English spelling and spelling reform

by Thomas Raynesford Lounsbury

GENERAL INDEX

• a, as in fare, represented by ai, by ay, by e, by ei, [114].
• “a, broad,” [109], [136];
• represented by au, by aw, by o, by oa, [114];
• by ou, [114], [156].
• “a, long,” an e sound, [103], [114];
• represented by ai, by ay, by ea, by ei, by ey, by e, by ao, by au, [115].
• a, long, represented by ua, by ea, by e, by au, [113].
• a, short, represented by ua, by ai, [114].
• a, sounds of, [100]-[103], [104], [106];
• weakened to e, [267];
• represents short e, [119], [120];
• represents short o, [126].
• Academies, influence of, [59].
• Addison, Joseph, [30], [31], [137].
• ae, digraph, disappearance of, [122], [123];
• represents “long e,” [122].
• ai, digraph, represents a of fare, [136];
• “long a,” [115], [136];
• “long i,” [77], [126], [137];
• short e, [119], [136].
• Allen, Grant, [117].
• Alphabet, for what invented, [73];
• English, [76];
• insufficiency of Roman, [97], [99], [107].
• American spelling, so-called, [18], [25]-[29], [32].
• Analogical spelling, [251], [254], [332]-[334].
• Anglo-French words, [234], [288].
• Anglo-Saxon, [27], [150], [175], [267], [291], [300].
• ao, digraph, represents “long a,” [115].
• Arber, Edward, [151], [268].
• Armstrong, John, [216], [217], [220].
• Arnold, Matthew, [59]-[70].
• Ascham, Roger, [127], [151], [268].
• Association, sentiment of, [10]-[16], [20], [35], [36].
• Ash, John, [228].
• au, digraph, represents “broad a,” [114];
• “long a,” [115];
• long a, [113].
• aw, digraph, [109], [136];
• represents “broad a,” [114].
• ay, digraph, represents a of fare, [114];
• “long a,” [115], [140];
• “long e,” [122],
• [141];
• “long i,” [77];
• short e, [119].

• b, unpronounced, [165]-[167], [172]-[175].
• Bacon, Sir Francis, [27].
• Bailey, Nathan, [64], [205].
• Black-letter, [212].
• Bolingbroke, Henry St. John, viscount, [217].
• Boston, [89], [302].
• Boswell, James, [218]-[221], [292].
• Bullokar, John, [64].
• Byron, George Gordon Noel, Lord, [131], [191].

• c, letter, [79], [80], [97], [305];
• before e, [26]-[28];
• unpronounced, [172], [175], [289].
• Cambridge University, [19].
• Cedo, derivatives of Latin, [8], [253].
• Celtic origin, words of, [156].
• ch, digraph, [185];
• sounded as k, kw, and sh, [186].
• Chaucer, Geoffrey, [63], [80], [197], [274].
• Child, Francis James, [8], [9], [91].
• Clarke, Mary Cowden, [29].
• Cocker, Edward, [64].
• Coles, Elisha, [64], [205].
• Congreve, William, [225].
• Consonants, sounds of, [160] ff.
• Copyists of manuscripts, [273]-[275].

• d, crossed letter, [97].
• d, letter and sound, [184], [188].
• Derivation, influence of, on
• spelling, [11], [190], [200], [209], [210], [212], [243], [247]-[251], [283]-[307].
• Dickens, Charles, [271], [316].
• Dictionaries, English, [277].
• See under [Ash], [Bailey], [Bullokar], [Cocker], [Coles], [Dyche and Pardon], [Fenning], [Johnson], [Johnston], [Kenrick], [Kersey], [Knowles], [Martin], [Minsheu], [Nares], [Perry], [Phillips], [Sheridan], [Smart], [Todd], [Walker], [Webster], [Worcester].
• Dictionary, New Historical English, [115], [139], [142], [144], [195].
• Digraphs, [108], [134]-[160].
• Diphthongs, [108], [133].
• Dryden, John, [318].
• Dyche and Pardon’s Dictionary, [64], [65], [205], [228].

