when these media outlets do these stories about how "smart" kids are supposedly becoming, and how good they are at "multitasking". Who gives a shit how well some kid can juggle XBOX, an AIM conversation, and a phone call when they can't even point out Iraq on a goddamn map? (That's right -- a recent study done by National Geographic revealed that 6 in 10 18-24 year old's couldn't correctly locate on a map the country that has claimed four years, hundreds of billions of dollars, and 2,500+ American lives.) I dare say children are only getting DUMBER and MORE LAZY as time goes on. Dew wee need tew start dumming down tha English lainguej as well? Shame on the shitty public school systems, shame on those who practice the new style of generally neglectful parenting that's become so prevalent, and shame on the government for doing what they do best: walking around with their thumbs up their asses on the whole thing.

I can only hope this issue once again gets pushed back into some dark corner, not to resurface for a good long time.

i read something about it yesterday. i think its one the gayest ideas i have ever heard. maybe if SOME funding was spent on the kids' education rather than somethin else (not goin to mention anything that would lead to thread hijackin or somethin). if you can't pronounce some of the easiest words in the English language then either spend more time practicing, don't talk to me, or go somewhere else and speak your own language.

yes i know that due to some accentes it's hard to pronounce the words correctly and i take that into consideration.

besides, changing the spelling would totally fuck over all the educated people that can spell correctly. it was hard enough reading that one line posted above and trying to decipher what it meant.

stupid. that's all i have to say.

American kids can't point out Iraq? pfft. Oprah did some special that showed high school kids and how fuckin stupid they are (nothin personal to any high school kids here) But these lil bastards couldn't name the 2nd president of the United States (John Adams). Some didn't know the FIRST!!! GEORGE FUCKIN WASHINGTON!!! Some couldn't name the neighbors of the US. We only have 2 :disappoin And there was a ton of other simple facts kids didn't know. It was sad really. Especially when they showed foreign kids who knew the answers to questions about the US that americans didn't know.

But to change the spelling of words is ridiculous. And how many would they change? There's a million words that are confusing and not changing all of them would only make it harder. Will they change "right" (rite) and leave sight? And what about fight? Would it be fite? Thats way more phoenetically incorrect. Its just stupid.

it saddens me to know how the american education system is slowly decaying... and how politicians are only trying to bandage its wounds instead of build up an immunity.

Some didn't know the FIRST!!! GEORGE FUCKIN WASHINGTON!!!

And that's what your school teacher told you his name was?

There I was thinking he didn't have a middle name :screwy:

Exactly, children are getting dumber, parents are becoming too lenient, and
teachers are simply, "letting it happen".


In high school I had friends whose parents bought them Xbox games every time they got 75% or higher on test.
I mean, what the fuck is that? 75% is horrible.

They are also getting waaay too lenient when it comes to punishment.
I mean, for elementary and high school, it is your parents duty to push the child to do better. College is up to him, but high school is all on the parents.
Christ, instead of getting a Xbox 360, buy the little dumb-ass a book. Lock his ass up in the basement until he shapes up.

And then there are teachers; again WTF!?
Its the teachers who judge if we are worthy of passing or not. Its on them to decide if we are "qualified" for the field we are to work in.
If the kid can't handle it, fail him and make him do it again. DO NOT ease up on the material, and DO NOT "adjust" the curve. It is up to you to select who will run the country in future.

The repercussions of this may not be seen now, but we will be hurting later on when these dumb-shits begin to enter the work force.


I could go on all day about this, but... meh

Dont worry. The ones in school who dont ever shape up turn out to be dumb blue collar workers that live paycheck to paycheck like the slobs i work with. Nothing against bluecollar workers, a lot of them are really nice people, but a LOT of them are dumb as a rock and don't care. But it's their life. That's why i'm going back to college.

i've never once typed a message text/msn/aim in this "text speak" i always use full english.

i hate the shortenings, sometimes i just can't read them either.

I mean, what the fuck is that? 75% is horrible.



