Spelling is Tough: Laughing is Not
If you think that we at WhiteSmoke are obsessed with grammar and spelling . . . you must not have heard of Martha Brockenbrough.
Who is Martha Brockenbrough?
Martha Stewart is to Good Living as Martha Brockenbrough is to Good Spelling. Martha is known as a Former Spelling Bee Champion, a grammarian and a columnist.
She writes mainly about grammar, in addition to other topics, for Encarta.msn. Martha also wrote a book about funny ways grammar mistakes can creep up on even skilled writers – Things That Make Us [sic].
She is also the founder of National Grammar Day (March 4th), and SPOGG: the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar, a project dedicated to a discussion on grammar.
Martha Knows What WhiteSmoke Knows
English spelling can be difficult, random and confusing.
In one of her articles on Encarta.msn, Tips from a Former Spelling Bee Champion, Martha discusses reasons why English spelling can be so tough.
She offers three possible reasons:
- Latin - The original intended use of the English alphabet (an entirely different language!).
- Influence - English is a mixture of French, German and several other influential languages.
- Printing press - Caused standardized spelling, which resulted in a shift of pronunciation for some words, to adjust to their new spelling.
A Powerful Spelling Tip (from a former Spelling Bee Champion!)
In the above mentioned article, Martha describes a famous spelling trick that often provides more confusion than help – the “i before e except after c” rule. This rule contains a few exceptions, and in her article, Martha provides a more complete form of the trick:
"Place i before e, except ...
I before e,
Except after c,
Or when sounding like a
As in neighbor and weigh"
Spelling authority Edna L. Furness added a few more lines that are worth remembering:
"And except seize and seizure
And also leisure
Weird, height, and either
Forfeit and neither."
Why do people like Martha exist?
For one thing – because English is difficult!!! English spelling and grammar can cause frustration and anxiety, and it is important to have places to go for help (like WhiteSmoke!). Instead of reading dry, fat books on grammar, it can be much easier and more pleasant to read a witty, funny blog that teaches about spelling and grammar.
Adding a little bit of humor to the situation can be very effective, since to some people, the topic of English grammar and spelling can be daunting, if not downright dull.
Write a comment
Required fields are marked with *.
Serving customers in the USA