• e, letter and sound, [103], [106], [265];
• final, unpronounced, [265]-[271];
• medial unpronounced, [246], [257];
• represents “short u,” [132].
• “e, long,” [105], [121], [136];
• represented by œ, [122], [123];
• by ay, [142];
• by ea, [142], [143];
• by ee, by ei, by eo, [148];
• by ey, [142];
• by ie, [149]; by œ, [152].
• e, short, represents long a, and “short u,” [113];
• short i, [123], [260], [262];
• is represented by ai, by ay, by ei, [119];
• by a, [119], [120];
• by ea, [119], [143];
• by eo, [119], [148];
• by ie, [150].
• ea, digraph, represents a of fare, [114];
• of father, [113], [144];
• “long a,” [115], [146];
• “long e,” [122], [143], [333];
• short e, [119], [143], [333];
• “short u,” [132], [143], [334].
• eau, represents long o, [127].
• ed, termination, sounded as t, [37].
• ee, digraph, [109], [136], [145];
• represents “long e,” [122], [136], [263];
• short i, [124], [136].
• ei, digraph, represents a of fare, [114], [145];
• “long a,” [104], [115], [145];
• “long e,” [122], [145]-[148];
• “long i,” [77], [126], [145]-[148];
• short e, [119], [145].
• Ellis, Alexander John, [274], [304].
• eo, digraph, represents “long e,” [122], [148];
• long o, [127], [148];
• short e, [119], [148].
• er or re, ending, [8], [26]-[35].
• eu, digraph, represents long u, [129];
• u with y element, [130], [148].
• ew, digraph, represents long o, [127];
• long u, [129];
• u with y element [130], [148].
• ey, digraph, represents “long a,” [104], [115], [142], [145];
• “long e,” [122], [142], [145];
• long i, [77], [126].

• f, letter and sound, [162];
• displacing ph, [287], [288].
• Farquhar, George, [225].
• French Academy, [48], [51].
• French methods contrasted with English, [42]-[48].
• French derivation, words of, [163], [169], [181], [196], [197], [233], [289], [290].
• French orthography, [47], [71].
• French, Old, [118], [176], [177], [179], [201].

• g, letter followed by e, [157];
• unpronounced, [172], [176], [285].
• Garrick, David, [147].
• German, orthography, [13], [49], [50], [166], [304], [306], [322].
• gh, digraph, [170], [172], [181].
• Gladstone, William Ewart, [53].
• Glossographia Anglicana Nova, [64].
• gn, words beginning with, [163], [164].
• Grammar of writers once altered, [21].
• Greek origin, words of, [165], [175], [176], [177], [287], [288], [294], [299].
• Grimm, Jakob, [90].

• h, letter and sound unpronounced, [163], [165], [170], [172], [177]-[179], [198], [199], [290];
• initial, dropped, [198], [303], [307].
• Hare, Julius Charles, [224]-[226].
• Heine, Heinrich, [189].
• Holmes, Oliver Wendell, [130], [149].
• Hume, David, [214]-[218].

• i, letter and sound, [97], [104], [105], [106];
• represents “short u,” [132].
• “i, long,” a diphthong, [105], [133], [159];
• sound of represented by ai, by ay, by ey, by i, by uy, by y, by ye, [77];
• by ei, [77], [126];
• by ie, [77], [149];
• by oi, [77], [134];
• by ui, [158].
• i, short, represented by e, [123], [124], [260];
• by ee, [124], [136], [262]-[264];
• by ie, [124];
• by o, [124];
• by u, [124];
• by ui, [124];
• by y, [123].
• ie, digraph, represents “long e,” [122], [149];
• “long i,” [77], [126], [149];
• short i, [124];
• “short u,” [132].
• ieu, represents ef, [262];
• long u, [129].
• ile, ending, [269], [270].
• ine, ending, [269], [271].
• Italian language and orthography, [49], [201], [287], [322].
• ite, ending, [269].
• ive, ending, [269], [271].

