No doubt, English is a great language. However, even many of those who use it as their mother tongue would agree that the alphabet is a "sore spot".
English could become the language of the whole world much quicker if it was easier to learn. Native speakers do not really know how much work it takes for someone to learn English as a second language. The problem is lack of logic, as many learners like to point out. After all, what is the alphabet for if it is so "disconnected" from the language. Pronunciation of so many words have to be learned individually... in addition to learning their meanings.
In the age of the Internet, soon just about everyone will use - or try to use – English. Without the needed reform, this great language will probably suffer a lot of degradation because those who poorly use it will influence other learners, including native speakers, in a negative way. This can already be seen on social media networks.
I think I have a good idea about what is needed. Perhaps my proposal will get a cold reception but at least I tried. (I do not really need to do this, I already know the English language. This just gives me extra work. However, I believe it is the right thing to do. Besides, this whole idea came to me in a dream, and when I woke up I felt an urge to start figuring out what could be done about the deficiencies of the English alphabet, what could be done to make it much easier, much less time consuming for students who learn English as a second language, and for native speakers who are fed up with learning to spell their own language. Once there is a well-functioning alphabet, quick to be learned, all the extra work of spelling will be redundant.) If the project goes nowhere, I am fine with that, it is not going to be my loss.
The new English alphabet I am proposing looks like this:
a á b c cs d dzs e é f g h i í j k l m n ny
o ó ö ő p r s sz t u ú ü ű v z zs x
We will learn how to pronounce the "cs", the "dzs", the "ny", the "sz" and the "zs" as single sounds. These sounds already exist but they are written differently. For example, the "sz" sound is written as "c" in CYCLE or "s" in SIT.
We will also learn the pronunciation of the vowels, and once we know all the vowels, we can easily find a way to pronounce the consonants. Of course, reading the letters of this new alphabet will not sound like the current alphabet but it should not take long to get used to the changes.
We will forget the current English pronunciation of the letters and learn a much easier way instead. I believe that with the examples I am going to use, this new alphabet will be easy to learn.
Let us look at the vowels first.
Let us start with the very first letter, the "a" which, when pronounced, currently sounds like MAY without the "m". Instead, we will simply call this letter - and also pronounce it - like the vowel in the word HOT. Try to say this word without the letters H and T. (Or BUT without the B and T.)
á – like the vowel in BAR or CAR (a long vowel)
e – like the vowel in NET or MET (a short vowel)
é – like the vowel in BRAVE or SHADE (a long vowel)
i – like the vowel in HIT or RID (a short vowel)
í (ii) – like the vowel in MEET or TEETH (a long vowel) ***Most keyboards do not have this letter (yet). For the time being, we can write it this way: ii
o – like the first vowel in LORRY or the first 2 vowels in MONOGRAM (a short vowel)
ó – like the first vowel in BORING or DOORWAY (a long vowel)
u – like the vowel in the preposition TO (a short vowel)
ú – like the vowel in TOO or TOOTH (a long vowel)
ü – like the short form of the first vowel in NUISANCE
ű – like the long form of the first vowel in NUISANCE
When we pronounce these vowels as letters of the alphabet, we will pronounce them exactly as they sound within a word. An "á", for example, will always sound like the "á" in the word BAR. No more illogical pronounciations... Take, for example, the word RECIPE. Here, the first "e" sounds like it should. However, the other "e" at the end of the word sounds like the "i" in the word HIT, and the "i" in the middle sounds like the "e" in the word NET. What utter nonsense!
Of course, some vowel sounds of English are not that simple. For example, in the word TIRED, the "á" blends into an "ö", sounding like one long vowel. With the new alphabet, this word will be written TÁJÖD, where the "j" will be the letter that we have so far known as, for example, the end of the word MAY. This "j" is not going to be pronounced "dzséj" in the new alphabet. (See the "dzs" and "dzsé" below among the consonants.) Instead, it will be pronounced "j", just like it sounds as the last letter in the word MAY.
I know, some native speakers probably think: Wow! This reformed alphabet must be a joke. I would not be surprised. After all, they already know the langauge. Why would they want to re-learn it?! True, the need to spell words is often a pain and, yes, native speakers also realize that the current alphabet has not a whole lot to do with the language but...
Well, one of the generations have to be willing to put in some extra effort to make it easier for the next generations, and for the billions of non-native speakers, for the rest of the world. Once English has a logically functioning alphabet, it will take no time before it truly becomes the language of planet Earth. I guess the natives would enjoy taking pride in that.
The spoken language will remain the same. Perhaps with the use of the new alphabet some pronunciation will change a bit over time. Eventually, English might even become a so-called phonetic language.
How will tech companies relate to the new alphabet? I think for them it will be a "piece of cake" - and an opportunity to make some extra profit.
