Crystal on Spelling

Two opposing views of English spelling

– Chaos

• There is so little predictability in English spellings that it is unreasonable to think of it as a system at all

Two opposing views of English spelling

– Order

• There is indeed a highly regular spelling system with just a few irregularities

Crystal's view

Crystal's view

Crystal's view

Crystal's view

I before e...

How did spelling become so difficult?

Christian missionaries

The Normans

Printing problems

The Great Vowel Shift

time.

Indicating etymology

Loan Words

Reforming Spelling?

model.