Please tell me you either have tests designed for vegetated retards at your said institution, or you are joking. Kids who get 75% in tests are the types I myself would look to employ, as do most other firms/companies. They're in the middle of the scale- on one hand the kids too retarded to do anything with competence and on the other side the A+ kids who are so far up thier ass with Academia that they cannot apply any knowledge without the help of a book or think they are too good to do "grunt work" after graduating. I have put it to the HR department at work that I will not take either on without a shitload of good references.



Kids are retarded either way, I have realised that by the time the iGeneration have power that I'll be dead (Or too old to care)

i've never once typed a message text/msn/aim in this "text speak" i always use full english.

i hate the shortenings, sometimes i just can't read them either.

text/msn/aim "text speak" includes the lack of capitalisation in sentences. :rolleyes:

text/msn/aim "text speak" includes the lack of capitalisation in sentences. :rolleyes:

I meant shortenings such as "u" and "l8r" among others.

On reflection, American English is pirated real English in the first place.



'Nuff said. :p



Could be worse, we could have the next generation dumbing it down further to "Moppie English" :eek: ;)

On reflection, American English is pirated real English in the first place.

The emo speaks the truth, i've said it so many times to americans and they don't believe me.


Come to think of it, i've used "ftw" and "wft" a couple of times.

now here's my plan. instead of an a being 90% make it 85%. and a b 70% ect... this will raise the average gpa making the kids appear to be smarter. problem of dumbing youth solved. (not really)

I don't do any of that "text speak" crap. Incorrect spelling and grammar really irritates me. And this whole changing the English language really pisses me off...I can go on forever saying the same things everyone else has already said.

I'm going to be an editor, and I really love words and the English language, and this just frustrates me so much. BAAAAHHHH!!!! Fuck lazy children and their stupid, lazy selves....!!!

I don't do any of that "text speak" crap. Incorrect spelling and grammar really irritates me. And this whole changing the English language really pisses me off...I can go on forever saying the same things everyone else has already said.

I'm going to be an editor, and I really love words and the English language, and this just frustrates me so much. BAAAAHHHH!!!! Fuck lazy children and their stupid, lazy selves....!!!


Stand back, guys...

Stand back, guys...

Whoa...yeah. I'm calm now. This whole thing just really gets to me.

Somebody mentioned that the teachers in the public schools are partially to blame for the unwarranted progression of subpar students. (I'd look up who said it, but since I'm a product of American public schools, I'm too lazy:p ) But really the teachers are under pressure from their administrators to ensure that a certain percentage of students pass in order to remain in favor with the school board. So while it is true that some teachers "dumb it down" for struggling students or change grading scales to accomodate those behind the learning curve, the underlying cause is a product of our poorly organized school system in which schools that have the smartest students receive the most funding and schools that truly need that funding to assist their troubled or struggling students (primarily in low income areas) are on the shallow end of the monetary pool.:2cents:

Kids are retarded either way, I have realised that by the time the iGeneration have power that I'll be dead (Or too old to care)
But, before you die, you may be cared for by a nurse or doctor who was "just good enough" with their 75% grades.

I'd rather be cared for by the A+ practitioner, thanks.

We're only hurting ourselves by settling for less. Both my kids graduated from High School with honors; we told them we knew they were both capable of achieving excellent grades, and anything less was a waste of their talent.

Too bad this country doesn't think like that any more.

But, before you die, you may be cared for by a nurse or doctor who was "just good enough" with their 75% grades.

I'd rather be cared for by the A+ practitioner, thanks.



You really haven't seen some of the botch-work I've had A student graduates do me, I very rarely ever have that problem with more grounded B+ type students. It's gotten to a point where I find the thought of an A+ anybody in the practical world quite frankly disturbing.

I agree with Captain Emo somewhat. I've seen numerous cases of straight A students that are wound so tight and so far out of touch with reality that all their knowledge is seemingly wasted by a lack of ability to apply it to the real world. Whereas there are some A B students who may not have as much of an edge on hard facts and "book learning" but are well rounded and much better suited to deal with certain real world applications. It doesn't matter if some A+ student can list all the parts of your engine and their purpose, cuz if they pop the hood and don't know how to take it apart, their knowledge is 100% useless:2cents:

It doesn't matter if some A+ student can list all the parts of your engine and their purpose, cuz if they pop the hood and don't know how to take it apart, their knowledge is 100% useless:2cents:
I hear what you guys are saying, but there's a world of difference between auto mechanics and medicine. Knowledge base is crucial in medicine.

