Literacy in America falling?

[Ashar]

You could argue that all Britons consider all Americans illiterate for spelling colour with only 5 letters or axe without an 'e' But that is just a cultural difference...

More like a grammatical difference...At least that's what I've always been told... :-/

[ozzy72]

Spelling and grammar are two different things Ashar.
The whole reason for the Americans spelling differently from the British goes back to the Declaration of Independence and their desire to break with the "mother country" as it were. As I recall it was only by two votes that the senate selected English as the state language over German! So really you can trace it back to that. Also as America is truly a land of immigrants a lot of spellings from other corners of the world (along with words) have entered their lexicon but not the Queens English (although many have since become popular in Britain with the rise of cinema and television)

[Hagar]

Spelling in American English was highly influenced by reformer Noah Webster. http://www.notablebiographies.com/Tu-We/Webster-Noah.html
It was Webster that first proposed changing the traditional spelling of commonly used words to simplified versions based on their pronunciation* (phonics). Center instead of centre, plow instead of plough etc. This would in his view make them easier to spell & understand although as a committed federalist he also did it for the sake of being different. His first dictionary entitled "An American Dictionary of the English Language" contained the simplified versions of many English words. It was first published in 1828 & was later adopted by Congress as the American standard dictionary. Traditional English spelling is influenced in the same way by the "Oxford English Dictionary".

Unfortunately (my opinion) American English is rapidly taking over as the International standard mainly due to the fact that it's the international computer language. If you work with computers you're forced to learn & use the American spelling whether you want to or not. This is also highly influenced by 'Hollywood' which produces a large proportion of the films & TV programmes shown throughout the world.

There are also basic differences in American & traditional English grammar. Again, the American version is rapidly becoming predominant. I don't know if Webster was behind this or not as he wrote other books on the subject of spelling & grammar.

*If Webster had had his way this would have been taken much further. His "Collection of Essays and Fugitiv Writings" (1790) encouraged "reezoning," "yung" persons, "reeding," and a "zeel" for "lerning". In fact he could be called the father of txt spk.

[Fozzer]

I can't spell for beans.

Then you must mean 'four' beans...

8-)

...and let us not forget the difference between:

There.
Their.
They're.

Whether.
Weather.

..any more?

Paul.... 8-)...!

[Hagar]

...and let us not forget the difference between:

There.
Their.
They're.

Whether.
Weather.

..any more?

Paul.... 8-)...!

Fork 'andles. ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz2-ukrd2VQ

[ozzy72]

That is a classic Doug One of my old favourites.
How about "Which witch is which?"

[Chris_F]

As long as you can communicate in a comprehensible fashion that is fine. The trouble with txt spk on an international forum is that not everyone has English as a first language and can work out what the gibberish means!

I'll agree.  That's why all the forums I participate in have "no txt speak" type policies.  Still, I think there's a big difference between "illiterate" and "only able to txt speak".  "Illiterate" in my time meant entirely unable to function with written language.  Unable to read cans at the grocery store, unable to fill out a form at the doctor's office, unable to read a sign.  If today we consider anyone who "txt speaks" as "illiterate" then it's no wonder why there are so many more illiterates around.

Frankly this smacks of a teacher's union push to increase education funding.  Boost the definition of illiterate so that more people fall under the title then use it as proof that there isn't enough spending on education.  Soon people who can't solve multivariate differential equations will be considered "lacking basic math skills" and some panic inducing study about how "99% of high school graduates lack basic math skills" will come out just in time for the new teacher's contract negocaition.

[Ashar]

Spelling and grammar are two different things Ashar.
The whole reason for the Americans spelling differently from the British goes back to the Declaration of Independence and their desire to break with the "mother country" as it were. As I recall it was only by two votes that the senate selected English as the state language over German! So really you can trace it back to that. Also as America is truly a land of immigrants a lot of spellings from other corners of the world (along with words) have entered their lexicon but not the Queens English (although many have since become popular in Britain with the rise of cinema and television)

Makes sense...It's why I said that's what I've been told...I wasn't too sure on the actual history...Thanks for the clear up

[ozzy72]

Join my new campaign 8-)
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1197141385

[Chris_F]

Join my new campaign 8-)
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1197141385

Ur kddn me, rt?

[Dr.bob7]

If i online on a type of forum like this illuse lol lawl brb etc.

If i need to do it formal i write it formal

[Dr.bob7]

come again  :D

[Fozzer]

WooHoo da doctu, da biy Bobuzkeh, Bobaruske, A mey whe uus be haadn lay lee meh, U be haadn iy yo crib mey. Mey uus lookn goo mey. Uus aah staaalin wit yo sharrrt aaw ow n eve thang. Howz yo ho be duuen mey? Uuuuzz til bangn tha saymo ho mey? Aah beh shii lukn fiyen lay lee wit da bigo bu taay. Uuz no wha ahh beez sayan mah? Eeehhy yo yo yo mah bro che dis ouw meh. Ahhz wuz luknz fu da mayel meh fo mah soshul sekyurateh che, uuu no meh? Uuu noz wha da muda fuka saaa. Da muda fuka saaa iy bi heeu un munde. na howz ahhzem ahhz supooz tu bahhz ma chilenz fra chiknz wit no muneh? Ahh noz u a goo mey duu. ken ahhz baara ah dala fru ya mey? Aahzil paaya baah un munde. Ku moh mey. ahh pomus ta paya baa mah. wha uu saa meh. lown ahh brutha a dola fu hiyz chirrrenz mey.

..we've got a few of those living in Gloucester... ...!

Sporting Dreadlocks, and wearing Army Trench Coats and woolly hats......!

Paul....much too close to Gloucester!.... ...!

.... ...!

[Chris_F]

Wow, when did Jar-Jar Binks join the forum?

[Fozzer]

..... ;)....>>>>

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-JA ... REOLE.html

Paul.... ...!