The idea is not trying to please everyone by creating a new international language where for the partial representation of their own, everyone would have to learn and use everyone else's special characters but rather to make the alphabet of the existing very popular English more functional.
OK, let us continue and look at the consonants.
b – like the first consonant in BRING or BRAVE. In order to pronounce it, we will add the vowel "é", so it will be called the letter "bé" . (I think it sounds better than with the current "í", and it is probably less straining for the mouth.)
c – there might be original English words with this sound but right now I can not think of any. Currently, it either sounds like our new letter, the "sz", as the first letter in the word CYCLE, or it sounds like the letter "k" in CUT. The first letters in foreign words like TSUNAMI or TZAR would be good examples for this sound. Adding the vowel "é", we can call and pronounce this letter "cé".
cs – like the current "ch" in CHICKEN or in RICH. With the "é", this is the letter "csé".
Once we learn the new alphabet, we easily recognize the sounds of its letters in the words, so we will know exactly how to write the words the reformed way.
d – another "no-brainer", it is like the first consonant in DOOR or in DOG. The word THE comes into my mind immediately, so it is time to discuss that typically English "th" sound. I think it has been gradually disappearing: THE is now either DI, DE or DÖ. Hopefully, with time, the rest of those "th" sounds will also change into a simple "d" or "t", making it so much easier for everyone to pronounce it. We can call and pronounce this letter "dé".
Of course, there is nothing wrong with "th", it can easily be pronounced, and within or at the end of a word it does not even have to sound like a "d" or a "t". MATHEMATICS or FAITH are good examples. However, they will now be MATHEMATIKSZ (or MATHEMATIX) and FÉJTH.
Back to the word THE for a moment... After I get some feedback, we can finalize whether there should be only 1 form of the reformed THE, and whether it should be DI, DE or DÖ.
dzs – no more "j" for JUNGLE or "g" for GEORGE. From now on it is DZSANGL and DZSORDZS. Make sure you do not separately say the "d" and the "zs". The "dzs" is one sound just like the current first consonant in JUNGLE.
Adding the "é", it is called and pronounced "dzsé" (not "dzséj"!)
Now, look at the words JUNGLE, JUDGE and MAGIC. In JUNGLE, it is the "j" that has the "dzs" sound. In JUDGE, we have "dzs" sound for "j" but also for "ge". Then in MAGIC, the "g" is the "dzsé" sound. Now, really, do you still think there is no need for reform? These are only three words! The English language is full of this kind of "chaos". To me it almost feels like some powerful demonic force has been at work derailing this otherwise noble language, perhaps to cause permament but unrealized confusion in the minds. Many of the native speakers at least suspect that something like this might be the case, that is why nowadays we see changes like KAR for CAR, for example, or LITE for LIGHT. What is the purpose of the letters "g" and "h" in the word LIGHT if they play no role? Of course, LITE will also change, it will be LÁJT.
f – this one is fairly simple. Like in FAIR or PHONE. Of course, PHONE will be PHONE no more as it will be written FÓN from now on. (FAIR will also change, it will be FER.)
We can pronounce and call this letter "ef".
Having fun yet? It will get better.
g – just like the first letter in GIRL or the last one in LEG.
Called and pronounced "gé" (like the first 2 sounds of GAME.) (So, forget "dzsí"!)
h – like the first letter in HAMMER or in HALF. Of course, we are not going to call this simple letter an "éjdzs" anymore. Wow, "éjdzs"! Whoever came up with this name for this letter... had to be a genius. Instead, we will add the vowel "á" to name it and to pronounce it (as a letter of the alphabet). Difficult? I don't think so. If we can say the word HARBOR that starts as "ha", we can surely pronounce "há". (See also the current pronounciation of the word HI. Just leave off the "j".)
j – just like the end of HI which we will now write as HÁJ, or the end of GRAY which, after its sound, will change to GRÉJ in writing. (Have you ever listened to a translator, like Google, translating GRAY and GREY? Both sound GRÉJ, so why would we need GRAY as well as GREY?) Anyway, there are a huge number of words that start with "j". Most of them pronounce the "j" as "dzs" like in JUNE, JOY or JUDGE. Here, we will need to work a little more when writing the "dzs" instead of the "j" but the clarity will compensate us. Besides, we save on words like MEET and TEETH where the "ee" gets replaced by a simple "í"... (Here is a "new" word for you: JÚZ. Can you guess the way this has been written so far? Yes, USE. Well, USE has not much to do with the current alphabet, either.)
Back to the "j". We add the vowel "é" to call and pronounce this letter "jé". Not "dzséj", "jé" like the first syllable of the German university town JENA.
Now, do not ask me why I am not writing this proposal using the new alphabet! Obviously, we do not put the cart before the horse.
