I have perpetuated a sinister plot on the pages of this blog and it is time to come clean.
Around the world, passionate people are vigorously protesting, blocking traffic and breaking windows while attempting to promote many different causes. Today I feel obliged to tell you that I have joined them.
While they may carry signs, chant simplistic slogans or even fire guns, my protest stands on the power of one written word. Drastic times call for strange measures.
How did it come to this?
The English language can be complicated, illogical and downright frustrating even before any attempt at spelling where real confusion awaits. The time has come to take action against this travesty. With this blog post I am officially launching a one-person, one-word crusade to simplify the spelling of the English language.
There were many options available but I have chosen the word thoughts to carry the torch in this worthy crusade. Observant readers of my blog have noticed that I have been shortening the spelling to thots on these pages. It is a simple, powerful change that results in 38% less letters and 100% more common sense.
It is my sincere, but faint, hope that I will gradually win the hearts and minds of writers and eventually a tsunami of people around the world will join me in simplifying the English language. And it all starts with one word and a devious blog plot that went public today.
Will you join me? I’d appreciate your thots.
mastermcc says:
This a priceless photo love the squirrel.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Thanks. It was fun taking it.
LikeLike
petbreederconnection says:
Wen the beating of your hart ekos the beating if the drums, there is a life about to start wen tomoro comes! Good luck!
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Well said and with the greatest economy of letters. Thank you.
LikeLike
Ziello Photography says:
Made me laugh..thanks.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Glad to hear that. A laugh is a valuable commodity.
LikeLike
Gunta says:
My crusade has always centered around the fact that rough and slough aren’t pronounced the same. We have a lot of sluffs around here, but everyone seems to insist on calling them slews.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
You make a great point. Sadly the English language has too many of them.
LikeLike
Galen Leeds Photography says:
There’s an idea. Thanks for sharing your sentiments. (Me, I just avoided using either spelling of that word twice, that way I don’t have to think about it. Much easier to put the head in the sand than to think about it… You could also use “thinked” for your past tense of “think”, except that still leaves you with the noun form.)
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
It’s amazing how many options there are if you think about it. Thanks for the creative options. Head in the sand probably leads to fewer headaches.
LikeLike
ckponderings says:
Haha… Great image and nice commentary. 😀
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.
LikeLike
Delft says:
I suppose it depends on w/h)ether you pronounce thot to rhyme (rime?) with got hot pot. In BE the first is long, and the others are short, so the extra letters add length, … or gravitas 🙂
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Yes that is true. There are a few factors to consider. It would be interesting what a language would look like if it was started from scratch with clear principles. I’m guessing nothing like English.
LikeLike
Delft says:
I agree. The English spelling is gorgeously inconsistent.
LikeLike
ek says:
swnz gud
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Excellent. That’s great economy of letters and words.
LikeLike
Mandy says:
Well I would actually spell it thort, but maybe I’m not hearing the Canadian accent.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Yes I imagine our accent is quite different than your Australian one.
LikeLike
melodylowes says:
Ha Ha! I wish you luck with your one-man protest. I would protest too but fear that in my mid-life crisis memory loss phase, that all those words I struggled so very hard to learn how to spell correctly would, if spelled in new ways, never stick to my shrinking brain. So I may have to launch a counter-protest, in order to preserve the slim semblance of looking like I know what I’m doing in my classroom…
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
That’s funny and a good point to consider. Sometimes the hardest part is just spelling words consistently.
LikeLike
melodylowes says:
I would love to know the joker who decided to spell the word ‘laugh’ like that…. Sheesh.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
There are so many examples like that. I don’t know why the ESL folks don’t just give up in despair.
LikeLike
melodylowes says:
My sister has a house in Croatia and on my visit last November I tried my hand at Croatian – let me tell you, I’d learn English in a heartbeat. That is one TOUGH nut to crack! But yes – I watch my ESL students in considerable admiration as they struggle with our idiosyncracy….
LikeLike
Chad says:
My thots are that I should stop only looking at the pictures and waiting to see if my wife comments on the blog’s content before I read it. Maybe more insightful titles are in order.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Interesting. And here I thot I was putting up provocative titles that would draw people in to read:)
LikeLike
andelieya 安德洌雅 (official) says:
I think we could also put away with direct and indirect articles. 🙂 They don’t use them in Asia and things are just fine. When I had to communicate with my Japanese colleagues in English, I found that our communication became less confusing and much more efficient after I used one little trick: I dropped all articles. Is there any ambiguity in ‘I send email to you’ or ‘I go to scanner and scan paper for you’?
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Your comment helps me understand why Asian writers often miss words when writing in English – I didn’t realize they don’t use articles in their own languages. The meaning is clear though I must say it doesn’t seem right. That would be quite the change.
LikeLike
runningwithellen says:
This allows the reader to interpret the pronunciation, unless you include pronunciation symbols, ˈthȯt. Without this guide the ‘ou’ could be pronounced as ō, a long ‘o’ as in though. And you lose the playfulness of the language, used by writers and poets, etc. But I suppose brevity and inaccuracy is acceptable rather than learning and the nuances it brings to our lives.
LikeLike
Chad says:
I think we need another post or straw poll on how many English speakers actually know and use either the pronucation guide or the symbols. That might be the new 1%.
