"Orwell Day" is today - 21st January!

George Orwell died today in 1948.

George Orwell wrote of the English language in 1941

(in "The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius.")

that the spelling system "DEFIES ANALYSIS.".....

Oddly enough/enuff :) in his strong views regarding the future of the English language - which he of course cared about  - he does not seem to mention the possibility of spelling reform.

In this famous essay he makes recommendations about what he thinks would help its better development :
"Politics and the English Language" :

Politics and the English Language

He would certainly be against change by Diktat. That's a safe bet!

An irony of history!

The living language that is closest to English in human History is Dutch. [Also Frisian is particularly close].
An irony of history is that Dutch is extremely phonetically spelt.

De levende taal die het dichtst bij Engels in human Geschiedenis is Nederlands.
De ironie van de geschiedenis is dat Nederlands is zeer fonetisch gespeld.

PERHAPS we could let this fact inspire us IF we were of the opinion that our wonderful language were in any need of reform.

:)