What they don't know, or don't remember, can kill you, quite literally.

I think it's pretty stupid that they want to change all this stuff now. It would make sence for the words to have been spelled like that in the begining, but changing the spelling of those words now isn't right.


In high school I had friends whose parents bought them Xbox games every time they got 75% or higher on test.
I mean, what the fuck is that? 75% is horrible.


What the hell?! At my high school 75% was a D! Only thing I ever got when I brought home a 75% was more chores on the weekend...

Im a swedish kid who handles english spelling well enough, why the hell would an american kid need easier english? What the hell is going on in that country?

why the hell would an american kid need easier english? What the hell is going on in that country?

Do you really need an answer to that one?

how many people would actually acknowledge the spelling changes though? especially in the professional world. i wouldn't.

I wood nevir EVIR aknolige tha speling changez! Just lik I woodint aknolige spanish as tha nashuns sekond ofishul langwige if it evir kums to that!

I wood nevir EVIR aknolige tha speling changez! Just lik I woodint aknolige spanish as tha nashuns sekond ofishul langwige if it evir kums to that!

god, i hate you... :rolleyes:

my thoughts on aim-speak? STFU! I'm typing fast as hell n i'm entitled to some shortenings and grammatical and spelling errors. I'm not taking a damn state test...

...speaking of state tests, and back on topic, I'm not sure if ne one here knows about Regents. NY State requires their public high school students to complete a state test called the Regents Exams. It was at one point among the most intellectually challenging state exams given to high school students in america. In recent years, the average grades have been declining on these exams, so politicians disregard the goal of the department of education to further intellectual development of our children and keep the tests as they are, and put money into schools to actually school us, and instead appease to the average parent who would like to see nothing more than their child leave their household to go off to college, and thus, make the test easier. Yes, every year, the regents exam has become an easier test because students keep failing, and by state law, unable to graduate without a passing grade. Guaranteed, if the regents were as difficult as they were several years ago, half the tards graduating today would be held back and schooled properly. I'm not exactly the brightest crayon in the box, but i know when america is being given to the dogs.

It is issues like this that make me glad I'm closer to being halfway dead. :banghead:

I thought growing up, because I plan like that, that as the 'old white men in power' got older and died that the 'young' people who weren't as racist and close minded etc etc would lighten up all that BS in the goverment. Well that sort of happened because now the future is all about the children who are turning or already are little pussies who can't get their feelings hurt or be spanked for being evil little fuckers. Unfortunatly there will always be extremists in office because the rest of us have too much shit to do like live our lives and no real moderate would get elected or be supported by the other extremists. So as usual we are left with the choice of the lesser of two evils or have to choose officials based on one or two 'hot points' like abortion, death penalty etc.


ANY consideration to actually changing the spelling of words to shorten them so they are spelled how they sound is asinine. And by the way Americans did not steal the Queen's English we inherited it from colonialism, but we did 'steal' bits and ends of many other languages through their 'melding' in the pot.

BTW: I do use the shortening of words when text messaging because I didn't grow up in highschool with a cell phone in my hand and I just don't feel like hitting 5 three times to get the second L in hello.

^I agree with you and all. You make valid points but...
It is issues like this that make me glad I'm closer to being halfway dead. :banghead:
For the love of Moses, you're only 28! How soon do you plan on kickin the bucket!?!?

Or do you know something we don't know? :uhoh:

But, before you die, you may be cared for by a nurse or doctor who was "just good enough" with their 75% grades.

I'd rather be cared for by the A+ practitioner, thanks.

We're only hurting ourselves by settling for less. Both my kids graduated from High School with honors; we told them we knew they were both capable of achieving excellent grades, and anything less was a waste of their talent.

Too bad this country doesn't think like that any more.


Jimster's line of work is somewhat different to medical practice...

Yeah, I believe I acknowledged that, but it still stands to reason that we'd want the best and brightest to take care of life threatening situations.

