Breaking the Spell examines why English spelling no longer matches how words sound and how a simplified system could help readers and learners alike.
English spelling often hides its own logic. This book traces how pronunciation shifts outpace written forms, how medieval scholars added letters to signal derivation, and why today’s spelling feels inconsistent to learners. It presents a practical, historically informed approach to simplify spelling while keeping language clear and expressive.
What you’ll experience
- A clear view of why spelling and speech diverge, with concrete examples from everyday words.
- A reader-friendly history of English spelling reforms and the forces that shaped them.
- A practical proposal for a simplified spelling system and why it could aid education, pronunciation, and literacy.
- Guidance on how such a system might fit with existing books, typefaces, and language study.
- Ideal for curious readers of language, educators, and anyone interested in how we write and read.