Why am I not using contractions? It is simple. I will encourage doing away with contractions altogether. Contractions often cause misunderstanding. Was it CAN or CAN'T? Is it not more economical use of our time when we say CAN NOT instead of having to repeat or explain after we hear the question "Did you say you can or can't?" And this is only one example. Besides, writing with the new alphabet, there are no known forms of contractions (but I am afraid some clever "innovators" will sooner or later come up with some).
k – exactly like in the words CAR, CALL or CAKE. Why do we even have this letter "k" if we use instead the letter "c" in hundreds and hundreds of words? No more! A "k" will be a "k" from now on. So, instead of CAGE, CAKE, CAMP, CALL we will write KÉDZS, KÉJK, KEMP, KOLL. We add the vowel "é" to call and pronounce this letter "ké". (First, I thought the vowel "á" should be added here, too, but then I realized we have that "all important" OK expression which probably would not sound too good as OKÁ.)
After the introduction of the new alphabet, I will list commonly used words in their current forms and also in their new forms. I will also have a text written both ways to jump start this project.
l – like the first letter in LIMIT or LET. Wow! I will not have to make any changes to these two words. I am almost dissapointed. In fact, the name and pronounciation of this letter will remain what it has been: "el".
m – just like in MAN or MAGIC. Well, the word MAGIC will have to suffer significant changes: it will be MEDZSIK written with the new alphabet.
The letter "m" will also be called and pronounced the way it has been: "em".
n – like in the words NAIL and NAME. We call and pronounce it "en".
ny - like the first letter in NEW (which will be written NYÚ the reformed way). Name and pronounciation of this letter: "eny".
p – like the first letter in PACKAGE or PAGE. We call and pronounce it "pé".
What happened to the "q", you might ask. Well, we have "k", "j" and "ú" for that. Anyone who shows me a Q-word with the "kjú" sound in it gets a double chocolate ice cream from me. Of course, the word CUTE does not count, it has no "q" in it... CUTE will change to KJÚT (or should we keep the letter "q" and write this word QT?) Now, let us look at the word QUANTITY > KVANTITI. Where is the Q? I guess someone, somewhere, probably long time ago, decided to innovate, and created this monster letter. The idea? Well, to innovate, of course, to save some time and some ink. The problem is that innovations like this made the English alphabet dysfunctional. Come on! Let us not be lazy when sanity is at risk.
r – like in RADIATION or RAILROAD. This letter actually is a trouble maker. It is often silent or can hardly be heard. Take, for example, the word COLOR. Why it is written this way is beyond me. (And I am afraid we have words where none of the letters connect with the current alphabet.) KALÖ might illustrate this word, or rather KALÖR, hoping that we start speaking clearly, not swallowing any of the letters in the words.
In some languages one has to "roll" the tongue to create this sound. We do not have to go that far in English but if there is a letter, it should be audible. That is why we have the alphabet, the basic building block of the language. Let us not call this letter an "ár" anymore that might tempt us to neglect its pronounciation. Instead, we call and pronounce it "er" (just like the beginning of the word ERROR) – and feel free to roll your tongue if that is the way you like it.
s – pronuncing this one currently sounds like the first letter in SAND or SALT, which is "sz" in the new alphabet. If we want to make it sound like our new "s", currently a "h" needs to be added (SHAME, SHOE, SHADOW, etc.) The change will be significant here. The sound "sh" in words like SHAME will not be written "sh" anymore, instead it will be a simple "s". We will call and pronounce this consonant "es" (like MESH without the "m".)
sz – just like in SAND and SALT. So, these two words will be written SZEND and SZOLT. (Two other good examples for the insanity: the "a" is pronounced "e" in SAND and "o" in SALT.) We can call and pronounce this one "esz" (like GUEST without the "g" and the "t").
In case the "sz" needs to be doubled, like in the word PASS, instead of writing the "sz" twice, it is enough to double only the first part of it: PASSZ. This rule applies the same way to the "cs", the "dzs", the "ny" and the "zs" as well.
t – like in TALL and TEACHER. New way of writing these two words: TOLL and TíCSÖR. Pronounciation and name of the letter: "té" (like in MISTAKE).
v – just like in VERB and VERDICT. New way of writing for these two words: VÖRB and VERDIKT. We can call and pronounce this letter "vé".
z – like the first sounds in ZERO or ZOO. In writing, ZERO changes to ZÉRÓ, ZOO changes to ZÚ. Name and pronounciation: "zé".
zs – like the last sound in GARAGE which will now be written GARÁZS. (And do not hesitate to properly open your mouth whenever you see that comma-looking 'accent' above a vowel.) We call and pronounce this consonant "zsé".
x – just like the "x" in LEXICON or in TEXT. If this letter is also an innovation, most likely coming from "ksz", it is a very useful one. It causes no confusion, it is logical. We can call and pronounce it "ex".
