Oh my God....

[anime_freak777]

Just because some people are morons and can't spell doesn't mean they should try to change the spelling of "hard" words. We learned to spell them just fine. They can too.  

[dianersj]

people are always trying to bend the rules so their stupid kids can pass  

[Missy Wyvern]

They keep lowering the standards so that the people who aren't as good in certain areas can catch up and be "equal." I don't think they understand that the world was not meant to be equal in these ways. Some people are better in certain fields than others. If the standards keep being lowered, there will be no more great authors. We've already simplified the language to the point of stupidity (text talk), let's not keep sliding down the slippery slope and keep some sort of standard.

It's not about being stubborn with the language. It's just about not letting people pass just because they cry about not understanding words. If you don't understand a word or know how to spell it... Use a different word. Simple as that. And that is called learning.  

[Tuntematon Sotilas]

People don't spell correctly because the system is rotten. This is not one of those things you can't learn for "you were an idiot to begin with", it's just matter of strengthening your schemas about our beloved English. Some schools and their teaching methods are basicly made of crap. There isn't enough money to teach everyone equally, and so now they are just going to lower the line. Just great. People should be more concerned about children's backgrounds. Some come from good families- the kinds giving all the support their kid needs. Some parents are just too stupid to even take interest in their child's schooling.  

[Zealot of Insanity]

Hell. Have you heard that they almost revoked the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam) because a group of parents thought it was unfair to the poor people. They argued that they were at a disadvantage because poor people may have not gotten a good education, and so a judge actually banned it for a while. Luckily, the California High Court said that their arguement was completely ridiculous and they reinstated the CAHSEE. But poor people saying they have a disadvantage? That's complete BS. Rich people can fail the exam too. I could probably pass the test right here, right now, and I'm just 15 years old, 10th grade. That exam is Algebra and 9th grade level writing, and you only have to get a 55% correct. So, if America is dumbing everything down, why the f***ing hell are we complaining about failures in school?  

[MyOwnBestCritic]

I was going to read it, but I clicked on the link and it said "article not found." However, from your arguments, I've managed to extract the subject matter.

English is already a b*****d language. Why do some wish to bastardize it further? What about all those poor English learners that don't know how to deal with an already difficult language?

*explodes*  

[splashseal]

Hot_Cocoa42

Well, if people want to spell how words sound, they should learn a more phonetic language. Spanish is. And while people say english is a hard language to learn once you know it, I don't think it's that hard to spell. Really some people are just lazy. stare Though I'm one to talk. xp

Exactly. I know English isn't logical, but if you want logic, learn something like German. English is known for it's crack spelling, so you should know what you are getting yourself into by learning it. It's sad that this was something intended to be serious, but it just goes along with the feeling the society's intelligence is rapidly decreasing.  

[The Man who was Thursday]

sparkling_sora

Hot_Cocoa42

Well, if people want to spell how words sound, they should learn a more phonetic language. Spanish is. And while people say english is a hard language to learn once you know it, I don't think it's that hard to spell. Really some people are just lazy. stare Though I'm one to talk. xp

Exactly. I know English isn't logical, but if you want logic, learn something like German. English is known for it's crack spelling, so you should know what you are getting yourself into by learning it. It's sad that this was something intended to be serious, but it just goes along with the feeling the society's intelligence is rapidly decreasing.

Right.

I had such a choice in learning English, being raised in America.  

[Spoob]

Has not the English language already been shortened/simplified?
Its called a contraction.
gonk  

[Angel80272]

I found a new link that works here.

That article, after trudging through the whole thing, made me want to gouge out my eyes and spit on the graves of everyone who ever supported that in life. "Simplifying" the English language won't do anything. We've already dumbed down the IQ tests, high school exit exams, and the MEAP (Michigan Educational Assessment Program - a state based merit scholarship) and now they want to slaughter the language?

I feel like taking a rifle to the national spelling bee and sitting next to a sign that says, "All those in favor of simple spelling, come here and say fire."  

[Spoob]

Jesus, that wasn't any easier.
It was more confusing to me.
Like when I was reading the word "capsher" I had no clue what it was I had to read it aloud.
exclaim  

[Leoshi]

Oh, god...I gave up on trying to that that...that...abomination. Jeeze, they think that illiteracy rates will drop because of that? Heh, I'll laugh when high school English teachers can't have their students read a good, older book because it has "word" with an "o" instead of a "u."  

[The Man who was Thursday]

Leoshi

Oh, god...I gave up on trying to that that...that...abomination. Jeeze, they think that illiteracy rates will drop because of that? Heh, I'll laugh when high school English teachers can't have their students read a good, older book because it has "word" with an "o" instead of a "u."

Quote:

Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,
Ther was a duc that highte Theseus;
Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,
And in his tyme swich a conquerour,
That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.
Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne,
What with his wysdom and his chivalrie;
He conquered al the regne of Femenye,
That whilom was ycleped Scithia,
And weddede the queene Ypolita,
And broghte hir hoom with hym in his contree,
With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee,
And eek hir yonge suster Emelye.
And thus with victorie and with melodye
Lete I this noble duc to Atthenes ryde,
And al his hoost, in armes hym bisyde.

 

[Tarantellatears]

*attacks writer and sets fire to his/her house*

That's just going to make people ever dumber! Good Night! I can hardly read that!  

[Sock God Ghetto Style]

*shuddering* This is nonsensical...

Honestly, all that would achieve is easier writing, if anything beneficial at all. Having words that are recognizable is key to faster reading, and it makes us use less of our effort on reading things as well. It's not just that we're not used to the words, you see. Our brains are wired up to see familiar symbols and know a meaning. But if those symbols are changing all the time (I.E. A Texan and someone with a heavy German accent are writing to each other’s, both sounding out the words in their head so they can send 'em off. What would you get? "Weel hawdi thar partna!" and in response "cudint you chust say 'hi' fur ons? I’ll go shtik this in se posht now." Not a pretty picture, I know.)
And another point. Quite a while ago, oh say a bit before Victorian ages, we did spell phonetically. Why do you think we don’t now? Because it was easier in the long run to have set spellings for the words, rather than having to muddle through each letter someone wrote. That would give me so many headaches that I don’t think I could stand it, and therein lies my illiteracy...
All in all, not a good idea, in my mind, though I really didn’t need to add my own opinion to the masses here against it.

(Oh my Gods... It's embarrising how many typos I left in here...)