This business of 75% being "good enough" eventually filters into mindsets at all levels, and just makes every process somewhat worse for it.

Windowpane makes some good points. Once we start the slide toward expected mediocrity, there's no turning back.

Exactly, children are getting dumber, parents are becoming too lenient, and
teachers are simply, "letting it happen".



They've been saying this shit for years, why don't you shut up and don't get so worked up about it.

And if they change the spellings i'm moving.

They've been saying this shit for years, why don't you shut up and don't get so worked up about it.

And if they change the spellings i'm moving.

heh heh, he told me to shut up.

I'm not mad, I'm proud of you.
It takes alot of guts standing up to me like that.


But seriously, I am still in school (college) and it is frustrating because your practically reminded everyday, firsthand, on how educational values are going down hill.

But, like you stated; if they change it, I'll move in next door.

^I agree with you and all. You make valid points but...

For the love of Moses, you're only 28! How soon do you plan on kickin the bucket!?!?

Or do you know something we don't know? :uhoh:

Popular theories, yet again, say; the rapture is nigh, global warming, coming of the antichrist, impending world war, meteors etc so there is always that possiblity. :evillol: I don't plan for the 'end' though but there is the 'casual acceptance/acknowledgment' of eminent doom it's how I show respect to those things real and imaginary that can wipe me and all that spawned me out of existence.



But really I don't expect to live much beyond 80 or so I'm a man of the American persuasion=(poor nutritional diet/not a health nut) drink/swear/drive not all three at the same time. :nono:
30 is creeping up on me then 40 that's the midpoint barring really bad health which I thankfully don't have so I'm closer to half way there than not that's all I mean.

Wow... I bet you're always the life of the party

Damn I'm depressed now... I'm gonna go look through the emo forum :frown:

wow you guys are making such a big deal about this how parents raise their kids these days well who cares its their kids and they can raise them however they want!

wow you guys are making such a big deal about this how parents raise their kids these days well who cares its their kids and they can raise them however they want!


So your saying its fine if a kid is abused and neglected by there parents? Thats fair for the kids:banghead:

Talking is hard enough.

well no I don't support kids being abused and neglected what i was trying to say was parents awarding their kids with xboxs or other stuff for doing good in school and stuff if they want to award their kids thats their problem thats what I meant

I know I can't spell for my life so I keep a dictionary near by so I can look things up. If I am lazy I will put (Sp?) next to any word I am not sure about, hoping somebody will make a comment. Also people need to stop feeding their kids. I did a pony ride thing at a camp and heard a snap in my back when I lifted a kid that probably weighed more then me and in like 2nd grade. Not only did i hear a snap I got cowkicked in the shin my the pony for putting the kid on.

wow you guys are making such a big deal about this how parents raise their kids these days well who cares its their kids and they can raise them however they want!
actually..no they can't. i was at my friends house yesterday and witnessed his neighbor's children be taken away by several cops and a social worker. it was terrible, the kids, who were about 6 years old, trying to push the cops away and get away. the cops were also constantly at that house for one reason or another and no child should have to go through that. how could you possibly argue or think that that is a good, healthy environment for a child?

:1:

What the fuck are u guys bashing on about!? English is no where near danger zone as it is...People who write proper Chinese should be the one that need to worry about!!! I mean the language didn't Change for 2~3,000 year, and all the sudden thanks to a mother fucker call Mao the langauge is in grave danger! Singapor recently just switch to simplifly so that they can wipe their face on the Chinese's ass, Hong Kong has been kidnapped and will be force to change soon, that leave Taiwan as the only one in the whole world using proper Chinese. Then we got some pro Chinese bitches saying that we too should change to simplifly! What the FUCK!? the charater are written that way for a FUCKING REASON!!! EVERY MOTHER FUCKING STROKE OF THE LETTER MEAN SOMETHING!!! FUCK!! SHIT CAN'T Believe some of these mother Fucking KMT bitch got a degree from Harverd! So what the fuck to worry about English speaker?

wow you guys are making such a big deal about this how parents raise their kids these days well who cares its their kids and they can raise them however they want!

And then their kids become the people who makes this world shitty for the rest of us.