Revolutionizing English: A Proposed Writing System Script and Orthography
Introduction: English, as we know it, is a language with an elaborate and often confusing orthography. The need for a more systematic writing system has long been discussed. In this article, we propose a new writing system for the English language, which would be based on the Latin alphabet, utilizing diacritical marks to enhance clarity and ease of understanding. This proposed change aims to create a consistent and internationally recognizable orthography while accommodating the nuanced sounds of the English language.
Pioneering a New Orthography with Diacritical Marks
One of the challenges in writing English is the inconsistency in spelling and pronunciation. To address this, we propose the integration of diacritical marks on letters that do not already have suitable alternatives. For example, we suggest using ? for church, jà for judge, ? for ship, and ? for azure. These marks would help in distinguishing homophones and providing a clearer representation of the sounds in the words.
Creating a Skeleton for Related Words
A significant challenge in English is the inconsistent spelling of related words that sound similar but originate from different roots. To tackle this, we propose to use a consistent skeleton of letters for related words. For instance, the words foto, fotograf, fotografy, fotografik could all share the same structure, with diacritical marks indicating subtle phonetic differences. This approach would make it easier for learners, even those with different accents or educational backgrounds, to recognize and associate related words.
Maintaining Consistency with Accent Variations
The pronunciation of English words varies significantly across different accents. To accommodate this, we would suggest using diacritics that reflect the sounds in different regional pronunciations. For example, the word tune could be spelled as tún, tùn, or tún, depending on the accent. This would ensure that learners can read and understand texts written for an international audience, regardless of where the content is consumed.
A Balanced Approach to Silent Letters and Redundancies
Phase 1: Introduction of Diacritics: To facilitate learning, we would initially introduce diacritics as additional markup on top of the current spelling. This would help learners and English as a Second Language (ESL) speakers to better understand and pronounce words. Assuming that once learners have mastered the diacritic system, they would not want to give up the marks, we would phase out unnecessary silent letters and redundant doublet spellings, such as macin for machine and debut for dabu.
Phase 2: Simplification of Spelling: In this phase, we would reduce the number of silent letters and doublet spellings that do not contribute to better recognizability. This would include words like station rather than stasn, and machine rather than masen. By following these practices, we would ensure that international words remain recognizable to both native and non-native speakers.
Conclusion and Future Implications
By implementing this proposed writing system, we aim to enhance the clarity and consistency of English orthography. This would not only help learners but also international readers and writers to better understand and use the language. The application of diacritical marks and a consistent skeleton for related words would make English more accessible and intuitive, paving the way for a more inclusive and user-friendly language.
The proposed system is designed to evolutionize the English language, providing a clearer and more consistent writing system that can be adopted by learners and native speakers alike.