Now, do you wonder why there is no "w" in our new alphabet? Simply because this creation is another one of those 'beasts'. We call it DOUBLE U. Well, first of all, it has nothing to do with the letter 'u'. We might call it DOUBLE V but then why would we need a 'vv' anywhere within a word? We will need to adjust our pronounciation slightly when dealing with current 'w' sounds. You will see that such adjustments can greatly enhance the clarity of our talk. Where the word starts with a 'w' in current writing, it will be much less work for the mouth to say a simple 'v' instead. In writing, too, the 'w' will change to a 'v'. In most of the cases where the current 'w' is not the first letter of the word, vowels will help us in writing. Omission of the 'w' is also needed to achieve harmonization of the vowels.
Let us also look at the alphabet in caps:
A Á E É I í O Ó Ö Ő U Ú Ü Ű
B C CS D DZS F G H J K L M N NY P R S SZ T V Z ZS X
Finally, some of the commonly used words
(current form followed by the new way of writing):
face – fész, famous – féjmösz, fee – fí, female – fímél, few – fjú, fight – fájt, fine – fájn, finally – fájnöli, first – förszt, flame – fléjm, floor - flór
game – géjm, gas – gesz, gentle – dzsentl, giant – dzsájönt, glow – gló, girl – görl, give – giv, graceful – grészful, grain – gréjn, grandchild - grendcsájld
half – helf, hazy – hézi, heal – híl, high – háj, home – hóm, horse – horsz, how – háu, hi – háj, have – hev, her – hör, hide – hájd, high – háj, home - hóm
ice – ájsz, ideal – ájdíl, imagine – imedzsin, income – inkam, industry – indasztri, into – intu, impact – impekt, inch – incs, indeed – indíd, ion - ájon
take – téjk, teach – tícs, technology – teknálodzsi, testify – tesztifáj, thick – thik, tie – táj, table – téjbl, talk – tolk, teammate – tímméjt, tea – tí, to - tu
ugly – agli, union – junion, unite – junájt, unlike – anlájk, up – ap, urge – ördzs, us – asz, until – antil, under – andör, undo – andú, unit – junit, use - júz
After we start using the new alphabet, it could take some time (perhaps years or even decades) before it becomes really uniform. Once uniformity is achieved, it will not happen anymore that, for example, Americans do not understand people from Australia, or New Zealand, because the new alphabet will force everyone to pronounce the words the same way.
Aftör vi sztart júzing di nyú alfabet, it kud téjk szam tájm (pörhepsz jérz or íven dikédz) bifór it bikamz riölli juniform. Vansz juniformiti iz öcsívd, it vill nat heppen enimór det, for exempl, Amerikenz dú nat andersztend pípl from Ausztrélia, or Nyú Zélend, bikóz di nyú alfabet vill forsz evrivan tu pronaunsz di vördz de széjm véj.
Rimembör! Lörn di alfabet förszt. Vansz ju nóu di alfabet, it vill bi veri ízi for jú tu ríd or vrájt eni text. Szpelling vill nat bi níded enimór. Sztjudentsz ov di Inglis lengvidzs vill nat níd tu lörn di szpelling ov tauzendz and tauzends of vördz in addísön tu lörning ther míningz.
Iventsüöli, vi vill get júzd tu nat onli vrájt bat olszó tolk vidáut kontraksönz.
A friend of mine sent me the URL to a Wikipedia article dedicated to "English language spelling reform". In my response at our Facebook Group, I highlighted the following sentence from the article: "Spelling reform has rarely attracted widespread public support, and has sometimes met organized resistance from the educated majority who do not need a reform." I added that, indeed, it is hard to see how a reform of the English alphabet could take place with all the books that have already been written... Although, there might be constructive suggestions about this by those who are in favor of the reform.
Naturally, I realize that reforming the English alphabet is probably as impossible as rebuilding the engines of an airplane flying at 30,000 feet.
However, playing with the idea is a lot of fun. Besides, there were calls for reform as early as in the 19th century. The following is from Ken Westmoreland's answer to the Quora question "Why does English retain archaic spellings, instead of reforming to match how things are pronounced, like other languages do?"
"In fact, there was a school of thought in both the US and Britain that simplifying English spelling would help those countries to expand, or maintain, their cultural influence, because it would be easier for non-native speakers to learn to read and write it.
In 1897, a speaker at the convention of the National Association of American Manufacturers said:
I believe that the highest interest of Christian civilization and of humanity would be served by making the spelling and pronunciation of the English language phonetic.
He claimed that if spelling were to be made logical, then it would take less than fifty years for China and Japan to become English-speaking Christian nations whose populations would constitute an enormous market for American products."
AJÁNLOM AZ OLDALT
