Does Spelling Matter?

• Provides an up-to-date narrative of the history of English spelling, from the origins of the roman alphabet to spelling in the electronic age

• Examines the role of spelling in English society

• Engages with current debates about the future of English spelling and the issues concerning the use of spelling in email, text-messaging, and Twitter

This book narrates the history of English spelling from the Anglo-Saxons to the present-day, charting the various changes that have taken place and the impact these have had on the way we spell today. While good spelling is seen as socially and educationally desirable, many people struggle to spell common words like accommodate, occurrence, dependent. Is it our spelling system that is to blame, and should we therefore reform English spelling to make it easier to learn? Or are such calls for change further evidence of the dumbing-down of our educational standards, also witnessed by the tolerance of poor spelling in text-messaging and email? This book evaluates such views by considering previous attempts to reform the spelling of English and other languages, while also looking critically at claims that the electronic age heralds the demise of correct spelling.

Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. Writing systems. 3. Beginnings. 4. Invasion and revision. 5. Renaissance and reford. 6. Fixing spelling. 7. American spelling. 8. Spelling today and tomorrow. Bibliography.