• j, sounded as y, [183].
• Johnson, Samuel, [64], [65], [102], [123], [127], [137], [145], [205], [207]-[214], [218], [219], [220], [221], [222], [223], [227], [228], [244], [254], [257], [278], [326].
• Johnston, William, [155].
• Jonson, Ben, [127], [255].
• Journal des Débats, [61].

• k, letter and sound, [26]-[28],
• [97], [163], [170], [171], [172], [260], [290], [291]-[293], [303]-[306].
• Kenrick, William, [155].
• Kersey, John, [205].
• Knowles, James Sheridan, [66].

• l, letter and sound, [172], [179], [257], [258], [262], [335].
• Lamb, Charles, [266].
• Landor, Walter Savage, [225]-[227].
• Latham, Robert Gordon, [68].
• L’Estrange, Roger, [115].
• logue, words ending in, [158].

• m, letter, [162].
• Macaulay, Thomas Babington, Lord, [267], [316].
• Manley, Mrs., [87].
• Martin, Benjamin, [65], [205].
• Metric system, [55].
• Middleton, Conyers, [217].
• Millar, Andrew, [217].
• Milton, John, [144], [225], [299], [312].
• Minsheu, John, [64].
• Mitford, William, [289].
• Moore, Thomas, [191].
• Morris, William, [191].
• Müller, Max, [91].

• n, letter and sound, [165], [264].
• Nares, Robert, [146], [155].
• ng, digraph, [185], [186].
• Normandy, dialect of, [115].
• Northern English dialect, [144].
• Notes and Queries, [236].

• o, letter and sound, [105], [106], [126], [127], [267];
• represents “broad a,” [114];
• long u, [128];
• short i, [124];
• short u, [128];
• “short u,” [132].
• o, long, represented by eau, [127], [153];
• by eo, [127], [153];
• by ew, [127];
• by oa, [126];
• by oe, [126];
• by oo, [127], [153];
• by ou, [127], [156];
• by ow, [127], [156].
• oa, digraph, represents “broad a,” [114], [151];
• long o, [126], [151].
• oc, ock, ending, [171].
• oe, digraph, in classical words, [152];
• represents long o, [126], [152];
• long u, [128], [152];
• “short u,” [133], [152].
• oi, diphthong, [133];
• represents “long i,” [77].
• oo, digraph, represents long o, [127], [153];
• long u, [128], [152];
• short u, [128], [152];
• “short u,” [132], [152].
• or, our, ending, history of, [193]-[237].
• Orthography, English, creation of printing-houses, [23], [24], [35], [272]-[278].
• os, oes, ending, [334].
• ou, diphthong, [133], [153], [154];
• digraph, represents “broad a,” [114], [156];
• long o, [127], [156];
• long u, [128], [153];
• short u, [128], [156];
• “short u,” [132];
• various sounds of, [77], [156].
• ow, diphthong, [156];
• digraph, represents long o, [127], [156], [169].
• oy, diphthong, [133].

• p, letter and sound, [163];
• pronounced as b, [183];
• unpronounced, [179]-[181].
• Paris, dialect of, [115].
• Perry, William, [155].
• ph, digraph, [165].
• Phillips, Edward, [64], [205].
• Phonetic orthography, [71]-[75], [145], [239], [241], [243], [299], [321]-[330].
• Phonetic sense, lost to English, [308].
• Pope, Alexander, [154], [155], [217], [266].
• Practical men, easy omniscience of, [91].
• Printing, effect of, on spelling, [272]-[278].
• Printing-house, English orthography the creation of, [23], [272]-[278].
• Professors, guilelessness of, [91].
• Pronouncing dictionaries, [145], [325]-[328].
• Pronunciation, spelling designed to represent, [11], [73]-[76];
• made to accord with the spelling, [259]-[265].
• Proper names, orthography of, [296], [301]-[303].
• Public, hostility of, toward reforming spelling, [6], [17].
• Publishing houses, orthography adopted by, [5], [20]-[23].

• q, letter, [97].
• qu, digraph, [260].