LikeLike
runningwithellen says:
You’re kidding, right? Most people abuse the language, including myself, thinking we have an excellent command of it. Imagine if you start reducing it. Including the commentator who said ‘put away direct and indirect articles’, as though they were being stored in a box or vault, when what most likely was meant was to do away with, as in discard or remove. Why are we so quick to reduce things to the lowest common denominator, and assume it is better. It is merely merely progress, the next step, which is not necessarily better. One can progress in the wrong direction.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
I agree there is abuse of the language by people who think they know it well. You’ve done a good job of listing some of the issues with my suggestion. To be honest, I expected a lot more comments like yours. I think the inconsistencies incorporated into the language as it developed, inadvertently made simplicity more appealing. The discussion is interesting.
LikeLike
westerner54 says:
The ESL students who I’ve been tutoring are joining your crusade, for sure! Stupid English spelling is driving them bonkers.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
I can certainly see how they would get there. I’m sure you’ve given them rationale explanations for everything:)
LikeLike
Honie Briggs says:
Nutty cause you’ve gotten yourself into there Lyle. A couple of questions: what are you doing with all those extra letters you are squirreling away? And, have you given any thot to how this might confuse people who pronounce it thawt? Just asking.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
I entirely agree on the nutty cause description but I find it irresistible. Both questions left me stumped and laughing. And here I thot I had a good question.
LikeLike
Phil Lanoue says:
Be careful Lyle, the thot police may be on to you. 😯
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
I think they may already be there.
LikeLike
rachel bar says:
lyle, you do have a way with words, and dat is actually y I follow ur blog. As to eliminating certain letters, I’m on board. I’ve done some of it when switching from british english to american. now what about capitalizing? many languages don’t have capital letters!
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Thanks for the comments on the words. I have noticed lately that while I really enjoy photography, the writing actually brings more satisfaction. As for capitalization, that is opening up a whole new can of worms. I had never thot of that though many texts seem to adopt that format.
LikeLike
doraiswamyganesh says:
Dear Friend,I agree that some silent alphabets in the language can be eliminated to simplify the writing process without changing the meanings.The beauty lies inside and it is not external other than nature,in which you are a real master.Beautiful shot of dear squirrel.Ganesh.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
You raise a good point about focusing on the beauty. Thanks for the comments.
LikeLike
schreiner2theends says:
My thots are with you…
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Always appreciate good thots and the support in this cause.
LikeLike
che'hanin says:
My sentiments exactly. Some english words, they have similarities in their spelling but their pronunciation is different, say cliche and douche. For me where English is not my native language, I blindly thought (oops…thot) that they would be the same in pronunciation. Well, I was wrong.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Even though English is my first language, I sometimes find it hard to remember all the exceptions to the supposed rules. Hats off to people like you who are able to navigate the spelling and pronunciation swamps in a second language.
LikeLike
Seenorwaynorway says:
He he, well, it isn’t all that bad, and besides – you write an excellent English so where is the real problem?
It’s, however, been proven that the human brain is a real masterpiece when it comes to ignoring such faults, and that you may safely delete at least two letters from just about any word as long as it doesn’t alter the meaning of the word itself.
Our brains will igonre it! See?
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
You are so right, our brains are miraculous in what they can do and the ability to correct errors on the fly. As for the real problem there likely isn’t one, just an impatient preference. Thanks for the compliment.
LikeLike
caleephotography says:
And I thought, sorry thot, English overseas was already simplified enough, sorry nuf. 😉 (Doughnut vs donut, etc) Great picture and caption, made me LOL again!
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
I had totally forgotten about spelling donut with all those extra letters – perhaps a good reminder that there is a process already underway. Glad you liked the photo – maybe a cuter one would be more persuasive.
LikeLike
EhkStream says:
Thrs mvmnt 2 cmpltly rmv vwls frm wrds n Nglsh lngug, smthng lk thss. Mny ppl 30 yrs nd yngr r rdy frt nw. Wll b mch smplr wrld, lk rmving n-nssrryy n nyng grn pxls frm fttgrfs.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Nicely done – and even a fitting reference to photography. That’s definitely a few steps further down the road than what I was suggesting but still readable.
LikeLike
Delft says:
rt (rght?) y r! hbrw nd rbc lrdy d t.
nb: nncssry, nt n-nssrryy.
LikeLike
EhkStream says:
ttly!
LikeLike
Delft says:
ths s ddctv snt t? mb shld wrt blgpst lk ths!
strng hw r brn cn dcphr t…
LikeLike
EhkStream says:
Ths s gd exrcz fr brn.
Htchng snstr plt mslf, bttlng acrnyms.
BBC-CCC-DDT-ATT-LDS-LSD-ADD-PCB-TDD-NTSB-THC-POTUS-FLOTUS-SCUBA-DUBA…
N wht y mn?
LikeLike
Kyle Kuns says:
Pretty squirrely to change the spelling. There is precedent (colour to color etc). With time, you might pull it off.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Yes sometimes you just have to go for the long game!
LikeLike
renxkyoko says:
“Silent” letters don’t make sense. Why put them there when they aren’t pronounced anyway? It should be pronounced as spelled.
Count me in.
LikeLike
lylekrahn says:
Glad to have you on board!
LikeLike