I'm taking a certification course in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and was intrigued by a discussion in the text on why the spelling of the English language is so difficult, even for people born in an English-speaking country.
The discussion cites a number of reasons that English -- a rich and truly "hybrid" language which evolved from the Germanic but has been greatly influenced by French, Latin, Greek and Indian languages -- is so complex in both spelling and pronunciation. These reasons range from: a change in pronunciation in English dating back to 1400 ("lyf" was pronounced "leef" but became "life"); Norman/French influences on spelling ("island" with it's confusing silent "s" derived from the French "isle"); and Latin spellings becoming fashionable during the Renaissance (where "dette" became "debt" based on the Latin "debitum").
But my favorite on the list of reasons why English is such a nightmare to learn -- and the reason people like me can earn a decent living as copywriters and editors -- is chalked up to sheer CARELESSNESS. Apparently, the early monks, who were some of the world's first educated intellectuals and book "printers" before the invention of the printing press, simply made mistakes while hand-copying manuscripts; mistakes that were then re-copied over and over again until they were recognized as the "standard" spellings, and without a corresponding change in pronunciation. That's what happens when you forget to buy the "White-out".
Which only reinforces the need to proofread your work before you publi shit (oops, I meant publish it).
Because people will believe anything if it's in print, and that typo you just made in your blog post, corporate report, private diary or book manuscript may just influence future generations and change the entire course of the English language (which unlike French, has no governing body to police what is permis).
Kind of makes you wish you'd paid better attention in grammar and typing classes, doesn't it?