• r, letter and sound, [79], [80].
• Ramsay, Allan, [217].
• Reasoning powers, impairment of, [335]-[337].
• Richardson, Samuel, [86].
• Ritson, Joseph, [245]-[248].
• Roosevelt, President, his order about spelling, [1], [59], [308].
• Runic letters, [97].

• s, of pleasure, represented by s, by si, by z, by zi, [187].
• s, unpronounced, [172], [181], [290].
• Sanskrit, [100].
• Scott, Sir Walter, [247].
• sh (of ship), digraph, represented by ce, by ci, by s, by si, by t, by ti, by xi, [187].
• Shakespeare, William, [22], [24]-[30], [32]-[35], [116], [194], [195], [201]-[203].
• Sheridan, Thomas, [65], [207], [221], [263], [326].
• Signs, insufficiency of, in English, [96], [97], [99].
• Smart, Benjamin Humphrey, [66], [147], [230], [263].
• Sounds, [75], [76];
• number of, [96], [107];
• ignorance of, [78], [241].
• Southey, Robert, [131].
• Spanish spelling, [49], [322].
• Spelling, difference between present and past, [20]-[23], [24], [25];
• ignorance of nature and history of, [56] ff.
• Spelling reform, attitude of men of letters toward, [58];
• attitude of women
• toward, [82]-[86];
• not limited to English race, [48].
• Spenser, Edmund, [14], [155], [184], [185], [225].
• Sterne, Lawrence, [52].
• Strahan, William, [217].
• Swift, Jonathan, [31].

• t, represented by ed, [184], [185];
• unpronounced, [165], [169], [172], [181].
• Taylor, William, [131].
• Tennyson, Alfred, [142], [155].
• th, digraph, surd and sonant sounds of, [96]-[99];
• represents t, [185].
• Thackeray, William Makepeace, [316].
• “Thorn” letter, [97], [98].
• Times, London, [18], [60], [61], [62], [67], [68], [69].
• Todd, Henry John, [68].
• Tonson, Jacob, [30].
• Tooke, John Horne, [227].
• Trench, Richard Chenevix, [285], [294], [299], [308], [327].

• u, letter and sound, [97], [128], [129], [267], [293];
• represents short i, [124];
• sounded as w, [157];
• with y element, represented by u, by ue, by eu, by ew, [130].
• u, long, represented by o, by oe, by ou, [128];
• by oo, [128], [152];
• by ue, by ui, by eu, by ew, by ieu, [129].
• u, short, represented by o, by ou, [128];
• by oo, [128], [153].
• “u, short,” [105], [106], [111], [113], [131];
• short sound of, represented by u, by oe, [132];
• by o, [132], [153];
• by oo, [132], [153];
• long sound of represented by e, by i, by o, by ie, [132];
• by ea, [132], [144];
• by ou, [132], [153].
• ua, digraph, represents long a, [113];
• short a, [114];
• as wa, [157].
• ue, digraph, represents long u, [129], [158];
• as we, [157];
• final, unpronounced, [158].
• ui, digraph, represents long u, [129], [159];
• short i, [124];
• “long i,” [159].
• Unaccented syllables, indistinctness of sound of, [110].
• Uniformity of spelling, desire of, [277]-[278].
• uy, digraph, represents long i, [77], [126], [157];
• short i, [126].

• v, letter and sound, [97], [162], [172].
• Vanbrugh, Sir John, [225].
• Vowel-sounds, progressive movement of, [99]-[113].

• w, letter and sound, [156], [157], [178];
• unpronounced, [165], [172];
• followed by h, [163], [164];
• followed by r, [163], [164]
• Walker, John, [65], [66], [101], [102], [139], [141], [147], [154], [155], [169], [178], [207], [221], [222], [223], [230], [260], [263], [292].
• Webster, Noah, [228], [248]-[255].
• Wesley, John, [224].
• Whitney, William Dwight, [91], [100].
• Women, attitude of, towards spelling, [82]-[86];
• former indifference of, to spelling, [86].
• Worcester, Joseph Emerson, [89], [229], [252].

• x, letter, [97], [165].

• y, represents short i, [123];
• “long i,” [77], [126].

• z, unpronounced, [172].

THE END